Prof. Erin Bellavia
ENG 111H
September 15, 2014
“The Story of an Hour” Forum
Working Thesis
“The Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin, uses independence as the reason for Louise’s relief for her husband dying, because she spreads her arms, whispers “free” repeatedly, and dies from shock that her responsibility of taking care of him has returned.
Point 1
Louise is in the room alone and feels like there are hands “creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds” and later in the story “she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.” She is ready for anything that happens and doesn’t have to worry about leaving someone behind to fend for themselves. She is ready to be on her own again without any cares.
Point 2
Louise kept repeating the word free and it worked as a relief basically and “the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes” It was the turning point in her life for being single.
Point 3
Louise was so excited to be done worrying about people and had a million things running through her head when she had heard that he was dead. Although it was bittersweet for her, it was sweeter. “She was drinking in elixir of life through that open window” meaning she was excited to start a new chapter of life. When her supposedly dead husband showed in the door her emotions were taken for a loop and she didn’t know what to do with herself. Making her crazy was something her health could not handle and she died.
Questions
Why would someone be okay with a loved one dying in such a horrific way?
Would you be okay with knowing you’re to be alone for the rest of your life and no one to care for or about you?
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