“The Story of an Hour” Symbolism Essay
“The Story of an Hour” Symbolism Essay
In the short story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the reader is introduced to an hour of a character’s life. Throughout the story there are many symbols to help the reader understand the emotions and changes of Mrs. Mallard after hearing of the loss of her husband. The two symbols mentioned in this short story are the open window and the heart trouble that Louise had. Louise Mallard also repeats the word “Free” in the story, which gives insight to the reader of how she felt about the news that was delivered to her. These elements develop the story and are a key way Chopin used to allow the audience to understand the plot. The first symbol is introduced in the fourth paragraph. Louise Mallard locks herself in her room after learning the news of her husband so that she can gather her thoughts. She stood in the room “facing the open window,” (197) while she thought about her life. The scenery described on page 198 leads the reader to conclude that it is springtime. It is significant that the author made the setting to be in spring because spring is when flowers bloom and other plants that had withered in the winter weather are being brought back to life. The open window represents Louise Mallard’s opportunity to begin a new life and do all the things she was unable to do in her marriage. The reader can also notice that Mrs. Mallard is looking out this window as if it was the first time she had seen outdoor life in a very long time. She spends a lot of time describing the sky and how the outside stimulates her senses. It is clear that it has been a while since she felt like she could do and see anything she wanted. Though the open window is only mentioned in the story twice, the idea of freedom, openness and new possibilities is brought to the reader’s attention abundantly throughout the story. The second symbol in the story is Louise’s heart trouble. This is introduced in the first sentence on page 197. The
In the short story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the reader is introduced to an hour of a character’s life. Throughout the story there are many symbols to help the reader understand the emotions and changes of Mrs. Mallard after hearing of the loss of her husband. The two symbols mentioned in this short story are the open window and the heart trouble that Louise had. Louise Mallard also repeats the word “Free” in the story, which gives insight to the reader of how she felt about the news that was delivered to her. These elements develop the story and are a key way Chopin used to allow the audience to understand the plot. The first symbol is introduced in the fourth paragraph. Louise Mallard locks herself in her room after learning the news of her husband so that she can gather her thoughts. She stood in the room “facing the open window,” (197) while she thought about her life. The scenery described on page 198 leads the reader to conclude that it is springtime. It is significant that the author made the setting to be in spring because spring is when flowers bloom and other plants that had withered in the winter weather are being brought back to life. The open window represents Louise Mallard’s opportunity to begin a new life and do all the things she was unable to do in her marriage. The reader can also notice that Mrs. Mallard is looking out this window as if it was the first time she had seen outdoor life in a very long time. She spends a lot of time describing the sky and how the outside stimulates her senses. It is clear that it has been a while since she felt like she could do and see anything she wanted. Though the open window is only mentioned in the story twice, the idea of freedom, openness and new possibilities is brought to the reader’s attention abundantly throughout the story. The second symbol in the story is Louise’s heart trouble. This is introduced in the first sentence on page 197. The
Cited: Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. By Kirszner & Mandell. 7th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2010. 197-99. Print.