Story of an Hour
1) Chopin heavily utilizes symbolism in her story. Describe three symbols in detail, making sure you discuss their relevance to the story’s themes. 2) Mrs. Mallard is described as suffering from a heart condition. How does this malady affect her character and the events in the story? 3) Analyze the plot structure of the story. Is there any foreshadowing? What would you say is the climax of the story? 4) Does this story provide a feminist theme? Why or why not? There are three main details in “The story of an hour” Mrs. Mallard is an independence woman, role of woman in marriage life and self-assertion.
Mrs. Mallard has a heart problem so is very difficult for people around her announce for her about the death of her husband. However, not like any reaction from any women we could imagine, she just weeps at once and comes back to her room by herself. “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone”. Even with the serious heart problem but she is very strong underneath. She overcomes the pain of the loss of her husband and accepts truth that she has to keep moving forward by herself. “And she opened and spread her arms out to them [long years in future] in welcome”.
Moreover, the woman’s role in marriage life is one of the theme of the story. In the old time, there is no freedom for married people, especially woman. Even though Mrs. Mallard had been loved by her husband a lot, but when she knows that he passed away, she is waiting for her freedom to come. “”Free! Body and soul free! ” she kept whispering”. And self- assertion is the most important ideal that the author want to mention. People always love themselves the most. Even the love for other is still exist, but in the deepest part of their mind they would always put themselves in the most important role.
Feature Article – Short Story
As Mrs. Mallard, even she has a heartbroken for the death of her husband but since then her self-assertion is show up clearly. “But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would that belong to her absolutely”. She is waiting for the time to spend her life by her own without any bending for anyone, include her be-loved husband. Mrs. Mallard has a heart problem so everyone around her always worried for her sickness getting bad. When they want to tell her the bad news about her husband, they have to find the way “as gentle as possible” to start.
Because of that problem, she seems very quiet in the family. After weeping for her husband’s bad news, she goes back to her room and would not let anyone follow her. Sitting in her room and let many thoughts come through her mind without making any noise except some whispering “free, free, free! ”. It does not have too many conversion between her and people around, most of the time is the thoughts in her mind. Her room remains silence until her sister asking her to open the door for her. When Mrs. Mallard heard about her husband’s death, she is looking forward to spend the rest of her life in freedom.
Her life had been tighten up with her husband in such a long time, and since now it is the time for her to live for herself without the control of anyone. For me, the climax of the story is when Mr. Mallard come back in front of everyone in the house. Besides his wife, his friend and his sister in law are also very shocked to see him back because they strongly believe that he was killed in the accident. And Mrs. Mallard after the heartbroken moment for his death, the exciting moment to spend her own life in the future, and now seeing him come back surprisingly.
With every shocking news come in a short time, her heart could not take it. I think there is the feminist theme in this story based on the way Mrs. Mallard reaction in front of her husband bad news. In the old time, woman are not appreciated as man. Even between Mr. and Mrs. Mallard has love, but she still lives under the control of her husband. Therefore, after the short moment weeping for his death, she is immediately plan for her future life. She excited to spend her life by her own.
