Story Of An Hour

The Story of an hour

By: Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin is an American author of short stories and novels; she was considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century. In her short story, “The Story of an hour”, I believe that some phrases can be important to look over. Five phrases that I think that are important to the story are: “Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul”. This phrase shows me that Mrs. Mallard is having a pain in her heart; it may as well be her new life. It’s more like a physical reaction than her emotions setting. “She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to posses her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been”. This phrase tells me that Mrs. Mallard is starting to feel uneasy, knowing that now she will be on her own, sets a new change in her. She is actually happy now that Mr. Mallard is dead, because now she will have an independent life. “She said it over and over under her breath: free, free, free! The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body”. I believe in this phrase, Mrs. Mallard is going through the realization that she is finally free from her husband, even though he is kind and loving, she is eager to her new life being alone and independent. “Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-strained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella”. This phrase is important to me and for the story because it’s where the story develops a twist and an unexpected wave of shock. “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills”. Just by seeing her husband alive, just when she was told that her husband died from a tragic railroad accident, it was too shocking for her that her heart could not bear with more surprising news. It was so unbelievable, her heart gave up.

I believe the theme of this short story is the forbidden joy of independence. Mrs. Mallard was excited to hear the news of the death of his husband. Not because he was evil, but because she can start a life of independence. Obviously she reacts with grief hearing the news of the tragic death. However, she begins to realize that she is now an independent woman, a realization that excites her. Even though these are her private thoughts, she at first tries to squelch the joy she feels, to “beat it back with her will.” Such resistance reveals how forbidden this pleasure really is. She sees her life as being absolutely hers and her new independence as the core of her being. Overwhelmed, Louise even turns to prayer, hoping for a long

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