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Story Of An Hour Conformity Essay

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Under many different circumstances, we find ourselves having to conform to something. Behaving accordingly to socially acceptable conventions or standards is exactly what conforming means (dictionary.com). The real mystery behind conformity is, why conform? In one way or another we all conform to something in life. In “A&P” by John Updike, and “The story of an hour” by Kate Chopin, we’re able to see what it’s like to conform, and what it’s like not to. When there is some sort of refusal to conform, we’re freeing ourselves from living accordingly to socially acceptable standards. Being free is just that, it’s the power to act, speak, or think as we want without hindrance, meaning without something or someone holding us back (dictionary.com). …show more content…

A single day of many life changing events for the main character. Kate Chopin tells the story of a women named Ms. Millard in the late 1800’s. Ms. Millard receives, (what anyone would think to be devastating news) that her husband had died. “The story of an hour” becomes founded on the way Ms. Millard reacts in regards to her husband’s death. Her reaction was like no other. She didn’t experience deep sadness, nor disbelief. Ms. Millard simply received the news, wept a little, and went to her room. There Kate Chopin shows through Ms. Millard’s reaction that her marriage was something she had conformed to. Ms. Millard began to express how she felt freedom within. She expressed this repeatedly as if she had conformed herself to her husband, and the life she lived with him for so many years. Ms. Millard made it known that she was basically no longer inferior. She now belonged to herself, and no longer to a man. She lost herself in silent joy for hours, until she sees her husband walk into the door, very much alive. Ms. Millard collapsed, and died, as the story says “of joy” that kills, but in fact of shock, and fatal disappointment. She thought she was free at last, and that once again was being taken from

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