The symbolism and mental images that are used by Kate Chopin in her work The Story an Hour, gives the audience a sense of Mrs. Mallard’s new beginning emerging right before her through the “open window” (Meyer 15). During this time Mrs. Mallard experiences what the majority of people wish for in their lives, liberty and joy. The significance of her independence is comprehended by her when she spends an hour sitting in a “comfortable, roomy armchair” and goes through a change (Meyer 15). When the author uses the season of Spring, she symbolizes the idea of new beginnings and independence after Mrs. Mallard receives the news of her husband’s death.
From the moment Mrs. Mallard finds out the news of the death of her husband, Chopin immediately begins using vivid descriptions. “When the storm of grief has spent itself” lets the readers know about a theme slanted towards the weather (Meyer 15). This also gives the audience a mental image of a dim and ferocious scenery that signifies demise and grief. The way Mrs. Mallard reacts at first is what society would deem normal and to be expected. One can come into a conclusion that she is a sentimental and affectionate person due to her initial reaction. Mrs. Mallard is not uncaring and knows she will cry once more when she sees her husband’s body.
As soon as she receives the
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Mallard exited the room, “there was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory” (Meyer 16). The “goddess of victory” symbolizes Louise’s victory over suppression, or the “powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence…right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature” which she had felt so constrained by in her marriage (Meyer 16). She realizes her life is now finally secure since she whispers “free”. The phrasing used represents her as a freed prisoner that has been incarcerated her whole life. As she “spreads her arms open”, she symbolically submits to her renaissance. (Meyer
At the beginning of this story Chopin makes the read feel sorrowful. The phrase “storm of grief” is a powerful metaphor that makes a feeling of somberness come over you. Later in the story, the mood shifts from sadness to suspense. “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully.” That phrase makes the reader both wonder about and fear what is coming. Suddenly, the reader feels a rush of joy for Mrs. Mallard, the main character. She realizes that, “she would live for herself,” and the reader shares her joy. The emotional rollercoaster continues all the way to the end of the story, showing that Kate Chopin is a master of
In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” allows one to explore many ironic instances throughout the story, the main one in which a woman unpredictably feels free after her husband’s assumed death. Chopin uses Mrs. Mallard’s bizarre story to illustrate the struggles of reaching personal freedom and trying to be true to yourself to reach self-assertion while being a part of something else, like a marriage. In “The Story of an Hour” the main character, Mrs. Mallard, celebrates the death of her husband, yet Chopin uses several ironic situations and certain symbols to criticize the behavior of Mrs. Mallard during the time of her “loving” husband’s assumed death.
As Mrs. Mallard left the room, "there was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory (para.19). “The goddess of victory” (para.19) embodies Louise's triumph over repression, over the “powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence...right to impose a private
Typically when a woman loses her husband, the love of her life, especially in a horrific accident, she is usually in a state of sadness, however that is not the case for Mrs. Mallard. When she learns the news of her husband’s death, she does not ask her sister if she is sure that the news is true. Rather, she immediately acknowledges it. Most widows still would have been in denial, but Louis is not like most widows. She is not afraid to show feelings of pleasure; "she sees beyond the bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.
Firstly, Mrs. Mallard mourns after the news of her husbands death. In the passage it states, "She was young, with a fair, calm face... But now there was a dull stare in her eyes..." After the news of her husband's death, she falls down and upset, but that feeling doesn't last long. Also in the passage it states "She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms.
Throughout the short story, “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin uses imagery and symbolism with several different objects to further the theme and plot. Since the use of symbolism helps bring depth to the story without focusing on too much detail, readers can acquire a more complex idea on what they believe the author tries to convey throughout the story. As Chopin executes an underlying message behind her signs, she also reveals new traits and meanings of her character, Mrs. Mallard. Despite Chopin’s use of several symbols to advance the storyline, the open window exemplifies not only Mrs. Mallard’s realization of her new-found freedom, but her hope and happiness as well.
This short story presents to us so much in very few words. In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard is presented by the news of her husband’s tragic death. She’s immediately distraught by the news. Mrs. Mallard proceeds to her room, asks to be left alone and for no one to follow her. While reading this, we are inclined to think that she needs time to dwell on her own
Her perspective on her husband’s death has changed from loss to opportunity. A woman being excited over the death of her husband is shocking. However, in this case, it is understandable. Mrs. Mallard is finally allowed to be selfish and live align with her best interests: The kind of life everyone wants to
Not long after grieving, she is now entering this state of joy and happiness, because she is able to do what she wants. Chopin emphasizes this new freedom and independence by adding, “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.” Mrs. Mallard is liberated in the thought of being able to have this power of her right to act and not live by society’s expectations- who most likely expect her to still be grieving over her husband rather rejoices. Kate Chopin again adds that, Mrs. Mallard’s eagerly expresses "Free! Body and soul free!
Mallard comes out of her room to make an appearance downstairs at the request of her sister’s bickering. “There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory.” (Chopin 20). All sorts of positive emotions were built up in her as she felt like she was now transformed into a victorious, strong, independent woman who finally had the opportunity to thrive on her own. However, what was waiting for her downstairs would be the biggest surprise of her life.
When Ms. Mallard hears the atrocious news about her husband’s death, Josephine thinks that she is heartbroken. As Ms. Mallard scrambles up to her room, she is looking out of her window and notices every single detail. She starts to hear each
“The Story of an Hour”, told by Kate Chopin, is a story about Mrs. Mallard, a woman whose husband is assumed to be dead. Chopin conveys the feelings and thoughts Mrs. Mallard experienced after hearing news of her husband’s passing. Surprisingly, these emotions described were not anguish and grief, but something much different. The senses she felt were primarily feelings of relief, almost to a point of rejoice in the idea that her husband was no longer in her life. Throughout the story, by using a variety of literary elements, Chopin expresses this idea
The question in this story is that was Louise Mallard’s marriage was a happy or oppressive one that led her the decisions that she made in that room alone. In the beginning, Mrs. Mallard is shown to have heart trouble; therefore, her sister had slowly and carefully breaks down the news for her. As state, “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in
“The Story of an Hour” is one of the short stories written by Kate Chopin that evokes the reader’s mind with the antic of a Victorian woman who does not react in an expected way a wife supposed to when the news of her husband’s death reaches her. Instead, she cherishes it and she feels liberated. It can be explored that the use of language and how Mrs Mallard views her marriage are remarkable to the reader. The language used by Chopin to indicate how Mrs Mallard feels over her dead husband is not directly spoken.