...“When the doctors came they said she had dies of heart disease--of joy that kills” (Roberts 342). This is the final and pivotal line in Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” written in 1894. The story tells a tale of a woman named Louise realizing her husband had died in a railroad accident. She goes to her room only to find a new found freedom she now has without her husband. “She began to weep again and then she was young, she was new, she was somehow reborn” (Fatima). This freedom is crushed when she finally emerges to see her husband alive. The sight kills her where she stood. “When she sees him she dies instantly … she has to continue living a depressing life that has no meaning or excitement included” (Fatima). I am going to show how through the use of such literary devices as irony and connotation Chopin added a depth to the story that moves the reader. The story has one of the best examples of irony you can find. The very last line of the story states that Louise had died of heart disease—of joy that kills. The tragic irony is that it was both joy and sadness that killed her. She dies from the sadness of knowing the joy see realized through looking out her window has been crushed. This joy of freedom and independence is what killed her. Without filling herself with this joy she would not have anything to be destroyed when she realized her husband was alive. So the joy killed her because without it there would be no shock when her husband returned, yet the sadness of loosing...
Words: 951 - Pages: 4
...Brooklynn Stilwell Dr. Redfield English 112- 20 November 2014 MLA Annotated Bibliography: Rhetorical Analysis; the Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin, characters, setting. “KateChopinorg. Kate Chopin International Society. N.d. web. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.katechopin.org/the-story-of-an-hour/ This website is from the Author herself. There are many beneficially things from this website. She has a list of characters, the time and place, the themes, when this book was published, etc. It has a lot of helpful information and the story behind this story. I thought what was really neat on this website was there is a place for a question and answer box. This is a very important source because this particular website was written by the author of the short story I chose. There are many websites that can be helpful to have credible sources. But, when you have a source that is from the author herself, it is helpful and more credible. Lorcher, Trent “The Story of an Hour”: Analysis of the symbols & Irony.” Bright Hub Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.brighthubeducation.com/homework-help-literature/60196-the-story-of-an-hour-irony-and-symbolism/ This educational website out of the many that I read over, was informative. As many of the websites state, the symbolism in this story is not as obvious as you may assume it is. Reading this states that the initial heart condition that Mrs. Mallard has is a symbol of...
Words: 664 - Pages: 3
...Gender Roles and/or Marriage ENG 125: Introduction to Literature In Guy De Maupassant's, "The Necklace" and Kate Chopin's, "The Story of an Hour" the characters are females who struggle with inner conflicts. Many differences as well as likenesses are identified between the two characters, which would like to make major changes in their life. “The settings of the stories take place in the late 1800's, which during this time women were restricted from doing many things such as: working outside of the home, they were controlled by their spouses, and they had to be subservient females”(Wikipedia). Mrs. Mallard is the main character in "The Story of an Hour" and Mrs. Loisel is the character in "The Necklace." The type of tone the writers chose for the main characters were discontent women, who yearned for a better life than their current one. Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" is the story of Mathilde Loisel, who resents her current lifestyle. When Monsieur Loisel presents his wife with an invitation to a formal ball, she bursts into tears because she has nothing elegant to wear. Mathilde's husband agrees to let her buy a gown, and, following his suggestion, she borrows a beautiful necklace from a friend. As a result, she has a wonderful time at the ball. Upon returning home she realizes that she has lost the necklace she borrowed from her friend. The Loisels replace it with a similar one, for which they enter into debt for ten years. One day Mathilde sees her old friend and...
Words: 1561 - Pages: 7
...with socializing, instead of taking care of family related things. In the lights of these circumstances, the feminist approach has revealed itself in literature. One of the good examples of feminist literature is Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour”, which exposes the lack of freedom of women in the 1800s. In her story, Chopin estimates the situation of women in marriage and she looks at the life from a female perspective. Mrs. Mallard, the heroine of the story, is a cardiac patient, who had been told what to do by her husband and could not make choices for herself. In a way, Chopin portrays what it is like to be a woman in the late nineteenth century through an ill protagonist. In the story Mrs. Mallard is told that her husband is dead, even though she is emotional at first, she leaps for joy with the recognition of freedom. However, when Mrs. Mallard learns her husband is alive, which means she will lose her moment of freedom all over again, she dies. “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills.” (Chopin 3) Analyzing of “The Story of an Hour” through the historical and feminist lenses, it can interpreted as an illustrating of a woman’s lack of freedom in a male-dominated society. “The Story of an Hour” was written in the Victorian Era, when a wife was responsible for all household chores without...
Words: 1223 - Pages: 5
...The Necklace vs. The Story of an Hour Pamela Richard ENG 125 Lesa Hadley May 11, 2012 The Necklace vs. The Story of an Hour A short story, “The Necklace” (“La parure”) written by Guy de Maupassant in 1884 and a poem, ‘The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin in 1894 are literary works that are very comparable yet are different. The two women, Madame Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard, portrayed in these literary works are protagonists who have trouble because of conflicting expectations imposed on them by society. Both Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard want something more than what their lifestyle offers them. During the time when the authors wrote these pieces, the social behaviors showed gender suppression/oppression. This essay will compare and contrast elements of content, form, and style between two different literary works. Both authors chose the theme of gender roles in marriage. During the time when the authors wrote theses pieces, the social behaviors showed gender suppression/oppression. The nineteenth century was impacted by the industrial revolution which caused a gap in gender roles, especially in the upper and middle classes (Radek, 2001). Men and women were thought to have completely different natures. Men were considered to be powerful, brave, rational and independent. Women were considered weak, timid, emotional, and dependent. Those differences separated their functions in society. "Men were thought to have natures suited to the public...
Words: 3460 - Pages: 14
...6th, 2014 Abstract The following paper discusses and analyzes the work “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. The story uses the irony of life to show that marriage can be full of undisclosed hatred, suppression, and unpleasantness between partners – a point that remains concealed from the outside world. “The Story of an Hour” is a story about a married couple. The story begins with the wife hearing the news of the death of her husband. The news, instead of sending her into a shock, sends her into a state of excitement. Her excitement remains concealed from the people around her, who assume that she is under great shock. However, her excitement does not last too long, and she again faces news. This time, the news arrives with the arrival of her husband in front of her. Unable to control her feelings of sadness, she falls and dies on the spot. The paper takes into account multiple readings of various authors, compares their stance, and studies their views of the story. The paper establishes the point that time is running very quickly, and the story also revolves around the importance of time. It concludes with the outcome that if married couples trust each other, interconnect well, and resolve their problems, instead of thinking evil of each other, their relation is likely to remain flourishing. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin The background of “The Story of an Hour” sets its foundations on the moralities of marriage. Marriage is a respected commitment...
Words: 1346 - Pages: 6
...feeling to the story. In the book, it mentions that the seven rooms all have “…windows…of stained glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations in the chamber,” except for the last room, which is black with red windows. This builds suspense, as the reader can infer that there is something special about the room, especially because its windows are red, and that is the color of the “Red Death”. There is a sense of eerie unearthliness throughout the story because of this room as well; all the guests at the party are avoiding it. In conclusion, the setting lends a sense of expectation and bizarreness to the story. Character Analysis Prince Prospero is likely a stubborn person who is used to having his way. In the story, he is resisting accepting the reality of “The Red Death” by hiding away in his castle with his guests. In addition, he chases the uninvited guest with the intention of killing him. This shows that Prince Prospero is stubborn because he’s unwilling to allow things to vary from how he planned them. This can also be inferred because Prospero is the ruler of the...
Words: 678 - Pages: 3
...Gritty Realism During the 1890s, many women were limited to what they were allowed to do. They could not go to school, have a job, or even vote. Men viewed women as though they were only meant to bear children and be a housewife. However, a writer by the name of Kate Chopin was a voice for women all the over the world. Two of her most famous writings are “The Storm”, and “Story of an Hour”. Within these two writings, she discussed issues that many other women writers would have avoided. Another writer who was famous for his portrayal of gritty topics was Ernest Hemingway. One of his most memorable writding is titled “Hills like White Elephants”. These writers were able to write about challenging realistic new ideas such as freedom after the death of a love one, abortion, and adultery. Although some of these stories are deemed gritty, Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants” deals with realistic issues couples often face. These writings also have ironic undertones such as, when Mrs. Mallards dies from seeing from dead husband and the girl who thinks about abortion, but notices greener fields on the other side of the track. Furthermore realism is when an author intends to tell real life events to his/her audience. Realism can appear in many different aspects of society. When it comes to writing, realism focuses on the average individual, and can be heard as a voice for the ordinary human being. There is a focus on realistic people and events. For example in...
Words: 1519 - Pages: 7
...“Nearly Perfect” An Analysis of “The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne By Samantha Truglio Professor Baber Composition II #2043 11 October 2014 Word Count 727 Samantha Truglio Professor Baber Composition II 2043 11 October 2014 Nearly Perfect An Analysis of “The Birth-Mark” In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Birth-Mark”, he shows us the folly of human nature and our obsession with perfection. Hawthorne conveys his message through his main characters Aylmer, a scientist and lover of nature, and his beautiful wife, Georgina, who bears a small, crimson colored, hand-shaped birthmark upon her left cheek. Despite the amount of love that Aylmer has for his wife, he can’t help but to become engulfed with the mark that stains his wife’s cheek that keeps her from being perfect. Being a man of science he decides to create an elixir to remove her one flaw. “The Birth-Mark” is a story filled with potent symbolism to illustrate the scientist’s superficial endeavor, destructive irony, and a theme that provides us with moral allegory. The birth mark represents various things throughout the story, the most predominate symbol in this story is Georgina’s birthmark, which symbolizes the imperfection of human nature and mortality. Georgina was admired by many men, for she “came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature” (Hawthorne 291), but the only man she craved admiration from was Aylmer, who was not able to get past the slightest defect that blessed her cheek. The...
Words: 770 - Pages: 4
...are one step ahead and do suspect that something is fishy, but they have no way to prove it. All in all, the cellar is making the police more suspicious because of its creepy character. Character Analysis- Actions and Motives A person might find it strange for someone to kill his wife because of a cat, but that is quite true in “The Black Cat.” The main character’s motives to kill his wife were: alcohol, the black cat, and perverseness. The reader knows that the main character has a drinking problem, but because of that drinking problem, he had no idea what he was doing. It is a possibility that at the time, the main character didn’t know that he was killing his wife, but we will never know. The second motive is the black cat. He states that the cat would often pressure him to do something crazy because it resembled...
Words: 825 - Pages: 4
...Cornelius Hughes Dr. Montgomery LibA 102 October 13, 2009 Poe’s Use of Irony in His Short Stories Gargano says that “Poe intends his readers to keep their powers of analysis and judgment ever alert;…” (178). Poe is not your average type of literary figure. He often uses personification, metaphors, and symbols in order to give hints at details that would otherwise be unknown. These type of tactics help to keep the readers on their toes, otherwise they would be subject to misinterpreting what they read. In particular, Poe was a profound user of irony in his short stories. Poe used irony to depict the errors in his characters’ ways of thinking and their actions. Stories such as “The Cask of Amontillado”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, and “The Masque of the Red Death” are all short stories that convey this notion. It is my intention to, based on the evidence found and presented, to prove this point. Let us first look at how Poe’s use of irony proves this point in “The Cask of Amontillado.” . The setting of the events is an “evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season” (Poe, “Cask” 426). This setting alone is symbolic for in this time during a carnival, people dressed themselves in costumes, becoming for a short time something other than their normal selves. Both Fortunato and Montresor are outfitted. Fortunato is wearing “a tight-fitted parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (426). In short, his attire was much...
Words: 2682 - Pages: 11
...The story Curtis creates in My Week with Marilyn is realistic narrative, focusing on in one week of Colin Clark’s life that he spent with Marilyn Monroe while shooting for the film, The Prince and the Showgirl. Curtis emplos Narratology in the starting of the film to give a little insight of the film. The genre of movie is biography and drama. This film is showing a slice of Colin Clark’s and Marilyn Monroe’s life. Curtis’s choice to keep the tale linear adds a realistic flavor to the film. The film starts with the first-person narration of Colin Clarks as he tells his story of deciding to go and work with production company and be a part of film industry in England. Colin guides the audience about the film in the starting by telling what role he has in the film, and of what time they are talking...
Words: 1086 - Pages: 5
...Word: Imagery language that produces pictures in the imaginations of people reading or listening | scene | Word: Blank verse unrhymed verse written in iambic pentameter | personification | Word: Dramatic irony difference between the situation as known to the audience and as supposed by some or all the characters of the play | stage | Word: Rhyming couplet two lines of verse of equal length that rhyme one after the other | assonance | Word: Dialogue verbal exchange between two or more characters on the stage | antithesis | Word: Iambic Pentameter a ten syllable line of verse with five stresses: di dum, di dum, di dum, di dum, di dum | metaphor | Word: Soliloquy a monologue spoken by a character who is alone on the stage. It reveals his/her inner thoughts and motives and so discloses what the character is really like. | alliteration | Word: Iamb a metrical unit of two syllables, the first unstressed, the second stressed | dramatic irony | Word:...
Words: 1467 - Pages: 6
...The Story of an Hour Analysis Kate Chopin’s short story called The Story of an Hour fits its title because the whole story happens in literally an hour or less. In the story the first character we hear about is Mrs. Mallard a wife of a man who works at a railroad; it is also known that she has a heart disease. We also hear about her sister, Josephine who had to break the news to Mrs. Mallard about her husband’s supposed death, the last character is Mr. Mallards friend named Richards, who seems to be with Josephine just for moral support and to be there if anything were to happen. The setting took place in Mr. and Mrs. Mallards house when Josephine went to break the news “in broken sentences” to her about the railroad accident that happened and seemed to cause the life of Mr. Mallard. The story is told in third person, and it only takes an hour or less to find out what really happened at the railroads. After she had heard of the disaster that had happened back at the railroads she started to cry on her sisters shoulders. She was paralyzed at the fact that her husband had died she was in a huge shock and did not expect such news. The story then goes on talking about depression “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know” I believe that what was coming to her was a depression that she had never felt before. Mrs. Mallard’s felt guilt mostly because she realized that she had taken her husband for granted. Also, by taking...
Words: 906 - Pages: 4
...Text Analysis №2 “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. Kate Chopin was born in 1851 and grew up in the household dominated by generations of women that greatly influenced her style of writing. Many of her works deal with women searching for freedom from male domination, and she is considered to be an early feminist writer. Chopin wrote over a hundred short stories, many of which were published in two collections: Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadia. Her two novels, At Fault and The Awakening deal with the controversial themes of divorce and adultery. The story under analysis is called Story of an Hour and belongs to a psychological type including social element because the author depicts the inner world of the main character, her thoughts about her future life which reflect relations between men and women at the end of the 19th century. The story is close to some extent to Galsworthy’s The Man of Property as it shows the relationship between husband and wife typical of the Victorian society. The text under consideration has the close plot structure because we observe all the four elements here. In the exposition the reader meets the main characters of the story and learns about the heart disease which one of them has. Then, the events develop in the following way: Mrs. Mallard is told “as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death” by her sister Josephine and we see the usual reaction of a wife who lost her husband which is brightly illustrated with the help of the metaphor...
Words: 1243 - Pages: 5
