Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

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Kate Chopin presents themes of female discovery and identity in her work “Story of an Hour.” The time period of the story represents how women didn’t have freedom; better yet it’s almost like women were some sort of property. Some women put up with the way they were treated, while other women strongly disliked being controlled all the time. In the story, “Story of an Hour”, Louise Mallard hated the power her husband had over her. Her husband didn’t intentionally try to control her but that’s how life was back then. Mrs. Mallard suffers from heart problems so you would think her husband handling everything would relax her because she didn’t have to worry about anything but she didn’t feel that way. One day, Louise receives news that her husband …show more content…

Mallard not only was relieved but she felt free. “Free free free”, where the words exclaimed by Mrs. Mallard in, “Story of an Hour.” While reading, you would expect the uncomfortable tone to turn into pure depression but that wasn’t the case. Mrs. Mallard acted as if a burden was lifted off her shoulders. The story stated, “But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.” Based on her words, you can portray that she had been waiting for the moment her husband took his last breath and she could finally be in control of her own life. For Louise to be so pleased about the tragedy it makes you wonder how bad life actually was for her. Because Mrs. Mallard wanted her husband dead you could only imagine how hard life was and then it makes you wonder how many other women had the same feeling at the time. Mallard paints a picture that the feeling of her husband getting killed is like “new spring life.” The quote makes you think of something relaxing but it’s actually the complete opposite. Mrs. Mallard feels like she’s been renewed and rebirthed into a better life by saying things like, “new spring life’ and “delicious breath of

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