Feminist Awakening

Altogether, Chopin's uses symbols, such as 'the open window', metaphors, like 'the elixir of life', and verbal irony, to reveal the negative influence of the social expectations of women in 18th and 19th Century. Though social 'norms' are different today, women are still seen a 'certain' way. Even today, in the 21st Century, women are often seen as subordinate to their male counterparts. The feminist movement has made major progress in correcting these view, but there are still steps that need to be made. In her time, Kate Chopin was an innovative author, giving 'The Story of an Hour' a feminist twist, to raise awareness for women and leave a lasting effect on the feminist movement for years to