Kate Chopin "The Story of an Hour" Critical Analysis Essay
Brandon Dabon
Professor Mario Garcia
English M01A
11 October 2012
Self-Identity, Freedom, and Death in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” The story of an hour by Kate Chopin introduces us to Mrs. Mallard as she reacts to her husband’s death. In this short story, Chopin portrays the complexity of Mrs. Mallard’s emotions as she is saddened yet joyful of her loss. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” argues that an individual discover their self-identity only after being freed from confinement. The story also argues that freedom is a very powerful force that affects mental or emotional state of a person. The story finally argues that only through death can one be finally freed. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” argues that an individual discover their self-identity only after being freed from confinement. The confinement Mrs. Mallard had been experiencing was immediately replaced by her joyful discovery of self-identity. She was overwhelmed with joy since “there would be no one to live for during the coming years” (Chopin 281) and “she would only live for herself” (Chopin 281). Mrs. Mallard wept immediately after finding out about her husband’s death. She wept until she was alone in the privacy of her room; alone with her thoughts, she felt joyous. She was undergoing a step of self-discovery. She was not weeping entirely for her husband; it was also a way for her to release whatever she was feeling inside. As a result, she was filled with joy knowing that all the future years to come will be all for her entirely. As soon as Mrs. Mallard had finally attained her identity she expresses that finally there would be no “powerful will bending hers” (Chopin 281) and debunks the “blind persistence that men and women have the right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature” (Chopin 281). Subsequently, the remarks expressed are an indication of the sense of relief she experiences from her husband’s death. Furthermore, she unchained herself from the
Professor Mario Garcia
English M01A
11 October 2012
Self-Identity, Freedom, and Death in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” The story of an hour by Kate Chopin introduces us to Mrs. Mallard as she reacts to her husband’s death. In this short story, Chopin portrays the complexity of Mrs. Mallard’s emotions as she is saddened yet joyful of her loss. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” argues that an individual discover their self-identity only after being freed from confinement. The story also argues that freedom is a very powerful force that affects mental or emotional state of a person. The story finally argues that only through death can one be finally freed. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” argues that an individual discover their self-identity only after being freed from confinement. The confinement Mrs. Mallard had been experiencing was immediately replaced by her joyful discovery of self-identity. She was overwhelmed with joy since “there would be no one to live for during the coming years” (Chopin 281) and “she would only live for herself” (Chopin 281). Mrs. Mallard wept immediately after finding out about her husband’s death. She wept until she was alone in the privacy of her room; alone with her thoughts, she felt joyous. She was undergoing a step of self-discovery. She was not weeping entirely for her husband; it was also a way for her to release whatever she was feeling inside. As a result, she was filled with joy knowing that all the future years to come will be all for her entirely. As soon as Mrs. Mallard had finally attained her identity she expresses that finally there would be no “powerful will bending hers” (Chopin 281) and debunks the “blind persistence that men and women have the right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature” (Chopin 281). Subsequently, the remarks expressed are an indication of the sense of relief she experiences from her husband’s death. Furthermore, she unchained herself from the
Cited: Page." Purdue OWL Search Page. The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. . Woodlief, Ann M. ""The Story of an Hour"" "The Story of an Hour" N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. .