Story of an hour
*Literary Analysis Essay Assignment* This is the fourth major essay assignment for the course and it worth 15% of a student′s overall grade. Please review the sample assignments and worksheet provided for this section of the course before submitting the essay. For this essay, students will be asked to select a literary text and analyze that text using textual analysis or thematic interpretation and external research. Your analysis will focus on a specific idea or claim (i.e. thesis statement) about the text. That claim could be interpretive, evaluative, expressive or a combination of all three (see p. 185 in your textbook). After examining the text through close reading, select specific observations from the text (scenes, dialogue, lines, lyrics, images, etc.) that demonstrate the claim and then explain the observation′s significance through sufficient interpretation. This is NOT a history paper. Students should not use their research to simply restate information about the historical context of the text. Research should engage both the writer and the reader in a critical examination about the interpretation or meaning of the text. This essay must be at least three full pages long (not including the Works Cited), have at least three sources on the Works Cited page (including the literary text), be formatted in MLA 8th edition, written in third person. This essay must be at least three full pages long (not including the Works Cited), have at least three sources on the Works Cited page (including the literary text), be formatted in MLA 8th edition, written in third person and is my article please use for this essay https://americanliterature.
Answer
Claim: In the article “Story of an hour” the essence of provision of the right, adequate and confirmed information is looked at. The report looks at the implications of distributing information without keenly confirming it and the dangers it can result to.
Introduction: Mrs. Mallard was expected to act in a very shocking manner upon receiving the shocking news about the unexpected dismissal of her husband Mr. Mallard. However the news were not shocking as they were thought to be at first. The demise of her husband symbolizes the beginning freedom .The text mainly focuses on the unloving relationship that existed between Mrs. Mallard and her husband. Mrs. Mallard is portrayed as uncaring wife who cares less about the death of her husband. She seems to be overwhelmed by the news about the dismissal of her husband as she is granted freedom that she has longed for a long period of time. She never experienced freedom all her marriage life whenever her husband was around. Mrs. Mallard proves as a significant character Cate Chopin story” The story of an hour”. The author uses Mrs. Mallard as a role model who represents weaker, ignorant and unloving women in the society. The author had different intentions upon writing the story and using Mrs. Mallard. It significant we look at these intentions as portrayed in the story.
Point #1: Thirst for freedom
Observation: I am free, I am free “She said it over and over under the breath: “free, free! free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.”, “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 to welcome.”, “There will be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.”, “”Free! Body and soul free!” she kept whispering.”, “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.”
Interpretation: Mrs. Mallard repeats this phrase from a low tone to console herself of what life holds for her. This shows that Mrs. Mallard has been longing for her freedom. Despite her husband being dead, there is something that she can smile about which is freedom. (Chopin). She will be free to live life her way and make her own decisions without being forced. The open window through which Mrs. Mallard gazes in the article is a sign of the freedom and opportunities that await her through her newfound independence. Everything that she experiences through her senses suggests joy and spring—new life.
Source: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Harperperennial Classics, 2014
Point #2: Family ties and caring
- Observation: “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death”., “Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door—you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.”
Interpretation: The article emphasizes more on the health of Mrs. Mallard heart problems. Josephine being her sister had to take precaution not to break the shocking news about the death of Mr. Mallard so as to prevent shock to Mrs. Mallard as it will interfere with her health (Chopin). Josephine also has to ensure her sister is in good state of health. She begs Mrs. Mallard to open the door for her, she wanted to console her. Josephine fears Mrs. Mallard will fell ill if she continues to stay alone in the room. This emphasizes more on family ties and caring for one another.
Source: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Harperperennial Classics, 2014.
Point #3: Change of events and hypocrisy
Observation: She clasped her sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs “She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom.”, “He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of the joy that kills.”
Interpretation: This shows that Mrs. Mallard was a pretender, she never wanted her sister Josephine to notice her joy upon hearing the shocking news of her husband death. She made a fool of her sister by pretending to be more affected by the dismissal of her husband, however she was longing to have here freedom. When Mr. Mallard opened the door, there were mixed reactions. No one believed he was alive. Richards his friend had to do some screening to confirm truly he was alive. The events changed from sad and sorrowful to happiness and joy from Richards and Josephine. For Mrs. Mallard, she died out of shock seeing her husband was alive, her dreams of anticipated freedom were shut down at once (Chopin).
Source: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Harperperennial Classics, 2014.
Point #4: The inherent oppressiveness of marriage
Observation: “And yet she loved him—sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as strongest impulse for her being?”
Interpretation: this show that Mrs. Mallard never loved her husband. She felt that Mr. Mallard was oppressing her by denying her freedom. Upon hearing the death of her husband, Mrs. Mallard was overwhelmed knowing she was on the edge of receiving her freedom (Chopin). Despite the love between husband and wife, Louise views Brently’s death as a release from oppression.
Source: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Harperperennial Classics, 2014.
Conclusion
The popularity of the story and the genre in which it exists allows Kate Chopin to introduce influential characters who can help shape female readers into caring and loving wives unlike Mrs. Mallard Therefore, it is the responsibility of each and every woman to show love, care and affection to her husband. Inner interests should not hinder someone in expressing his or her ideas no matter what the circumstances. Readers should not rejoice in the fall of others rather rejoice in their rise. As a young married woman, Mr. Mallard show the psychological challenge faced by young women in marriage. This article should act as a lesson to many women and warn them against planning evil of their husbands. They should live a straight forward life rather than hypocrites.
References
Chopin, Kate. “The Story Of An Hour”. Harperperennial Classics, 2014.
https://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/the-story-of-an-hour