Discovering Freedom in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour...

Discovering Freedom in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour As humans, we live our life within the boundaries of our belief systems and moral guidelines. Yet, one unexpected event can suddenly knock us out of our comfort zone and thrust us into a completely different arena. Such is the case of the central character in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour.† Louise Mallard, upon hearing the news of her husband’s tragic death then subsequent revelation of its fallacy, finds herself quickly moving from grief, through a sense of newfound freedom, and finally into the despair of the loss of that freedom. After learning of her husband’s death in a railroad disaster, Mrs. Mallard sinks into a deep state of grief, as one would be expected to†¦show more content†¦Mallard tastes new life for the first time. Even though she loved her husband and will weep for him again, one thought comes to her over and over again: â€Å"free, free, free!†. Mrs. Mallard realizes at that instant that her life from now on is her own to live as she chooses; no more will she have to succumb to the needs and wishes of her husband. Her body betrays her excitement for the thought of this new life; her pulse races and her chest repeatedly rises and sinks with fervor, as she â€Å"recognizes this thing that was approaching to possess her.† At this moment a change takes place, for with this freedom Mrs. Mallard ceases to exist and Louise emerges. She has found a new desire for life, which she now hopes will be long. Louise returns to the friends and family who had so recently brought the news which began her metamorphosis. It is then that the door opens and Louise’s husband enters their home, completely unaware of the train accident or the indication that he had been involved. With Brently Mallard’s return her new life, her freedom, is lost to her in an instant, taken even quicker than it had been discovered. How can she return to the suppression which had been such an integral part of her marriage? Where will she find the resolve to return to the way of thinking that was such a part of her being at the start of day? This loss is much too great to bear. Louise learns in a brief hour what it is like to be her own person, to live for herself without theShow MoreRelatedLouise Mallard’s Demise in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin600 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin Kate Chopin’s short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, is about a woman, named Louise Mallard, in the late 1800s who is told that her husband, Brently, has died in a railroad accident. Initially, Louise is surprised, distressed, and drowned in sorrow. After mourning the loss, the woman realizes that she is finally free and independent, and that the only person she has to live for is herself. She becomes overwhelmed with joy about her new discovery of freedom, andRead MoreFeminism Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pagesin Kate Chopin’s Works In the nineteenth century female authors began to challenge the role women played in society in their works, one of the most notable authors being Kate Chopin. Although Chopin did not declare herself a feminist or a suffragist, her novel The Awakening, and many of her short stories reflect emerging ideas of feminism. Many of her protagonists are strong women who reject the typical role of a woman during the time period. Her stories tend to focus on women discovering theirRead MoreThe Story of an Hour1203 Words   |  5 PagesAyodeji Ilesanmi Ms. Pape English 1302.626 February 23, 2012 Part One: Alternate ending to â€Å"The Story of an Hour† â€Å"Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey, it was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. 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There are many individualRead MoreMathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard: a Look at Two Protagonists701 Words   |  3 Pagescharacter traits of Mathilde Loisel in Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace† and Louise Mallard in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† however; there are subtle differences between the two women. Both of these protagonists struggle with their fate, are self-centered, and lack empathy. Their lives are destined to end in their own tragic ways based on their individual character flaws. Both of these stories focus on women who struggle with their lifestyle conditions. Mrs. Loisel cannot bear her middle-classRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour And A Rose For Emily Literary Analysis1297 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopins The Story of an Hour and William Faulkners â€Å"A Rose for Emily tells the story of women who face isolation and struggle with their own terms of freedom upon the death of a male figure in their life. 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She experiences a complete joy over the death of her husband and dies from the shock of discoveringRead MoreFemale Empowerment in Kate Chopins The Awakening7915 Words   |  32 PagesHeinrich-Heine-Università ¤t Wintersemester 2010/11 Vertiefungsmodul Kurs: American Realism and Naturalism - Short Stories Seminarleiter: Georg Schiller Datum der Abgabe: 16.04.2011 Female Empowerment in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Awakening† Anjana Dhir BA Englisch KF, Geschichte NF 3. Semester Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. The French