The Story of an Hour Reflection

A Reflection on The Story of an Hour locomote Rankin Shashonda Porter ENG 125 December 12th, 2011 A Reflection on The Story of an Hour Summary The short fable The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin was written in 1894. In the beginning of the story, we discover that Mrs. Louise Mallard has a centre of attention condition, but she is also express to be young. Which to me seemed odd, but I overlooked this particular so that I could continue the story. Mrs. Mallards sister Josephine and Mrs. Mallards hubby friend Richard came to her ho social occasion to break the news of the death of her economise in a railroad disaster.They tried to tell her the news gently, because of her condition. To them she seemed to react how a new widow should. She wept and collapsed in her sisters arms, before running to her room to be alone. This is where the story in brief takes a turn. There in her room, she was actually crying because of happiness of the death rather than sadness. Her sister thinks M rs. Mallard is making herself sick. In the nett paragraphs, Mrs. Mallard leaves her bedroom, when her husband walks into the front door, Mrs. Mallard than passes away at the sight of her husband. Structure/ Key Terms The Story of an Hour was told in the 3rd mortal point of view, which enables the readers to have a better view and understanding of the story. I noticed Kate Chopin used quite a bit of symbolism in the story as well. For instance, Mrs. Mallard welcomes the new spring life through the window of her room. This symbolizes a new beginning of her new life without her husband. The tone is ironically break and joy, despite the news of death. One would think that sadness and instability would be the tone. However, Chopin uses specific language and details to portray otherwise.My thoughts of the story the present story is not only brief and clear but also compelling and complex, and it easily lends itself to a variety of critical approaches (R. C. Evans, 2001). This story was very captivating. I was able to use my imagination to see the characters in full form. Kate Chopin, author of the story went into great detail to portray the setting in the story as well as the tone. At set-back glance, I thought the tone set for this story was sad and depressing. But I soon realized it was more of relief and happiness.I couldnt help but to be swept away to this time period and feel as if I were witnessing the situation first hand. At first I couldnt help but to feel a sense of sadness for Louise Mallard. I mean she had just lost her husband. But I soon realized when she fled to her room, that I felt relieved with her. I felt the empowerment with Louise Mallard. Kate Chopin goes into great detail describing the timbre and emotions that come over Mrs. Mallard after she escapes to her room. Chopin describes the view outside of Mrs. Mallards window to be spring in full bloom. These details provide a look at Mrs.Mallards new life without her husband. She was relieve d that he had passed away. She was free, free, free (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). Later, Chopin goes into more detail on how Mrs. Mallard is feeling, in the following paragraphs. But she saw beyond that resentment 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. . There would be no powerful go away bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellowcreature.A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. Free Body and soul free she kept whispering (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). As Mrs. Mallard returns downstairs her husband enters the room, Mrs. Mallard quickly passes away. I cant help to question the reasoning behind her death. Was it the surprise of her husbands return that made her heart to stop beating? Or was it more on the l ines of she wont receive this new bound freedom she was dreaming of that caused her heart to fail?I cant help but to think it was her freedom suddenly disappearing that ended her life at a young age. I belatedly read a chapter from a source provided. It lists students perspective on certain points in the story. Students were asked to analyze the following statement as a reader-response critic She said it over and over under her breather free Free Free (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). Barbara Larson (a student from Auburn University) states breaks down each piece of the statement.She says The words under her breath might also encourage the reader to feel an intimacy with Louise and thus regard her sympathetically, since the reader is allowed to share a very personal moment. Likewise, by placing exclamation marks after each use of free, Chopin may be encouraging the reader to chare Louises excitement about this new-found liberty (B. Larson, R. C. Evans, 2001). Larsons statement des cribes my feeling towards this statement exactly. After reading the statement I felt a connection with Mrs. Mallard in a sense of I have experience the feeling of freedom.Not that a past love passed away, more like a past love finally released me from the grasp I felt round my neck when I was with him. I felt a connection with Mrs. Mallard at that very point in the story. References * R. W. Clugston (2010) Journey to Literature Retrieved from https//content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2 * R. C. Evans (2001) approximate Readings Analysis of Short Fiction from Multiple Perspectives by Students of Auburn University Montgomery Retrieved from http//site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford/docDetail. action? docID=10015376&p00=kate%20chopin