The Story of an Hour

"The Story of and Hour"

Kate Chopin

As I was reading this piece of literature, the first thing I noticed was Mrs. Mallard was affected by “heart trouble”. It was ironic to me that the condition was noted in the beginning. Mrs. Mallard does not grieve as we would if we lost our husband. Once her sister Josephine told her the news of her husband’s death, she would repeat over and over: “free, free, free!” This led me to believe that the relationship between her and her husband may have been too controlling like a prisoner in jail. She was not very vocal on the relationship. This piece of literature makes me believe that Louise was unkind and over protective of Mrs. Mallard. When she hears of his death, her feelings are over excitement because she can go on about her life without someone telling her what to do. I got the reaction that Mrs. Mallard was rejoicing over her husband’s death. In today’s society, people who lose their husbands show sadness and sympathy. There are many sensory images expressed in this passage. The sensory images in this passage made my imagination seem realistic. I could taste and smell the delicious breath of the rain, hear the sparrows twittering, and see the patches of blue sky as I just let my imagination wonder. For Mrs. Mallard, the vision through the open windows means freedom and no instructions from a man. In the story, Josephine represents the sympathetic person. Josephine shows sympathy and caring for Mrs. Mallards feelings. Mrs. Mallard is described as descending the stairs “like a goddess of Victory.” She feels herself victorious because she has freedom and has a new beginning of life by adapting to being a widow. The view of this marriage represents attitudes toward marriages in the nineteenth century. Marriages these days do not compare to those in the nineteenth century. I think Mrs. Mallard would feel better off dead than to have to deal with this was of living for years to come.