Kate Chopin Story of an Hour Author Perspective the Art of Short Story 12th Edition
Imagine a globe where women are fighting for unprecedented rights, the economic climate is unpredictable, and new developments in technology are made every year. While this world might audio like the nowadays twenty-four hours, it as well describes America in the 1890s . It was in this world that author Kate Chopin wrote and lived, and many of the problems of the period are reflected in her short story, "The Story of an Hour." Now, over a century after, the story remains i of Kate Chopin'due south most well-known works and continues to shed calorie-free on the internal struggle of women who have been denied autonomy. In this guide to Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hr," nosotros'll talk over: By the finish of this commodity, you'll accept an expert grasp on Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hr." So let's become started! If it's been a little while since you lot've read Kate Chopin'south "The Story of an Hour," it can be hard to retrieve the important details. This department includes a quick recap, but you can find "The Story of an Hour" PDF and total version here . We recommend you read it again before diving into our analyses in the side by side department! For those who just demand a refresher, hither's "The Story of an Hr" summary: Mrs. Louise Mallard is at habitation when her sister, Josephine, and her husband's friend, Richards, come to tell her that her hubby, Brently Mallard, has been killed in a railroad accident . Richards had been at the newspaper office when the news broke, and he takes Josephine with him to interruption the news to Louise since they're afraid of aggravating her eye status. Upon hearing the news of her married man's expiry, Louise is grief-stricken, locks herself in her room, and weeps. From here, the story shifts in tone. As Louise processes the news of her husband's death, she realizes something wonderful and terrible at the same time: she is free . At starting time she'southward scared to admit it, just Louise quickly finds peace and joy in her access. She realizes that, although she will exist sad almost her husband ("she had loved him—sometimes," Chopin writes), Louise is excited for the opportunity to alive for herself. She keeps repeating the discussion "costless" equally she comes to terms with what her hubby'due south death ways for her life. In the meantime, Josephine sits at Louise'south door, coaxing her to come out because she is worried about Louise's heart status. After praying that her life is long-lived, Louise agrees to come out. Withal, as she comes downstairs, the front door opens to reveal her married man, who had not been killed by the accident at all. Although Richards tries to continue Louise's middle from shock by shielding her husband from view, Louise dies all of a sudden, which the doctors afterwards attribute to "heart affliction—of the joy that kills ." Kate Chopin, the author of "The Story of an Hour," has become one of the most of import American writers of the 19th century. Before we movement into "The Story of an Hour" assay section, it's helpful to know a little bit about Kate Chopin and the world she lived in. Built-in in 1850 to wealthy Catholic parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Kate Chopin (originally Kate O'Flaherty) knew hardship from an early age. In 1855, Chopin lost her male parent, Thomas, when he passed away in a tragic and unexpected railroad accident. The events of this loss would stay with Kate for the residual of her life, eventually becoming the basis for "The Story of an Hour" about 40 years later. Chopin was well-educated throughout her childhood , reading voraciously and becoming fluent in French. Chopin was as well very aware of the divide betwixt the powerful and the oppressed in society at the time . She grew upwards during the U.South. Civil War, so she had first-hand knowledge of violence and slavery in the U.s.a.. Chopin was also exposed to non-traditional roles for women through her familial state of affairs. Her mother, grandmother, and not bad-grandmother chose to remain widows (rather than remarry) after their husbands died. Consequently, Chopin learned how important women's independence could be, and that idea would permeate much of her writing later on. As Chopin grew older, she became known for her dazzler and congeniality by society in St. Louis. She was married at the age of xix to Oscar Chopin, who came from a wealthy cotton-growing family. The couple moved to New Orleans, where they would start both a general store and a large family unit. (Chopin would requite birth to seven children over the side by side nine years!) While Oscar adored his wife, he was less capable of running a business. Financial problem forced the family to move effectually rural Louisiana. Unfortunately, Oscar would die of swamp fever in 1882 , leaving Chopin in heavy debt and with the responsibleness of managing the family's struggling businesses. After trying her manus at managing the property for a year, Chopin conceded to her mother's requests to return with her children to St. Louis. Chopin's female parent died the year after. In order to support herself and her children, Kate began to write to support her family unit. Luckily, Chopin constitute immediate success as a writer. Many of her short stories and novels—including her most famous novel, The Awakening— dealt with life in Louisiana . She was also known every bit a fast and prolific writer, and past the end of the 1900s she had written over 100 stories, articles, and essays. Unfortunately, Chopin would pass away from a suspected cognitive hemorrhage in 1904, at the age of 54 . But Kate Chopin'due south "The Story of an 60 minutes" and other writings have withstood the exam of time. Her work has lived on, and she'southward at present recognized as one of the virtually important American writers of the 19th century. American life was undergoing significant change in the 19th century. Applied science, culture, and even leisure activities were changing. "The Story of an 60 minutes" was written and published in 1894, right as the 1800s were coming to a close. As the world moved into the new century, American life was also changing rapidly. For instance, t he workplace was changing drastically in the 1890s . Gone were the days where most people were expected to work at a trade or on a farm. Factory jobs brought on by industrialization made work more than efficient, and many of these factory owners gradually implemented more than humane treatment of their workers, giving them more leisure time than e'er. Though the state was in an economic recession at this time, technological changes like electric lighting and the popularization of radios bettered the daily lives of many people and allowed for the creation of new jobs. Notably, however, piece of work was different for women . Working women as a whole were looked down upon by lodge, no affair why they found themselves in demand of a job. Women who worked while they were married or pregnant were judged even more harshly. Women of Kate Chopin'due south social rank were expected to non work at all , sometimes even delegating the responsibleness of managing the firm or child-rearing to maids or nannies. In the 1890s, working was only for lower class women who could not afford a life of leisure . In reaction to this, the National American Woman Suffrage Clan was created in 1890, which fought for women's social and political rights. While Kate Chopin was non a formal member of the suffragette movements, she did believe that women should have greater freedoms equally individuals and often talked about these ideas in her works, including in "The Story of an Hour." Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" a brusque exploration of marriage and repression in America. Now that you have some important groundwork information, it'southward time to start analyzing "The Story of an Hour." This short story is filled with opposing forces . The themes, characters, and even symbols in the story are often equal, only reverse, of one another. Within "The Story of an Hour," assay of all of these elements reveals a deeper pregnant. A theme is a message explored in a piece of literature. About stories accept multiple themes, which is certainly the instance in "The Story of an Hour." Even though Chopin'southward story is short, it discusses the thematic ideas of liberty, repression, and union. Keep reading for a discussion of the importance of each theme! The about prevalent theme in Chopin's story is the battle between freedom and "repression." Simply put , repression happens when a person's thoughts, feelings, or desires are beingness subdued. Repression can happen internally and externally. For instance, if a person goes through a traumatic accident, they may (consciously or subconsciously) choose to repress the retention of the accident itself. Likewise, if a person has wants or needs that society finds unacceptable, order tin can piece of work to repress that private. Women in the 19th century were oftentimes victims of repression. They were supposed to be demure, gentle, and passive—which ofttimes went against women'south personal desires. Given this, it becomes apparent that Louise Mallard is the victim of social repression. Until the moment of her husband's supposed expiry, Louise does non experience gratuitous . In their marriage, Louise is repressed. Readers see this in the fact that Brently is moving effectually in the outside earth, while Louise is confined to her home. Brently uses railroad transportation on his own, walks into his firm of his own accord, and has individual possessions in the form of his briefcase and umbrella. Brently is even gratuitous from the knowledge of the train wreck upon his return dwelling house. Louise, on the other manus, is stuck at domicile by virtue of her position as a adult female and her heart condition. Here, Chopin draws a strong contrast betwixt what information technology means to be gratuitous for men and women. While freedom is just function of what it ways to be a homo in America, freedom for women looks markedly different. Louise'due south life is shaped by what gild believes a woman should be and how a wife should behave. One time Louise'due south married man "dies," withal, she sees a way where she can start claiming some of the more than "masculine" freedoms for herself. Chopin shows how deeply of import freedom is to the life of a woman when, in the terminate, information technology's non the shock of her married man's return of her husband that kills Louise, only rather the thought of losing her freedom over again. Marriage as a "The Story of an Hour" theme is more than simply an idyllic life spent with a significant other. The Mallard's spousal relationship shows a reality of 1890s life that was familiar to many people. Spousal relationship was a ways of social control —that is to say, marriage helped keep women in check and secure men's social and political power. While husbands were ordinarily free to wander the globe on their own, hold jobs, and make important family decisions, wives (at least those of the upper course) were expected to stay at home and be domestic. Marriage in Louise Mallard'southward case has very little love. She sees her marriage every bit a life-long bail in which she feels trapped, which readers meet when she confesses that she loved her husband only "sometimes." More to the signal, she describes her marriage every bit a "powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they take a right to impose a private will upon a young man-beast." In other words, Louise Mallard feels injustice in the expectation that her life is dictated by the will of her husband. Like the story, the marriages Kate witnessed oftentimes concluded in an early or unexpected expiry. The women of her family unit, including Kate herself, all survived their husbands and didn't remarry. While history tells u.s.a. that Kate Chopin was happy in her marriage, she was aware that many women weren't. By showing a marriage that had been built on control and guild's expectations, Chopin'due south "The Story of an Hour" highlights the need for a world that respected women as valuable partners in marriage as well as capable individuals. While this painting by Johann Georg Meyer wasn't specifically of Louise Mallard, "Young Woman Looking Through a Window" is a depiction of what Louise might have looked similar as she realized her freedom. The all-time stories have adult characters, which is the case in "The Story of an Hr," too. 5 characters brand upwards the cast of "The Story of an Hour": Past exploring the details of each graphic symbol, we can improve understand their motivations, societal role, and purpose to the story. From the opening sentence alone, we larn a lot virtually Louise Mallard. Chopin writes, "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was affected with a heart trouble, peachy care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband'due south death." From that statement lonely, we know that she is married, has a heart condition, and is likely to react strongly to bad news . We also know that the person who is sharing the bad news views Louise every bit frail and sensitive. Throughout the next few paragraphs, we also learn that Louise is a housewife, which indicates that she would be part of the middle-to-upper class in the 1890s. Chopin too describes Louise'southward appearance every bit "young," "off-white, calm face up," with lines of "forcefulness." These characteristics are not purely physical, but also bleed into her character throughout the story. Louise's personality is described as dissimilar from other women . While many women would exist struck with the news in disbelief, Louise cries with "wild abandonment"—which shows how powerful her emotions are. Additionally, while other women would be content to mourn for longer, Louise quickly transitions from grief to joy almost her hubby's passing. Ultimately, Chopin uses Louise's grapheme to prove readers what a woman's typical feel within marriage was in the 1890s. She uses Louise to criticize the oppressive and repressive nature of marriage, especially when Louise rejoices in her newfound liberty. Josephine is Louise'south sis . We never hear of Josephine's final name or whether she is married or not. Nosotros do know that she has come with Richards, a friend of Brently'southward, to break the news of his expiry to her sister. When Josephine tells Louise the bad news, she's just able to tell Louise of Brently'southward death in "veiled hints," rather than telling her outright. Readers tin can interpret this as Josephine's attempt at sparing Louise's feelings. Josephine is especially worried almost her sis's heart condition, which we see in greater detail afterwards equally she warns Louise, "Y'all volition make yourself ill." When Louise locks herself in her room, Josephine is drastic to brand certain her sister is okay and begs Louise to let her in. Josephine is the key supporting character for Louise, helping her mourn, though she never knows that Louise plant new freedom from her husband's supposed death . But from Josephine's actions and interactions with Louise, readers can accurately surmise that she cares for her sister (even if she's unaware of how miserable Louise finds her life). Richards is another supporting grapheme, though he is described as Brently'south friend, not Louise's friend. Information technology is Richards who finds out about Brently Mallard's supposed decease while at the newspaper role—he sees Brently'southward name "leading the list of 'killed.'" Richards' main role in "The Story of an 60 minutes" is to kick off the story'southward plot. Additionally, Richard'southward presence at the newspaper office suggests he'south a writer, editor, or otherwise employee of the paper (although Chopin leaves this to readers' inferences). Richards takes plenty care to double-check the news and to brand sure that Brently'south likely dead. He also enlists Josephine'southward assistance to break the news to Louise. He tries to get to Louise before a "less careful, less tender friend" can suspension the sorry news to her, which suggests that he'south a thoughtful person in his own right. It's also of import to note is that Richards is aware of Louise'southward heart status, meaning that he knows Louise Mallard well enough to know of her wellness and how she is likely to behave grief. He appears over again in the story at the very cease, when he tries (and fails) to shield Brently from his wife's view to preclude her heart from reacting badly. While Richards is a background character in the narrative, he demonstrates a high level of friendship, consideration, and care for Louise. Brently Mallard would have been riding in a train like this one when the blow supposedly occurred. Mr. Brently Mallard is the hubby of the primary character, Louise. We get few details about him, though readers do know he's been on a train that has met with a serious accident. For the bulk of the story, readers believe Brently Mallard is dead—though the stop of "The Story of an Hour" reveals that he'southward been alive all along. In fact, Brently doesn't even know of the railroad tragedy when he arrives home "travel-stained." Immediately after Louise hears the news of his death, she remembers him fondly. She remarks on his "kind, tender hands" and says that Brently "never looked save with love" upon her . It's not then much Brently as it's her union to him which oppresses Louise. While he apparently always loved Louise, Louise but "sometimes" loved Brently. She constantly felt that he "impose[d] a individual will" upon her, equally most husbands do their wives. And while she realizes that Brently likely did so without malice, she as well realized that "a kind intention or a cruel intention" makes the repression "no less a offense." Brently's absence in the story does two things. First, it contrasts starkly with Louise's life of illness and solitude. Second, Brently's absence allows Louise to imagine a life of freedom outside of the confines of spousal relationship , which gives her hope. In fact, when he appears alive and well (and dashes Louise'due south hopes of freedom), she passes away. Though the mention of them is brief, the final sentence of the story is striking. Chopin writes, "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart illness—of the joy that kills." Just as she had no freedom in life, her liberation from the death of her hubby is told as a joy that killed her. In life as in death, the truth of Louise Mallard is never known. Everything the readers know about her delight in her newfound freedom happens in Louise's own mind; she never gets the chance to share her hush-hush joy with anyone else. Consequently, the ending of the story is double-sided. If the doctors are to be believed, Louise Mallard was happy to see her hubby, and her center betrayed her. And outwardly, no i has whatsoever reason to doubtable otherwise. Her reaction is that of a dutiful, delicate wife who couldn't acquit the shock of her hubby returned from the grave. But readers can infer that Louise Mallard died of the grief of a freedom she never had , so found, then lost once more. Readers can interpret Louise's death as her experience of true grief in the story—that for her ideal life, briefly realized then snatched away. In "The Story of an Hr," the appearance of hearts symbolize both repression and promise. Symbols are whatever object, give-and-take, or other chemical element that appear in the story and have boosted meanings across. Motifs are elements from a story that proceeds significant from being repeated throughout the narrative. The line between symbols and motifs is often hazy, but authors utilize both to help communicate their ideas and themes. In "The Story of an Hour," symbolism is everywhere, merely the three major symbols present in the story are: Middle disease, referred to as a "center status" within the text, opens and closes the text. The affliction is the initial cause for everyone's business organisation, since Louise'due south condition makes her delicate. Later, centre disease causes Louise's death upon Brently's rubber render. In this instance, Louise'southward ailing heart has symbolic value because it suggests to readers that her life has left her heartbroken. When she believes she'southward finally found freedom, Louise prays for a long life...when just the day before, she'd "had thought with a shudder that life might be long." As Louise realizes her freedom, information technology'south almost as if her heart sparks back to life. Chopin writes, "Now her bosom rose and roughshod tumultuously...she was striving to beat information technology back...Her pulses crush fast, and the coursing claret warmed and relaxed every inch of her body." These words suggest that, with her newfound liberty, the symptoms of her heart disease have lifted. Readers can surmise that Louise's diseased heart is the result of being repressed, and hope brings her heart back to life. Unfortunately, when Brently comes back, so does Louise's middle affliction. And, although her expiry is attributed to joy, the return of her (both symbolic and literal) heart disease kills her in the end. The 2d prepare of symbols are Louise's house and the world she can meet outside of her window. Chopin contrasts these 2 symbolic images to help readers better understand how marriage and repression have afflicted Louise. First of all, Louise is confined to the domicile—both inside the story and in full general. For her, still, her home isn't a identify to relax and experience comfortable. It's more like a prison cell. All of the descriptions of the house reinforce the idea that it's closed off and inescapable . For instance, the front door is locked when Mr. Mallard returns habitation. When Mrs. Mallard is overcome with grief, she goes deeper inside her firm and locks herself in her room. In that room, notwithstanding, Mrs. Mallard takes note of the outdoors by looking out of her window. Fifty-fifty in her momentary grief, she describes the "open square before her business firm" and "the new bound life." The outdoors symbolize freedom in the story, so information technology's no surprise that she realizes her newfound freedom equally she looks out her window. Everything most the outside is free, beautiful, open, inviting, and pleasant...a stark contrast from the sadness within the house . The house and its differences from outdoors serve as one of many symbols for how Louise feels about her marriage: barred from a world of independence. Finally, joy and sorrow are motifs that come at unexpected times throughout "The Story of an Hour." Chopin juxtaposes joy and sorrow to highlight how tragedy releases Louise from her sorrow and gives her a joyous hope for the future. At first, sorrow appears as Louise mourns the death of her husband. Yet, in but a few paragraphs, she finds joy in the issue as she discovers a life of her own. Though Louise is able to run into that feeling joy at such an effect is "monstrous," she continues to revel in her happiness. It is afterwards that, when others await her to be joyful, Josephine lets out a "piercing cry," and Louise dies. Doctors interpret this as "the joy that kills," but more likely information technology's a sorrow that kills. The reversal of the "advisable" feelings at each event reveals how counterintuitive the "self-assertion which she suddenly recognized every bit the strongest impulse of her beingness" is to the surrounding culture. This paradox reveals something staggering well-nigh Louise'south married life: she is so unhappy with her state of affairs that grief gives her promise...and she dies when that hope is taken away. Analyzing Chopin's "The Story of an Hr" takes time and careful idea despite the shortness of the story. The story is open to multiple interpretations and has a lot to reveal most women in the 1890s, and many of the story's themes, characters, and symbols critique women'southward marriage roles during the period . At that place's a lot to dig through when information technology comes to "The Story of an Hr" analysis. If yous're feeling overwhelmed, just recollect a few things : Remembering the key plot points, themes, characters, and symbols will assist y'all write whatsoever essay or participate in any give-and-take. Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" has much more to uncover, then read it again, ask questions, and start exploring the story beyond the folio! 
"The Story of an 60 minutes" Summary
The History of Kate Chopin and the 1890s
A Short Biography of Kate Chopin
American Life in the 1890s
"The Story of an Hr" Analysis
"The Story of an Hour" Themes
Freedom and Repression
Spousal relationship
"The Story of an 60 minutes" Characters
Louise Mallard
Josephine
Richards
Brently Mallard
The Doctor(s) 
"The Story of an Hour" Symbolism and Motifs
The Heart
The House and the Outdoors
Joy and Sorrow
Fundamental Takeaways: Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"
What's Next?
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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English language Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving higher-jump students the in-depth data they need to become into the school of their dreams.
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