Throughout the three short stories “A Story of an Hour”, by Kate Chopin, “The Chrysanthemums”, by John Steinbeck, and “A Pair of Silk Stockings”, by Kate Chopin, lies a common thread that weaves the theme that in previous generations women were not permitted to indulge their pursuits and with it, their individual freedom and destiny. As the women protagonists experienced this new found freedom it was as if a looming veil hung over their head for years, finally faded away. Each protagonist became bewildered when they realized they spent their life in a haze of subjugation and were oblivious too until a simple thought allowed them to experience freedom they never knew they had.
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Elisa, who’s face is described as “lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water” (Steinbeck 272). Elisa soon meets a traveling fix it man, who starts to annoy her, but she changes her feelings towards the man when he shows interest in her chrysanthemums. “The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa’s face.”(Steinbeck 275). Elisa becomes attracted towards the man, “Her hesitant finger almost touched the cloth. Then her hand dropped to the ground. She crouched like a fawning dog” (Steinbeck 276). After giving the man pans to repair, Elisa warns the man that he “might have a rival some time” (Steinbeck 277). The man dismisses her statement saying “It would be a lonely life for a women, ma’am, and scary life” (Steinbeck 277). After the man leaves, Elisa illustrates a shift in attitudes when she question’s Henry’s compliment. “What do you mean ‘nice’?” and “What do you mean ‘strong’?”(Steinbeck 279). While going to town, Elisa comes to a heart breaking realization. “Far ahead on the road. Elisa saw a dark speck. She knew.”(Steinbeck 279). Coming from this realization that her precious dreams aren’t valued, Elisa could not bear the reality. “She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly-like an old woman” (Steinbeck, …show more content…
Sommers comes to grasp fifteen dollars, which would not doubt be used to take care of her children. “She seemed to see her way clearly toward a proper and judicious use for the money” (Chopin 49). Mrs. Sommer attempts to remember her life of luxury before the confines of marriage, but she can’t spare any time. “She her herself indulged in no retrospection. She had no time-no second of time to devote to the past” (Chopin 49). After forgetting to eat lunch, Mrs. Sommers begins her day of shopping in search of stockings and comes across an alluring pair of black silk stockings that ignite a discovery of selfishness, since she has put aside her needs, favoring her children. “How good was the touch of the raw silk to her flesh! She felt like lying back in the cushioned chair reveling for a while in the luxury of it” (Chopin 50). After experiencing this foreign luxury, Mrs. Sommer unleashes her once restrained desires, which marriage had taken away. After spending most of the money, Mrs. Sommers is faced with going back home, since she had “a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever” (Chopin
Elisa, who’s face is described as “lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water” (Steinbeck 272). Elisa soon meets a traveling fix it man, who starts to annoy her, but she changes her feelings towards the man when he shows interest in her chrysanthemums. “The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa’s face.”(Steinbeck 275). Elisa becomes attracted towards the man, “Her hesitant finger almost touched the cloth. Then her hand dropped to the ground. She crouched like a fawning dog” (Steinbeck 276). After giving the man pans to repair, Elisa warns the man that he “might have a rival some time” (Steinbeck 277). The man dismisses her statement saying “It would be a lonely life for a women, ma’am, and scary life” (Steinbeck 277). After the man leaves, Elisa illustrates a shift in attitudes when she question’s Henry’s compliment. “What do you mean ‘nice’?” and “What do you mean ‘strong’?”(Steinbeck 279). While going to town, Elisa comes to a heart breaking realization. “Far ahead on the road. Elisa saw a dark speck. She knew.”(Steinbeck 279). Coming from this realization that her precious dreams aren’t valued, Elisa could not bear the reality. “She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly-like an old woman” (Steinbeck, …show more content…
Sommers comes to grasp fifteen dollars, which would not doubt be used to take care of her children. “She seemed to see her way clearly toward a proper and judicious use for the money” (Chopin 49). Mrs. Sommer attempts to remember her life of luxury before the confines of marriage, but she can’t spare any time. “She her herself indulged in no retrospection. She had no time-no second of time to devote to the past” (Chopin 49). After forgetting to eat lunch, Mrs. Sommers begins her day of shopping in search of stockings and comes across an alluring pair of black silk stockings that ignite a discovery of selfishness, since she has put aside her needs, favoring her children. “How good was the touch of the raw silk to her flesh! She felt like lying back in the cushioned chair reveling for a while in the luxury of it” (Chopin 50). After experiencing this foreign luxury, Mrs. Sommer unleashes her once restrained desires, which marriage had taken away. After spending most of the money, Mrs. Sommers is faced with going back home, since she had “a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever” (Chopin