In the stories “The Story of an Hour” and “The Chrysanthemums”, the main protagonists from each story has an epiphany or a realization in their lives and relationships. The characters are both in relationships that they subtly hint throughout the story that they are not happy in. While both end in depressing fashion, each character also finishes their respective story dramatically different.
In each story, both characters react to the events that cause the epiphany in similar ways, such as how Mrs. Mallard reacts to her husband “passing” and Elisa finding a male she is comfortable around. The protagonist in The Story of an Hour, Mrs. Mallard, whose husband had supposedly passed away due to a railroad accident, has her epiphany when she was …show more content…
Throughout the story the reader can observe that she is very to her self and close minded, especially around men. Although, later she meets a tinker in the story and appears to become very comfortable around the tinker, which is unlike her. She tells the tinker to “come into the yard” (453) which already shows she is going against her normal personality by letting him come into her safe haven. Elisa can be seen being compared to the dog, seeing how obedient she is to the tinker but when around her husband “she bares her teeth in hostile fashion: “Her upper lip raised a little, showing her teeth.” Burrowing in flower gardens, fawning, snarling—not a very pleasant picture of man's best friend” (Sullivan) which shows hostility and no trust in her husband thus her being the tinkers best …show more content…
The author of “The Story of an Hour” finishes the story by saying “she had died of heart disease--of joy that kills” (101) which depicts that she has passed away, but this was after seeing that her husband was still alive. The result of her passing was a positive outcome because she remained free. “In short, a rape seems to have an ironic outcome”(Deanu) because the rape acts as a gateway for her independence. Elisa had a similar feeling of aloneness when she had seen the chrysanthemums. "Elisa's voice grew husky. She broke in on him. 'I've never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark - why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there's quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It's like that. Hot and sharp and-lovely" (452) which is an example of Elisa showing her feelings toward the male figure of the tinker. “Elisa, in the course of the story, moves out of her accustomed role to challenge Henry and the tinker on their home ground, their occupations and sexualality.” which helps explain when the tinker notices the chrysanthemums, Elisa becomes very bright and joyful which in relation to when he tosses them aside she feels betrayed. In a sense, Elisa is the chrysanthemums, so whatever happens to said chrysanthemums, would happen to her and thus her have these constantly changing feelings in her
In each story, both characters react to the events that cause the epiphany in similar ways, such as how Mrs. Mallard reacts to her husband “passing” and Elisa finding a male she is comfortable around. The protagonist in The Story of an Hour, Mrs. Mallard, whose husband had supposedly passed away due to a railroad accident, has her epiphany when she was …show more content…
Throughout the story the reader can observe that she is very to her self and close minded, especially around men. Although, later she meets a tinker in the story and appears to become very comfortable around the tinker, which is unlike her. She tells the tinker to “come into the yard” (453) which already shows she is going against her normal personality by letting him come into her safe haven. Elisa can be seen being compared to the dog, seeing how obedient she is to the tinker but when around her husband “she bares her teeth in hostile fashion: “Her upper lip raised a little, showing her teeth.” Burrowing in flower gardens, fawning, snarling—not a very pleasant picture of man's best friend” (Sullivan) which shows hostility and no trust in her husband thus her being the tinkers best …show more content…
The author of “The Story of an Hour” finishes the story by saying “she had died of heart disease--of joy that kills” (101) which depicts that she has passed away, but this was after seeing that her husband was still alive. The result of her passing was a positive outcome because she remained free. “In short, a rape seems to have an ironic outcome”(Deanu) because the rape acts as a gateway for her independence. Elisa had a similar feeling of aloneness when she had seen the chrysanthemums. "Elisa's voice grew husky. She broke in on him. 'I've never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark - why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there's quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It's like that. Hot and sharp and-lovely" (452) which is an example of Elisa showing her feelings toward the male figure of the tinker. “Elisa, in the course of the story, moves out of her accustomed role to challenge Henry and the tinker on their home ground, their occupations and sexualality.” which helps explain when the tinker notices the chrysanthemums, Elisa becomes very bright and joyful which in relation to when he tosses them aside she feels betrayed. In a sense, Elisa is the chrysanthemums, so whatever happens to said chrysanthemums, would happen to her and thus her have these constantly changing feelings in her