Imagery In The Story Of An Hour

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin briefly recounts the tale of a frail, old woman, Mrs. Mallard, who learns of her husband’s unexpected death. Feeling relieved by the freedom widowhood affords, she quickly overcomes her heartbreak. However, as she is overcoming her heartbreak, her husband returns, and her heart breaks, causing her to drop dead on the spot. “The Story of an Hour” is a short story that, as promised, takes place over the course of an hour. The rapid pacing of the story gives cause for the story to heavily rely on imagery to explain to readers the brief renewal of Mrs. Mallard’s life upon her husband’s death and the quick resurgence of the sickliness that causes her death that she experiences upon Mr. Mallard’s return. The imagery in “The Story of an Hour” beautifully conveys the sense of rapid change and renewal that Mrs. Mallard experiences upon her husband’s supposed death through images of springtime and new life in conjunction with symbols of freedom.

Imagery in “The Story of an Hour”
Storms of Grief
Initially, Mrs. Mallard’s friends are careful to inform her of her husband’s demise as gently as possible in a timely manner. Still, Mrs. Mallard …show more content…
However, Chopin is quite deliberate in her ironic setting. Readers are able to see Mrs. Mallard quickly draw strength from the jubilant spring weather incorporated into the story, and confidence from the world sitting past the window sill. Furthermore, the images of budding life and stormly grief portrayed also help solidify Chopin’s idea of renewal through death. Of course, as abruptly as storms start, so do they end. Chopin suddenly concludes the story with Mrs. Mallard’s death from shock upon her husband’s return. Just like the budding trees described in the story, she is unprepared for the sudden resurgence of wintery clouds, a spring