The Value of Valuing
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin counts the events that occur within an hour when Mrs. Mallard receives the news that her husband died at a railroad accident. This story was written in 1894, a period where women were treated as their husband’s property. Chopin, an early feminist, writes this story to voice women’s hidden feelings during this time. The passage selected that will be analyzed is located almost at the end of the story, when Mrs. Mallard mentally and spiritually decides to be free. Kate Chopin uses assertive syntax, emotionally transforming imagery, and reflective diction to contribute to her solemn ironic tone and to show that society empowers men to be oppressive towards their wife, making women feel …show more content…
Mallard’s sad life reality creates a solemn ironic tone through the use of an assertive syntax that shows how Mrs. Mallard had to live her life based on her husband and how her desire for freedom surpasses her love for him. With the dead of her husband, Mrs. Mallard starts to think about her new hopes in life. For example, she says, “And yet she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter!” and “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.” Mrs. Mallard loved her husband but after being oppressed for so long, her desire for freedom was greater than her love for her for him. Mrs. Mallard had to live her life based on what her husband wanted because men are seen as a “strong” figure and they have the “proper” character to keep a stable family. If Mrs. Mallard would oppose to follow her husband’s desire, then society would look at her with a contemptuous light. This creates a solemn ironic tone by the demonstration of how society expects Mrs. Mallard to be sad about her husband’s dead but then her happiness for Mr. Mallard’s dead is indirectly caused by society. Now, with her husband dead, Mrs. Mallard can have the liberty to “live for herself”, with no one dictating her about what she can or cannot do. In this example the author also points out the importance of not letting society take control of our lives. Using an assertive syntax, the author shows us society’s ironic influence over …show more content…
As a very well known feminist, Chopin mostly writes about women’s struggles and the expectations society place on them. Writing these stories was a way for Chopin to put out to the public her feelings of injustice towards women, and even her own struggles as one. If we were to follow the author’s moral of not limiting our boundaries to what society says, we would find ourselves living in a more balanced world, where no one is greater or lesser, better or worse; we would be able to share and value the wealth we all carry:
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin counts the events that occur within an hour when Mrs. Mallard receives the news that her husband died at a railroad accident. This story was written in 1894, a period where women were treated as their husband’s property. Chopin, an early feminist, writes this story to voice women’s hidden feelings during this time. The passage selected that will be analyzed is located almost at the end of the story, when Mrs. Mallard mentally and spiritually decides to be free. Kate Chopin uses assertive syntax, emotionally transforming imagery, and reflective diction to contribute to her solemn ironic tone and to show that society empowers men to be oppressive towards their wife, making women feel …show more content…
Mallard’s sad life reality creates a solemn ironic tone through the use of an assertive syntax that shows how Mrs. Mallard had to live her life based on her husband and how her desire for freedom surpasses her love for him. With the dead of her husband, Mrs. Mallard starts to think about her new hopes in life. For example, she says, “And yet she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter!” and “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.” Mrs. Mallard loved her husband but after being oppressed for so long, her desire for freedom was greater than her love for her for him. Mrs. Mallard had to live her life based on what her husband wanted because men are seen as a “strong” figure and they have the “proper” character to keep a stable family. If Mrs. Mallard would oppose to follow her husband’s desire, then society would look at her with a contemptuous light. This creates a solemn ironic tone by the demonstration of how society expects Mrs. Mallard to be sad about her husband’s dead but then her happiness for Mr. Mallard’s dead is indirectly caused by society. Now, with her husband dead, Mrs. Mallard can have the liberty to “live for herself”, with no one dictating her about what she can or cannot do. In this example the author also points out the importance of not letting society take control of our lives. Using an assertive syntax, the author shows us society’s ironic influence over …show more content…
As a very well known feminist, Chopin mostly writes about women’s struggles and the expectations society place on them. Writing these stories was a way for Chopin to put out to the public her feelings of injustice towards women, and even her own struggles as one. If we were to follow the author’s moral of not limiting our boundaries to what society says, we would find ourselves living in a more balanced world, where no one is greater or lesser, better or worse; we would be able to share and value the wealth we all carry: