Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman given the news of her husband’s death. While she was grieving, she starts to realize that because he is dead, she now only has to live for herself. She soon finds out that her husband is still living, while receiving this news, she passes away from “shock.” This is an example of a modern short story because it emphasizes subtle characterization rather than fast-paced plot, implies rather than state facts, emphasizes revelation rather than effect, and has dramatic irony so readers have more knowledge of events than the characters do. Throughout the story, not many significant events occur. The writer uses realism throughout the story. It only uses events that can really happen and nothing that can’t. The plot does not have many events. However, the reader does learn a lot about the characters in the story. The writer also uses a technique known as slice of life, it gives the reader a glimpse of what it would be like to live where and when the story takes place. An example from the story is, “And yet she had loved him—sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter!” Here the reader learners that the protagonist …show more content…
Instead, she uses psychological realism. She writes to show the characters feelings and perceptions. She used this technique to show the woman’s feelings towards her husband. An example in the story of how she is happy her husband is dead is “ There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.” This is showing how the women believes she will be happier now that her husband is gone. While the author does not directly state this, it is implied all throughout the