The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Death is a terrible tragedy to go through for your family no matter who dies. It can be a relative or a beloved friend that died, but no matter what that person will be missed. In death there can be some symbols that represent who they are but symbols in stories can describe a different and deeper story that is behind all of it. Kate Chopin does this well in her 1894 story “The Story of an Hour.” “The Story of an Hour” is a short story that shows many symbols in it that can be broken down by a Literary analysis. In “The Story of an Hour” Kate writes about a woman suffering from heart troubles but then becomes when she is confronted by her sister to tell her the news of her husbands death. Her reaction was as normal as any other until she realized that she was free to live and through realizing this, The author has opened up a new word through literary analysis she uses through the story. Major Analysis that have a key role in the story are her dialog, Emotions, the key point of their marriage, the woman's heart troubles, and the one to show her freedom, the open window.

In “The Story of an Hour” is about Louise Mallard who has heart trouble, so she must be informed carefully about her husband’s death. Her sister, Josephine, tells her the news. Louise’s husband’s friend, Richards, learned about a railroad disaster when he was in the newspaper office and saw Louise’s husband, Brently, on the list of those killed. Louise begins sobbing when Josephine tells her of Brently’s death and goes upstairs to be alone in her room. Louise sits down and looks out an open window. She sees trees, smells approaching rain, and hears a peddler yelling out what he’s selling. She hears someone singing as well as the sounds of sparrows,. She is young, with lines around her eyes. Still crying, she gazes into the distance. She feels apprehensive and tries to suppress the building emotions within her, but can’t. She begins repeating the word Free! to herself over and over again. Louise knows she’ll cry again when she sees Brently’s corpse. But then she imagines the years ahead, which belong only to her now.. She will be free, on her own without anyone to oppress her. Louise knows that she often felt love for Brently but tells herself that none of that matters anymore. Josephine comes to her door, begging Louise to come out, warning her that she’ll get sick if she doesn’t. Louise tells her to go away. She fantasizes about all the days and years ahead and hopes that she lives a long life. Then she opens the door, and she and Josephine start walking down the stairs. The front door unexpectedly opens, and Brently comes in. He hadn’t been in the train accident. Josephine screams, and Richards tries unsuccessfully to block Louise from seeing him. Doctors arrive and pronounce that Louise died of a heart attack brought on by happiness.

In “The Story of an Hour” has sympolence found in independence. When Louise hears from Josephine and Richards of Brently’s death, she reacts with obvious grief which is an appropriate one. Alone, however, Louise begins to realize that she is now an independent woman, a realization that enlivens and excites her. Even though these are her private thoughts, she at first tries to squelch the joy she feels, to “beat it back with her will.” Such resistance reveals how forbidden this pleasure really is. When she finally does acknowledge the joy, she feels possessed by it and must abandon herself to it as the word free escapes her lips. Extreme circumstances have given Louise a taste of this forbidden fruit, and her thoughts are extreme. She sees her life as being absolutely hers and her new independence as the core of her being. When Brently returns, he unwittingly yanks Louise’s independence away from her, putting it once again out of her reach. The forbidden joy disappears as quickly as it came, but the taste of it is enough to kill her.

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