Caroline Aziz, Lauren Borders, Justin Cheung, and Yejin Cho
3rd Period
General Guiding Questions for All Stories
1. a) Why do many stories end up with the characters dying through some surprise
ending or brutal truth?
 The unexpected endings emphasize the idea that humans have limits set to how
much they can control their fates, and it also sets the image for the reality of life.
In some cases within life, people die of brutal truths or unexpected deaths. For
example, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin illustrates the characteristics of
naturalism as the plot focuses on the middle class woman and her triumph in
freedom when she learns about the death of her husband. Her death at the end
brings in aspects of realism because during that time period as well; women
were never really free. Since she died because her husband came back, it
reinforces the point.
b) How do these endings connect with the author’s focus on realism and naturalism?
 The emphasis of irony portrayed through the surprise endings help convey the
ideals of realism and naturalism. Authors of realism may utilize surprise endings
to support how humans are able to challenge limitations set upon them and
control their own destinies. Naturalists and realists also believed in being as
realistic as possible, and death happens everyday and cannot be avoided.
Because of this, death occurs in many naturalism and realism works such as
“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and “The Story of an Hour”; both of these
works have deaths at the end that are unexpected.
2. a) Why do so many authors use irony?

Irony compliments the surprise endings common in the authors' works of realism
and naturalism
o
"Battle with Mr. Covey" - irony in the oppressed taking power over the
oppressor
o
"Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" - irony in the fact that the omniscient
narrator actually dies, and his descriptions are merely hallucinations that
occur before/during his last moments
b) What is the connection between irony, the surprise/violent/dark endings, and
realism and naturalism’s central goals?

Surprise/violent/dark endings are powerful tools for writers of realism and
naturalism
o
The contradictory events that take place in the plot of each story utilize
irony, defined as "a use of language that normally signifies the opposite,"
as the framework of the endings
Caroline Aziz, Lauren Borders, Justin Cheung, and Yejin Cho
3rd Period
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
The ending, typically the portion of stories that resolve the conflict and slow the
plot to a stopping point, take a sharp, surprising turning of events in works of
realism and naturalism
o
For the writers, the ending becomes a bold statement to readers because
it disrupts how the reader predicts the story will end, often creating a
dark atmosphere that betrays the concept of "happily ever after"
o
"Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"
Utilizing a contradictory ending can strengthen the arguments of realism or
naturalism
o
Realism (humans can control their destinies and overcome restrictions
like the environment or their circumstances) - "Battle with Mr. Covey"
o
Naturalism (humans are helpless; their freedom of choice is limited by
outside forces) - "Battle with Mrs. Auld"

“Nature made [them] friends; slavery made [them] enemies”
(Douglass 161).
3. a) Why do authors use either a third person limited narrator or an omniscient
narrator?
 Third person limited narrator: the narrator focuses on a single character’s
perspective; however the narrator still acknowledges the expressed thoughts of
other characters.
Ex: The Story of an Hour-Kate Chopin-- with Mrs. Mallard
 Omniscient narrator: the narrator knows all perspectives of the story--what each
character thinks and how they feel, as well as what goes on in every part of the
story.
Ex: The Storm-Kate Chopin-- with Bobinot & Bibi, Alcee & Calixta, and
Clarisse & her children
 Both perspectives are popular in written pieces because they both allow the
readers to view the story in a larger picture, rather than a narrowed down, and
usually biased point of view. Though third person limited narrator focuses on a
single character’s perspective, the readers are still able to notice the bigger
picture as they read unbiased views of the story. Omniscient narrator is wellused in writings because the readers are able to grasp every aspect of the story.
b) What connection does this have to the dramatic irony that that authors are using?
 The dramatic irony is evident through the reader’s knowledge of the story.
 Ex: the omniscient narrator in “The Storm” by Kate Chopin
> Throughout the story, the narrator focuses on two main perspectives-Bibi and Bobinot, and Alcee and Calixta. The story acknowledges that Calixta is
Bobinot’s spouse; however, dramatic irony plays its role when Calixta and Alcee
Caroline Aziz, Lauren Borders, Justin Cheung, and Yejin Cho
3rd Period
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revisit a romantic memory, and Bibi and Bobinot’s cluelessness to Calixta’s
behavior when they are away. The irony is evident again at the end when Calixta
and Alcee simply return to their lives. Calixa acts as if nothing has happened
while the two were gone, Bibi and Bobinot never learn what actually happened.
Ex: the third person limited narrator in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
>Two conflicting perspectives in the story sets the irony, as Mrs. Mallard reacts
to her husband’s “death”. When Mrs. Mallard dies after she finds out of her
husband’s case, the other characters believe that she died of overwhelming
happiness; however, in reality, Mrs. Mallard dies of shock and disappointment.
4. Both "Mystery of Heroism" and "Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" include the harsh
reality involved in war. Endings are often unknown, unexpected, and most commonly:
horribly tragic. Both characters are shaped by the war in their thoughts, actions, and
opinions. This influence allows the characters to develop instincts, knowledge, and
experiences, that affect future choices and actions. With these gifts, the protagonists
are motivated towards bravery and specific priorities which lack common sense and
practicality. For example, the choices of Farquhar and Collins disobey the natural
response of their violent settings and even the suggestion of others.The consequence of
their lack of judgement is one of the major factors that cause the stories' unhappy,
realistic endings. Pride, dignity, and morality also influence the characters to achieve
what they believe to be right. They become blinded by their principles so much that
they forget the dangers of the world around them and thus are subject to pain. Darwin's
concept of "survival of the fittest" is also evident in that only those with power remain
unscathed. In the two stories, power comes in the form of weapons, such as the
"infantry, the artillerymen, the guns, the caissons, [and] the horses" in "Mystery of
Heroism" and the ability to take another's life shown in "Occurrence at Owl Creek
Bridge". However, "survival" is also facilitated by mere chance, demonstrating that man
has little control over his destiny. The loss and harsh reality of war are represented in
the fact that "the bucket lay on the ground empty" and "Peyton Farquhar was dead."