Brandon Harwood
11:00 am class
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Written by Kate Chopin. Kate Chopin lived in this type of time period where women really did
not have any rights. Chopin wrote stories where the characters were women who were dealt
with these types of issues head on. Chopin was well known for writing short stories that
centered around women who are faced with these types of society blocks. However in her
stories the women usually take on different side. The women in her stories normally choose
their own path rather than what is excepted of them in the eyes of the society. In the end it is
the women who gets what they truly want our of life.
“Story Of An Hour” The author, Kate Chopin is making a statement about life and how it can be
drastically altered in as little as an hour.
Although Kate Chopin is regarded as an important writer today, her reputation has not always
been so strong. Known primarily as a Southern regionalist writer, or "local colorist'' during her
lifetime, Chopin's stories and novels shocked many of her nineteenth-century readers. In the
1960s, with the rise of the feminist movement, critics rediscovered Chopin. "The Story of an
Hour," first published in 1894 in Vogue magazine, is one of Chopin's briefest and most widely
read stories. Louise Mallard's response to the news that her husband has been killed and her
demise upon his appearance, exemplifies Chopin's beliefs regarding women's roles in marriage
and feminine identity. The story was initially rejected by Century magazine, and by Vogue as
well, and it was published only after Chopin's collection Bayou Folk garnered critical acclaim.
I think that a lot of people would read this. But specifically I think its target audience is married
woman. The main character is portrayed as a sensitive female who is a sympathetic position.
Similarly women were not treated as equals and it was an economically unstable time. This
character is the modern female of the time; dependent and caring.
I think this is more of a fiction. It draws a lot of parallels from Romeo and Juliet. She could not
live without someone she loved. This is really depressing and touching. She literally had her
heart broken when she heard her husband had died. She claimed she was not making herself ill,
which is true. Although, she couldn’t be helped because she secluded herself from everyone.
This truly is a tragedy. The Story of an Hour is about a woman who finds out her husband died.
So she goes off to a room to think. She feels a cool breeze roll in and posses her. Then she dies.
Her husband comes to find her dead. And the doctor says she had died of heart disease—of joy
that kills. To me I think this cool breeze is death. She is happy because she thinks she is going to
be united with her husband. I think this is the joy that kills.
I really feel sad for her. The drama that comes from the story is really strong and Kate made a
really strong point when the main character died. Yet, I kind of wish she didn’t die. Mostly
because she didn’t have to die. If she had been a little less in love they would still be together.
But when she put all of her heart into something; she has a heart disease kill her. I don’t think
that’s how it should end for someone who really cares about their spouse.