KATE CHOPIN

Imbued with multiple levels of irony, not to mention several unexpected plot twists, “The Story of an Hour” remains a model of economic narrative power. In the space of only a few short pages, Chopin captures the history, needs, and personalities of her characters. The story of Mrs. Mallard is touching as well as engaging. Note, as you read, how the carefully chosen details of the story function to build an entire fictional world, not to mention a satisfying story.

“The Story of an Hour” (1894)

¶ 1

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.

2

It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.

3

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

4

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

5

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

6

There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.

7

She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams.

8

She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.

9

There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air. Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will–as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been.

10

When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “Free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulse beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.

11

She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial.

12

She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome. There would be no one to live for 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. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.

13

And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!

14

“Free! Body and soul free!” she kept whispering.

15

Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole, imploring for admission. “Louise, open the door! I beg, open the door–you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.”

16

“Go away. I am not making myself ill.” No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.

17

Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom.

18

Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.

19

But Richards was too late.

20

When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of joy that kills.

Discussion questions:

1.     Summarize Chopin’s plot. Tell each other in class. Work in pairs.

2.     What is ironic about the plot?

3.     What other ironies can you find in the story?

4.     Plot here creates irony, which in turn affects the mood thus creating it. How can you describe the overall mood of the story?

5.     What is the difference between the mood and the tone?

6.     Does Louise hate her husband? Has he been dreadful to her? Has her life with him been terrible?

7.     Does she feel grief at his supposed death? Choosing freely, would Louise choose this man again?

8.     How can you describe Louise’s feelings? Can you say that she feels joy? Why does she experience these feelings? What do her feelings tell us about the author’s view of the social codes governing women at the time? What is historic and cultural setting of the story?

9.     Compare the 5^th and the 6^th paragraphs (beginning with “She could see in the open square…” with the third paragraph from the end (beginning with “Someone was opening the front door…”) as to the style. How do they differ and how are their differing affects achieved? Consider diction, sound, imagery, and rhythm. What is implied and what is achieved by the deliberately calculated stylistic difference between the passages?

10.  What is Chopin’s theme? How do the mood and situational irony help to establish it?

Writing.

Choose one topic out of three and write a coherent essay with introduction, body (there may be more than one body paragraph) and conclusion (3-5 paragraphs 6-7 sentences each).

1)    Write an essay discussing how irony, mood and style help to reveal the conflict and the theme of the story. Please include your responses to discussion questions 3, 4, 5 and 9. In a separate paragraph describe your impression of the story and detail (prove supporting your points using the text) what makes you think so. Write a conclusion summarizing and paraphrasing your main points. Note that conclusion reinforces your main points and ideas; it does not bring in a new idea; however, do not repeat exact words and phrases that you used in you introduction, body and conclusion.  

2)     Write about the theme (the main idea) of the story.  In a separate paragraph (s) address the following issues:  to what extent does this story relevant today? You may argue that it is still important or it is no longer relevant to the contemporary situation of women in the society; in any case, do not forget to prove your points by using the text of the story and some of the other sources that you might use for your argument.  

3)    Write about illusion and reality in “The Story of an Hour”.