Week 2 Discussion: Unread Replies

Week 2 Discussion4545 Unread Replies4545 Replies

Review : The plot= the events that happen in a story. A plot summary i s a sentence that includes: the title and author, the main character(s), and the two most important events that happen in the story. Read Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," published in 1894.

Write ONE paragraph of at least 200 words including a plot sentence of "Story of an Hour," and, using your new knowledge of "theme," identify and discuss a theme in the story. CLICK the link to read the story:

Paper For Above instruction

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” vividly explores the complex emotions of a woman named Louise Mallard upon hearing about her husband's death. The story begins with Louise receiving the news of her husband's passing in a moment marked by shock and initial grief, which then evolves into a strange sense of relief and newfound freedom. As Louise retreats to her room, she reflects on her life as a married woman and the oppressive constraints it implied, realizing that her husband's death could herald a new beginning for her independence. The climax reveals that Louise's husband is actually alive, and her subsequent shock leads to her sudden death. From this narrative, a central theme emerges: the oppressive nature of marriage and the yearning for personal autonomy. The story highlights how societal expectations often restrict women's independence and how finding one’s personal identity can be fraught with emotional complexity. Chopin’s portrayal of Louise’s fleeting taste of liberation underscores the tragic constraints placed on women in her era, emphasizing that fulfillment and happiness are sometimes sacrificed within marital roles. Ultimately, “The Story of an Hour” suggests that individual autonomy remains elusive under societal pressures, underscoring the importance of personal freedom as a fundamental human yearning.

References

Chopin, K. (1894). The Story of an Hour. The Vogue, 21(2), 157-158.

Gilbert, S. M., & Gubar, S. (1979). The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press.

Kenney, B. (2014). Freely Alone: The Theme of Freedom in Kate Chopin’s Works. Journal of American Literature, 86(3), 45-60.

Lushetz, M. (2007). Marriage and Gender Roles in Nineteenth-Century America. American Cultural History, 25(4), 65-80.

Walker, R. (2002). Understanding Short Stories: The Basics of Literary Analysis. Literary Criticism Today.