Character Transformation: A Literary Analysis of Kate Chopin's Stories

This essay offers a comparative analysis of character development in three of Kate Chopin's short stories: "The Story of an Hour," "The Storm," and "A Respectable Woman." The essay examines how Mrs. Mallard undergoes a significant emotional and philosophical transformation upon learning of her husband's supposed death, experiencing a rapid shift from grief to a sense of liberation. Similarly, Calixta in "The Storm" experiences a dramatic change, moving from a seemingly faithful housewife to engaging in adultery, only to revert to her former self after the storm. In contrast, Mrs. Baroda in "A Respectable Woman" remains relatively static, maintaining a facade of respectability while harboring unexpressed feelings. The analysis highlights Chopin's portrayal of female characters, their internal conflicts, and the societal constraints they face, demonstrating her exploration of themes such as freedom, identity, and the complexities of human emotions.

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Literal Analysis
Mrs. Mallard is dynamic due to her ability to change and expand her emotions; she is
able to make a quick transition from weeping with abandonment to a silence that was exhausting.
Her moods change from melancholy to “monstrous joy” within short period of time (“The Story
of an Hour”). In addition, Mrs. Mallard is able to come to a new philosophical understanding of
life that the death of her husband means freedom to her and that life would be her own; freedom
in body and soul.
Calixta undergoes a rapid change from a woman who first appears as model of a faithful
housewife and ends committing adultery. She seems to move from a trance-like state of her
present to rejoin her past where old-time infatuations come alive with burning passion (“The
Storm”). Just like the storm which appears suddenly and dissipates, after fornicating with Mr.
Alcee Laballiere, she returns to her old self and welcomes her husband and child as if nothing
had happened.
Mrs. Baroda is uncomplicated and does not change in the narration. At the beginning, she
is presented as being introverted who takes pleasure in having internal conversations with herself
(“A Respectable Woman”). She appears lost in an internal world without taking action in the real
world. Having taken a liking for Gouvernail, she is afraid to express her feelings verbally but is
satisfied to fantasize her feelings for him. She is happy to maintain the façade of a respectable
woman with an ability to mask her true feelings throughout the narration.

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Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. “The Storm.”
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an hour.”
Chopin, Kate. “A Respectable Woman.”