Essay: Analyzing Themes in Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour'

The essay analyzes Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour,' focusing on the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard's, reactions to her husband's supposed death and her subsequent feelings of liberation. It explores how Mrs. Mallard's internal response differs from societal expectations and examines the complexities of marriage, highlighting themes of freedom, societal constraints, and the hypocrisy within marital relationships. The essay contrasts the protagonist's experience with the idea of genuine love and commitment in marriage, drawing on textual evidence to support its interpretations. It also references the provided reading material to support the analysis, offering insights into the story's underlying messages about individual desires and societal norms. The essay adheres to MLA format, demonstrating proper organization, and uses evidence from the text to support its claims.

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Student’s Name
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Responding to the Readings
Reading 1
It is exciting to realize how Mrs. Mallard reacts differently as before while she was alone in the
closed room. It is very evident that Mrs. Mallard only responded as having been upset to portray
a usual human being reaction, but she never meant it. The author clarifies that she described the
husband as 'the face that had never looked save with love upon her' (Chopin 238). The author
explains that Mrs. mallard ‘had loved her husband- sometimes’ (Chopin 238). She often never
loved her husband (Chopin 238). It is also evident that Mrs. Mallard realized that it was the end
of some of the troubles of her life. She realized that although the husband was dead and she was
very sorry, this was the beginning of the freedom that she was looking for a very long time. She
is quoted stating that she will not live for anyone for the coming years; she would live for herself
(Chopin 238). It is a sure proof that, indeed, the presence of the husband in her life always added
more sorrow than joy.
It is out of this that unexplained joy fills her heart- the joy she describes as being monstrous. It is
because she has noted that the person who denied her freedom and liberty is now dead. Mallard's
existence was only necessary to formally recognize him as a husband, but in the real sense, he
was not a husband to the heart.

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Reading 2
There is a strong message that an individual will get from Chopin’s book regarding marriage (s).
marriages are very complex systems that only those in them know and understand. An outsider
would have very little knowledge of what goes on between the two partners. Most of all, the
book suggests that marriages are, most of the time, full of pretense and hypocrisy. Someone will
choose to settle in marriage just because it is an obligation, but not because they love being there.
Hypocrisy has been one of the driving forces in unions might be because someone would not
afford to pay bills alone and thus chooses to settle in the marriage. Most marriages have the
partners enduring to stay with each other but must do it anyway. Mrs. Mallard considers her
husband's death as the beginning of freedom from the chains that looked like they would last
forever (Chopin 238).
Nevertheless, Mrs. Chopin’s criticism only applies to Mallard’s and other marriages like hers
and not to all marriages. It is because there are those marriages that have genuine love and
commitment. There are those marriages that are so sweet that the absence of one partner would
mean insecurity, not just financially but also physical, spiritual, and emotional. Unlike Mrs.
Mallard's marriage, other marriages have both partners ‘not loving each other’ sometimes but all
the time and forever. They are the marriages that freedom is only referred to as freedom if the
two are together and not apart.
Works cited
Chopin, Kate. The story of an hour. Jimcin Recordings, 1981.

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