Analyzing Regionalism Naturalism Realism and Modernism

Regionalism, Naturalism, Realism, and Modernism -- Regionalism, Naturalism, Realism and Modernism Review of "Cat in the Rain" by Ernest Hemingway and "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin Cat in the Rain by Ernest Hemingway and the Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Cat in the Rain and The Story of an Hour are short and straightforward pieces of literary work. The titles apparently leave little to imagination behind the concept of the stories, but in reality there is something important going on within these stories.

Hashemi and Ahmadi (2010) comment that Cat in the Rain is the story of an American couple who are on holiday in Italy. It is centered on a young female fixating on a cat trapped in the drizzle. Her husband, in contrast, is not in the least inclined to accede to her wish. The title has been mysterious; we are led to ask ourselves, just why this cat has been so particularly significant to the American lady who sees it via her window in the hotel room.

What is it about the stance of the cat, hunching beneath a table in a drizzle, which entices this woman to desire it? And how is this scene connected to this woman's position where she is stuck inside the hotel room? Hemingway displays his ability to depict women with their problems and apparently sympathize with them. Eident (2014) explains that the Story of an Hour revolves around a woman who has just received the news that her husband was involved in a railroad accident and died.

The woman faces mixed emotions; on one hand, she will miss her husband but on the other hand, she feels that she will be free. As with a number of popular short tales, though, the account does not finish quietly; however, forms a climactic reversal when her 'dead' husband reappears and instead, she dies of a heart attack, thus leading to the making of the title. Themes Cat in the Rain appears to have quite a number of themes.

Hashemi and Ahmadi (2010) point out that one of the themes is the loneliness and isolation of the American wife, which make her wanting the cat. This solitude could also be the result of the age difference between the couple; we are told that the wife is much younger. Decadence and relationship problems also play a part where we see the husband busy reading and ignoring the sadness of his wife.

The materialistic lifestyle is another evident element in the story where the American wife's unhappiness was because of her never-ending desire to possess. In the Story of an Hour, the themes of submission and freedom are evident in the character of Mrs. Mallard. She felt that she was liberated, from being a submissive wife to a feeling of independence, with the death of her husband. Mrs. Mallard had been delighted with the idea of her novel life; she thought that her own desire is going to direct her remaining days.

She is certain that it is best that her life is lived by her own standards and dreams and this tells us that she is gaining self-assurance and confidence (Eident, 2014). These pieces of literature show an element of Modernism. In Cat in the Rain, the woman's obsession with her looks is one incident of modernism. In The Story of an Hour, the sense of freedom and liberation of the woman from the man, after his death, is also an important theme in modernism.

Naturalism is also seen in Cat in the Rain with the description of physical elements such as the weather, that is, the rain to describe the tumultuous relationship between George and his American wife. Realism is also evident when Chopin depicts a realistic portrayal of women and their lives. She openly shows the suppressed passion and unhappiness in women.