Story of an Hour: Theme and Narrative

Story Of an Hour: Theme and Narrative Elements

In a way, Kate Chopin's short story, "Story of an Hour," deals with a variety of different issues that are still relevant to this day. It alludes to the repression of women, the fine line between life and death, as well as that between kindness and cruelty. Additionally, the author uses a variety of literary conventions to convey these different elements, which include the usage of plot, tone and symbolism. A thorough analysis of the text of this story indicates that Chopin primarily uses symbolism and an ironic tone to illustrate the theme of the intoxication of liberation and the dramatic effects it can produce.

The author uses several instances of symbolism to reveal how powerful and addictive freedom is -- especially for someone who is unaccustomed to it, as Mrs. Mallard, the protagonist, surely is not. Mrs. Mallard is, like many women during the time of Chopin's writing of this tale, accustomed to a staid repression enforced upon her by her husband. However, she is suddenly given over to the enchanting effects of liberation upon receiving news that he had died in a train crash. The following quotation demonstrates how powerful those initial moments of freedom are for Mrs. Mallard, and also underscores the author's penchant for using symbolism to emphasize this point. "She was drinking in the very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her" (Chopin). In this passage, Chopin uses a pair of metaphors to identify how powerful and intoxicating freedom is for the recently liberated as Mrs. Mallard contemplates such a prospect while looking through a window. In the first sentence she likens life to a powerful drink; the term "elixir" has connotations of both alcohol as well as a love potion -- both produce a heady, inebriating effect that the author is using to symbolize Mrs. Mallard's feelings for freedom and the new life she perceives before her since her husband is supposedly dead. The second sentence likens her imagination to a wild animal, running unrestrained as Mrs. Mallard contemplates the possibilities of living life for herself without her husband. Both images are powerful ones which underscore how inviting and strong a sudden liberation is upon those who were not previously free.

Chopin also utilizes an ironic tone to reinforce her theme. The events of the plot help enable her to use such a tone. Verbal irony is the usage of words in a way that is the complete opposite of their literal meaning (This is in 5.3 I don't know the author, page number etc.). Situation irony is a situation in which characters act the complete opposite of the way that a situation typically calls for. Chopin uses both of these forms of irony to influence her tone. It is typical for a wife to grieve and feel sadness at the loss of her husband; Mrs. Mallard largely rejoices. One would think that a spouse would feel overjoyed to learn that a husband whom she thought harmed was actually fine; Mrs. Mallard feels so much of the opposite that she dies. In this instance, Chopin's ironic tone is never poignant, as the following quotation shows. "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease -- of the joy that kills." The irony of this quotation is apparent. Joy should produce the opposite effect of death; it should engender elation and a love for life. Yet Mrs. Mallard actually dies because she is shrinking from the possibility of the loss of her newfound freedom which the purported death of her husband represented, and which his safety diminishes. Thus the author is able to use an ironic tone of voice to demonstrate both how much Mrs. Mallard was enthralled with the prospect of her new freedom, which is underscored by the fact that when she has it suddenly wrenched away from her, it is so startling and disappointing that she dies.

There are other instances of symbolism employed by the author that show just how invigorating the prospect of liberation is. When Mrs. Mallard initially takes a chair alone to stare out a window following the news of her husband's death, she is rapidly overtaken with the possession of feeling that such liberation represents. Chopin uses abundant symbolism to convey this fact, which the following passage denotes. "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring of life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air" (Chopin). Spring is frequently a symbol of reawakening, new chances, and new life (This is from table 7.1 in 7.3, I don't know the citation info). Chopin utilizes this tradition to symbolism the new life that Mrs. Mallard feels once she believes she is liberated from the influence of her husband. The positive impact of spring, and the new life it symbolizes for Mrs. Mallard, is implied by the "delicious" scent of rain -- yet another characteristic of spring.