In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" a young wife, Mrs. Mallard, with a heart condition finds out her husband dies in a railroad accident. Mrs. Mallard feels sas abut this but at the same time she feels a sigh of relief. This is her chance to live for herslef. In the story "The Story of an Hour" Kate Chopin uses symbols and irony to show that death may turn out to be a blessing.
             Chopin's story is full of symbols showing death may be a blessing. For example, when Mrs. Mallard is looking outside she sees "the tops of trees aquiver wiht new spring life" (Chopin 5), and she hears countless birds chirping all of which are things she has not noticed before, "[...] her gaze was fixed away off yonder[...] with a thought of intelligent thought" (7). This shows the new thoughts going through her mind. This spring day when Mrs. Mallard receives the news of her husband's death symbolizes the beginning of her freedom in life. Spring is the time of year when life begins, when life renews itself. Mrs. Mallard feels the same as that beautiful sprng day. She feel that her husband gone she could be herslef, a new person, "[...] she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers [...]" (14). In other words, now she feels as though she was free. A second important symbol is the open window in Mrs. Mallard's bedroom. The open window allows her to experience through, "the sounds, the scentsm and the color that filled the air" (9) something new to her, freedom. The open window signifies a passage or doorway, an opporunity to leave her life of captivity and go toward a new life that is awaiting Mrs. Mallard. ...