Personal Evaluation: "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin
"The Story of an Hour" is a story about Louise Mallard, a woman with "heart trouble"
who learns her husband has died in a train wreck. Mrs. Mallard is at first overcome with sadness
until she realizes in a rush of emotion and relief that she is "Free! Body and soul free!" She sees
the world with a fresh outlook and is ready to be her own person. The story ends abruptly when
her husband, Brently Mallard comes home. He apparently wasn't on the train after all. Mrs.
Mallard dies from heart failure on the spot. Chopin's story is brilliant. The story takes a couple
of twists and turns that make the ending ironic and exciting. Also amazing is that Mrs. Mallard
undergoes all these emotions within an hour.
Chopin relates the social oppression of women at the time in a powerful way. Mrs.
Mallard represents women who were locked in marriages that were loving yet oppressive in their
treatment of women. Chopin creatively shows Mrs. Mallard's loss of identity by not mentioning
her first name right away. It is not until she is in her room and begins to feel free that her sister
calls her by her first name. Mrs. Mallard's identity (and first name) are gained through Mr.
The language of the story does an excellent job of conveying the emotions and feelings of
the characters. For example, Mr. Mallard did not intentionally try to oppress his wife, but
nonetheless, he did. Chopin writes, "A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no
less a crime as she looked upon it from that brief moment of illumination." When Mrs. Mallard is
in her room alone gazing out the window, she calls out to her sister that she is not making herself
ill. Chopin writes, "No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window."
Chopin uses wonderfu...