Story Of An Hour

1 Pages 320 Words

In Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, one question remains with the reader after finishing the story. What was the true reason for Mrs. Mallard’s death? Was it the horror at seeing her husband again or was it the joy of knowing he was alive? With a deeper look into the actions and words of Mrs. Mallard, one might come to the conclusion that it was in fact horror and disappointment the he was still alive and well.
In the first part of the story, Mrs. Mallard talks of how she did love her husband. She mentions that her husband “never looked save with love upon her.” This comment leads the reader to believe that her husband was only kind and love to her. It also seems she loves him because she admits that she will “weep when she saw the kind and tender hand folded in death.” If he had ever been mean to her or harmed her in anyways she would not show so much emotion at his funeral.
In the same subtle fashion as Chopin hints at love, she shows us how unhappy Mrs. Mallard was. When she goes up to her room alone, the window can be taken as a representation as to what is ahead of her. Through the window she sees “trees all a quiver with the new spring life…” and she smells “the delicious breath of rain…” This all represents the new fresh life that she may be about to start, full of new things and fresh and different things. She hopes for all these things because she has been forced to remain in the same schedule and lifestyle for so long. She now can be happy in her life and live it for her and no one else. The worries she had of her husband and what’d he say or do to every action of hers is now no longer a consideration....