Realization Of Freedom

"The Realization of a Newfound Freedom"

In the short story, "The Story of An Hour," Kate Chopin describes the character Louise Mallard's new found state of freedom after her husband's death. Chopin demonstrates Mrs. Mallard's awakening through the usage of diction. Literary devices such as irony, symbolism, personification, oxymoron, and simile to describe Mrs. Mallard's newly acquired freedom. Chopin wrote the story in the third person to explain the theme of freedom.

Colorful diction is used to describe Mrs. Mallard after hearing her husband's death. Mrs. Mallard is described as a "young" woman, "with a fair, calm face." This shows that Mrs. Mallard was widowed at a young age. This was written to allow the reader to sympathize with Mrs. Mallard's loss. Her face also "bespoke repression." This demonstrates that she had felt repressed under her husband control. She shows "strength" and "intelligent thought" showing her strong personality and further demonstrating how much her repression has affected her strong personality. The loss of her husband opened her eyes to a new life where she does not have to live in repression. However, since such thoughts are looked down upon in her society she is anxious for thinking of them. Her "bosom and rose and fell tumultuously," in expectation, she waited "fearfully," and finally she "abandoned herself," and accepted the thoughts. Chopin uses limited but carefully chosen dialogue to emphasize Mrs. Mallard's freedom. Mrs. Mallard repeats the word "free" three times emphasizing the finality of her freedom. Her blood even "warmed and relaxed" to her new found freedom. She was ecstatic about the future years that would belong to her "absolutely." This not only shows her acceptance of the death of her husband but also her enthusiasm at her widowed-status and her intentions to remain single.

Symbolism is often used in the "The Story of An Hour." The "open window" located in the room that Mrs. Mallard's lock herself within is a symbol of her portal to freedom. The "comfortable, roomy armchair" that is also located within the room serves as a reminder of her constricting, old but socially safe lifestyle. After her husband's death the chair leads to her "physical exhaustion" as its weight "presses down" on her. She can't go back to her old lifestyle now that she has had a taste of freedom. The trees that were "a quiver with the new spring life" are a symbol of her rebirth. Later in the story, Josephine, Mrs. Mallard's sister, talks to her through the door, pleading for her to open it. The door serves as a barrier between Mrs. Mallard and the real world. The room allows her to express and feel her freedom. When the front door to the house is opened, presenting her thought-to be dead husband, Mrs. Mallard dies of a heart attack. The front door signifies the door she closed on her old life.

Personification was repeatedly used within Chopin's story to elucidate the theme of freedom. The tantalizing aroma of freedom reached Mrs. Mallard's from the "breath of rain" that was in the air. The rain was given the human-like quality of breathing. Freedom itself was given human-like qualities as Chopin describes it "creeping out of the sky" and "reaching towards her [Mrs. Mallard]." Similes were used to describe Mrs. Mallard several times throughout her awakening. Her crying is compared to that of "a child," showing her rebirth as a new person. After she leaves her room at her sister's