¶ … Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
Deconstructing the meaning of "death" in Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"
As a method of literary analysis, deconstruction seeks to generate layers of meanings that are both latent and manifest within a literary work. More often, it is through deconstruction that leads the reader to identify a specific theme found in a work. Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" provides symbolic meanings that provide the readers with awareness about the state of gender equality that was yet to be fully recognized in Chopin's society (during the 19th century).
In this paper, the researcher seeks to create a literary analysis using the method of deconstruction, wherein a particularly striking word found within the literary text was taken, and themes and discussion of the word's relation to the story and its characters are generated. One primary emergent theme that prevails throughout the story is the author's concept of freedom, taken from the points-of-view of Chopin as well as the main...
However, despite the prevalence of this theme, the researcher decided to choose a word that is significant, yet subtly given importance to both the characters and the context in which the story was written.
Thus, the word "death" is chosen as the point of analysis and discussion in this paper. The primary objective of this deconstruction analysis is to determine how the signifier, which is the word "death," paves the way for the creation of themes that would best describe the purpose of the author (Chopin) in writing "The Story of an Hour." In the texts that follow, both figurative and literary meanings of death are given, in relation to the characters and plot of the story.
In this analysis, the researcher posits that the signifier (death) provides an alternative avenue for Chopin to subtly express her disagreement, even protest, on the persistence of inequality between males and females in 19th century Western society.
One literary meaning given to death is "end of something," which, in human society, meant the end of life. Indeed, the signifier was signified in the story initially by Brently Mallard, Louise's husband who was allegedly included in the list of railroad workers who had an accident. Death in relation to Brently was manifested in the word "killed," which also marked the beginning of Louise's 'rebirth' as an individual, a point that will be discussed in analyzing the signifier's figurative meanings.
Death was also signified by Louise. As the primary character of the story, she had experienced the real death, where at the end of the story, she ended up having an attack that left her dead. Brently, who was purportedly dead, was in fact alive; Louise, ironically, had met death upon learning…
Story Of an Hour Kate Chopin was an American writer whose deeply feminist views often influenced her writing. In "The Story of an Hour," Chopin (1894) explores Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death and the emotional rollercoaster that she experiences during the brief hour after she hears her husband has died and before she learns her husband is actually still alive. Chopin's (1894) "The Story of an
Mallard locks herself in her room and looks to nature for consolation, a situation that seems to dissolve the tension that she was subjected to, and Mrs. Sommers goes on a shopping and fun spree that ends up in the movie theatre. Finally at the end of the three stories there seems to be a successfully resolved situation for the tension that was, Calixta seems at peace with the
She actually loved Brently very much and her first impulse at the news of his death was to cry. Also, she was perfectly aware that she would also cry at his funeral, considering that they loved each-other and that she was accustomed to living next to him. Brently was actually caring and loving toward her and one might believe that Louise's concern about her having been freed is morally
Kate Chopin "The Story Hour" 1) what impact story? 2) What? 3) What questions? 4)…. ID Summarize short stories by Kate Chopin "The Story of an Hour" In this story, the protagonist Mrs. Mallard is mistakenly informed that her husband died in a railway accident. Her first impulse, after being stunned by the shock of the event, is to celebrate that she is free. Like so many women of her class during
Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was born Katherine O'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1850. She didn't begin her writing career until after 1882, the year in which her husband, Oscar Chopin died (Toth). She spent several years publishing short stories, based on the Creole and Cajun cultures of Louisiana, where she and Oscar had lived. Her first novel, At Fault, was published in 1890. It was her second novel The Awakening
Kate Chopin's short stories "The Storm" and "The Story of an Hour" both offer messages of hope for women trapped in patriarchal relationships. The two short stories are framed with a feminist social commentary, while offering completely different perspectives on the ways women can achieve self-determination within the dominant culture. The two main characters of "The Storm" and "The Story of an Hour" are married; but their relationships are noticeably
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