In the short story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, I noticed not only an ironic ending, I realized that it focused on the idea of freedom.

At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Mallard cried dramatically when she learned that Mr. Mallard was dead. This started the storm of grief point. She continued to cry when she was alone in her room spurred by emotions and while she was thinking about the joy of spring. This highlighted both her sorrow and happiness over her dead husband. When she was alone in her room she realized that she now is an independent woman and she thought that during those coming years she would live for herself.

The open window mentioned in the reading provided a beautiful spring life with blue sky, smell of rain, trees and birds signing, which represented Mrs. Mallard’s own bright future. She felt like the open window provides her with the life itself.  The open window symbolized her freedom that is waiting for her. The author also said “as a child” and this symbolizes new life and new beginnings also.

An important point that was highlighted by the author was when she wrote, “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday that she had thought with a shudder that life might be long”.  Mrs. Mallard shuddered at the thought of a long life, now however she feels free and independent and her life is suddenly worth living, whereas she once hoped life would be short. She turned to prayer hoping for a long life to enjoy this feeling of freedom.

Mrs. Mallard admitted her husband being kind and loving and she had loved him but often she had not. When her husband returned, she died unable to face the return of the life that she had dreaded so much, as the doctor indicated her heart disease being a joy that kills. 

0