The story happens in the home of Louise Mallard in the late nineteenth century; however, the author, Chopin, does not state the precise location. The main character is Louise Mallard while minor characters include Brently Mallard (her husband), Josephine (her sister) and Richards (a friend to her husband). The story is entirely about Louise and presents a negative view about marriage since the news of the husband’s death undoubtfully overjoys the woman. The question here is why the woman is all happy over her husband’s death. Most likely her feeling is psychological since she feels she has received freedom at last compared to her previous marital life. The author uses stylistic devices, sentence structure as well as third person tone to explain the wife’s joy after the husband dies.
Many stylistic devices convey Louise’s happiness. We are capable of feeling her through the vibrant and powerful words used to describe her emotions. The narrator has described to our satisfaction her inner mind using exaggeration, irony, and other devices. In the story, the writer narrates that her marriage life caused her a heart ailment. The term is symbolic since it shows the pains and sufferings she has undergone in her marital life. In other words, it symbolizes the ‘condition’ of marriage. The story mainly aims to inform readers that marriage is constraining and full of difficulties. Marriage has affected her heart symbolizing that this feeling is deep inside her, not something external.
The narrator states, “What did it matter! What could love, the mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion” (Chopin 15). Words like magic, possession, and mystery are firm and send a strong message regarding her feelings about marriage life. Although her husband loves, she is not happy with the marriage life, and the husband’s death presents her freedom. Much diction brings about the feelings of Louise. This important device helps us understand her deeper feelings regarding marriage life.
Overwhelming sentences and words are used where Louise feelings and emotions are strong hence gives a clear picture of the mental state of Louise. “There would be no one to live for in those coming years; she would live for herself” (Chopin 14). The preceding statement implies Louise is not ready to be married, but determined to live on her own for the rest of her life. “There will be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature” (Chopin 14). From the statement, phrases like ‘powerful will” and blind persistence have full of energy and more descriptive in nature and emphasizes the earlier statement of her having nobody to give her a reason to be alive. The narrator describes Louise’s feelings as of “monstrous joy” which is perfect. The description matches her inner feelings and gives an excellent description of her strong emotions.
The narrator uses a third-person in the story that enables to give a complete story that is not limited to the principal actor. Much symbolism and imagery are evident throughout the story, for instance, heart trouble symbolizes love in the Western art and culture. It is not a real heart problem, but it is all about love problems in marital life. The story brings in marriage as something that takes away the joy of independence. Her husband’s death is a fake one because returns towards the end of the story. When he returns, the forbidden joy she has experienced in her absence disappears as quickly as it came.
It is also important to note the structure that Chopin employed throughout the story. The story is made up of a short paragraphs characterized by three to four sentences. Repetition is prominent and helps to highlight important points such as the use of the work ‘open’ that emphasizes the new freedom of Louise’s new life without a male counterpart. The author also repeats sentence structures and phrases to highlight important points. A good example is evident though one of her statements, “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” (Chopin 19). This phrasing represents how Louise’s life has drastically changed, and she cherishes this newfound freedom and hopes it continues for long. Chopin’s combination of stylistic and structural devices is wonderful and makes the story very interesting.
Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Books in Motion, 1991.
