The Story OF an Hour

Key VocaBulAry Write these words in your writer’s notebook, and use your phone or a dictionary to find a definition.Write these words in your writer’s notebook, and use your phone or a dictionary to find a definition. veiledbosomtriumph repression tumultuousunwittingly suspensionpersistencefancy (noun) subtleimpose elusiveimploring

Internal Dialogue A technique used by writers to express the inner feelings and thoughts of a character.A technique used by writers to express the inner feelings and thoughts of a character. Internal dialogue allows the readers of a story to know how a character feels about what is happening in the story.Internal dialogue allows the readers of a story to know how a character feels about what is happening in the story.Examples: When the sun rose, I thought, “My journey has been clean. Now I will go home from my journey.” But, even as I thought so, I knew I could not. If I went to the place of the gods, I would surely die, but if I did not go, I could never be at peace with my spirit again. The girl shuddered slightly. “Those people from Hidalgo—they are wicked monsters. Can you guess what they did not six months since?” The man started to point out the space of time from February to May was three months, but he thought it better not to appear too wise.

Irony When something is amusing or surprising because it is the opposite of what is expected.When something is amusing or surprising because it is the opposite of what is expected. Situational Irony - a result or situation that turns out very differently than what was expected or hoped for Examples - an overweight gym teacher, a robbery at a police station, a student cheating on an ethics test Dramatic Irony - when a character says or does something that the reader or audience realizes has a meaning opposite to what the character intends Examples - Romeo and Juliet - when Romeo is telling Juliet how she is so beautiful and does not look like she is dead “Lamb to the Slaughter”- when the detectives say that the murder weapon is probably “right under our noses” as they are eating the murder weapon, which is a leg of lamb.

Setting A pUrpose After we finish reading this short story, I will ask you to compose a written response to this question: What does this story suggest about the situation of women at the time it was written? Through the character of Mrs. Mallard, what does the author reveal about women’s roles and position in society? Give evidence from the story to support your claims.

Symbolism She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.

Essay What does this story suggest about the situation of women at the time it was written? Through the character of Mrs. Mallard, what does the author reveal about women’s roles and position in society? Give evidence from the story to support your claims. Explain how one of the following techniques (irony, internal dialogue, symbolism) is used in the story and how it contributes to the ideas being conveyed about women and the experiences of women.