Regionalism and Women’s Writing Kate Chopin and The Story of an Hour

To Start Recall and Assess and Apply: How would the presentation of women’s lives in the late nineteenth century lead to criticism of American society? What do you recall about irony? What are the three types of irony?

Irony – The Three Types Dramatic – audience/reader knows more than a character in the work Situational – difference between what is expected or should happen and what really does happen Verbal – difference between the literal meaning of words and what is really meant

Objective Students will read Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour and analyze Chopin’s use of irony as a vehicle for social criticism.

The Story of an Hour The Story of an Hour is to be found on page 548 of the anthologies. As you read, note the changing emotions of Mrs. Mallard and the reasons for the change.

The Story of an Hour -- Analysis What type or types of irony can be found in the story? How does Chopin use irony to communicate her message about the lives of women in her society?

Wrap Up Consider the ways Chopin used irony to tell her story and communicate her message. Would the story have been the same (more or less effective) if Chopin had told the story differently, without the use of irony? Why?