1. Women’s Activist “The Story of an Hour”
Kate Chopin
Women’s Activist
“The Story of an Hour”

2. Troubled life
Husband died young, leaving her to raise 6 children on her own
Ran plantation by herself for many years, then sold out and moved in with her mother
When her mother died a few years later, she fell into a deep depression.
Encouraged by her family doctor, she began to write as a way to encourage better emotional health

3. Scandal
The Awakening (1899)—a psychological account of a woman’s search for independence and fulfillment. Because the novel explored the issue of infidelity, it aroused a storm of protest.
severely attacked by critics and eventually banned.
Resurrected in the 1950s (2nd wave of feminism)
Today, the book is among the five most-read American novels in colleges and universities.

4. “The Story of an Hour” Story: connotations? Hour: time frame/setting
Phonetically hour/our: connotations?

5. Conflict Protagonist vs. self Internal
Conscience and dealing with her husband’s death

6. Diction and Word Choice
Double meaning: “heart trouble”:: physical ailment and trouble in her relationship
Par. 5 “twittering” “aquiver with life” “Delicious breath” “crying (double meaning) his wares” all add to the tone. Not sadness as you would expect, but expectant, ironic, and even giddy
Par. 11 she feels free not hemmed in—keen and bright almost vibrant
Par. 12 “Monstrous Joy” bigger than life, makes you wonder what made her life so terrible in the first place.

7. Irony Situational Irony Verbal Irony Dramatic Irony Climax
Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s death
Verbal Irony
“of joy that kills”
Dramatic Irony
Mrs. Mallard’s cause of death
Climax
Mr. Mallard’s return—irony?

8. Symbolism
weather and season: spring=life but the story is about death (irony)
briefcase=gripsack: gripping on to the wife and not letting go
going up she’s feeling heavy with guilt, coming down she feels lighter as if she’s leaving things behind

9. Theme
The wrongfulness and weakening power that emerges with the repression of women (or any group) and how wrong and damaging it can be.

10. When you are done you should have…
1-4; 7; 9-14 done for your poop sheet