The Story of an Hour

Question 0

When was The Story of an Hour published?

Answer 0

1894

Question 1

Author’s name

Answer 1

Kate Chopin

Question 3

#1  Discuss foreshadowing that is in the short story.  What are they?  How does this help readers?  Does it hinder readers?  Why or why not?
foreshadow moment 1 is:

Answer 3

1. Louise has heart condition- ends up dying in end

Question 4

1 continued…

• woman’s purpose in that time period is to have children
• woman lives for:

Answer 4

1. her husband
2. her children
3. herself

Question 5

foreshadow moment 2

Answer 5

2. knowing she’s a woman Josephine & Richards must break news to her that husband died

Question 6

foreshadow moment 3

Answer 6

3. Josephine concerned that she may commit suicide because her main purpose for living is no longer there

Question 8

#1 continued
Explain her experience of freedom

Answer 8

“free” to live for herself because husband dies but actually experiences freedom through death
- helps readers w/ element of twist

Question 9

foreshadowing moment 4

Answer 9

• Mallard’s name on list of killed but he could still be alive. It was never confirmed
• Richards notified her too quickly (2nd pg)

Question 10

foreshadow 5

Answer 10

nature shows through patches of blue in sky amongst the clouds and trees etc to represent her thoughts towards her freedom

Question 11

2 How does nature react to the news of Mr. Mallard’s death? What does this suggest?

Example 1

Answer 11

• She sees clouds and patches of blue sky
• tops of trees alive
• In springtime, new life in Air, everything is alive
• a renewal in springtime:
• -“Breathe of rain” in air but no actual rain. there’s a promise of rain
• –Rain is good and symbolizes rebirth

Question 12

2 cont…

Answer 12

she DOES NOT get new life she envisioned to be.

• the day before she prayed to live a long life
• • ironically she dreaded living a long life of suppression
• promise of good life is foreshadowed in clouds
• she will not get new life which is foreshadowed in clouds

Question 13

Question #3 When Mrs. Mallard goes to her room alone, what kind of feeling does she experience? Why does she fight this feeling?

Feeling 1- her first true reaction

Answer 13

she weeps. she is genuinely grief stricken

- she will cry again at his funeral

Question 14

#3 cont...
Why does she fight this feeling?

Answer 14

she starts to fight this feeling by feeling

• peace, freedom, happiness, relief
• • she’s been there, done that (she’s supposed to grieve “forever” for the rest of her life

Question 15

Question #5
Discuss the kind of relationship that Mrs. Mallard has w/ Mr. Mallard. Was their marriage a loveless and heartless one? Why or why not?

They had a relationship of:

Answer 15

Love and convenience (heartless)

• we can assume he’s older than her
• he needs her to procreate
• evidence he loves her in para.12
  1. she will weep again at his funeral
  2. his hands are described as “kind tender hands”
  3. always looked at wife lovingly
  4. he treated her fairly well

Question 16

#3 continued...
how was there marriage of convenience?

Answer 16

Mrs. Mallard married him out of convenience

• she grew to love him
• she didn’t love him when she wanted freedom

Question 17

# 3 continued...
Part 2 of question 3 Why does she fight this feeling?

Answer 17

if society knew she didn’t grieve and she was happy, she would be shunned
- she has an internal celebration and fully accepts husband’s death