essay
"The Story of an Hour" tells a story about a woman who receives some shocking news. Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, and her sister, Josephine, tells her about the shocking news of her husband's death. Mrs. Mallard deals with the news of her husband's death in a unique way, by herself. This story has many literary elements that were unwrapped as I read it.
In the beginning, the story states, "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death." This was an example of foreshadowing.
It told us ahead of time that Mrs. Mallard has some heart trouble and that something may eventually happen to her later in the story. When Josephine tells Mrs. Mallard about her husband's death, she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment. She takes the news horribly and runs to her room. She feels alone like there's nothing to live for anymore. So, she sits in a chair gazing out the window. She sees a figure coming towards her, it was amazing. She was terrified and didn't know what it was. She hears the sounds of the birds chirping loudly and this demonstrates the freedom the birds have outside. She also has a newfound freedom, her husband is gone. She does not have to wash his clothes anymore, cook dinner at a certain time of day, and she is now also single and can do whatever she pleases. Looking out the window, she says, "Free, free, free. Body, soul, free!" She is also free like the birds chirping. This is an example of symbolism used in "The Story of an Hour." Also, the story describes her as a Goddess of Victory. This is an example of imagery. This story has a strange tone to it; it's suspenseful and kept me wondering the entire time.
I think the most important literary element used in "The Story of an Hour," is the use of irony. Mrs. Mallard dies of heart disease-of joy that kills. She was so happy now that's she was free. But guess who walks in the front door, her husband. He wasn't dead. He didn't even know anything about an accident. Isn't it ironic how he wasn't dead, but now she was?
"The Story of an Hour," possesses great use of literary elements, such as: imagery, tone, similes, symbolism, and the most important, irony.
In the beginning, the story states, "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death." This was an example of foreshadowing.
It told us ahead of time that Mrs. Mallard has some heart trouble and that something may eventually happen to her later in the story. When Josephine tells Mrs. Mallard about her husband's death, she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment. She takes the news horribly and runs to her room. She feels alone like there's nothing to live for anymore. So, she sits in a chair gazing out the window. She sees a figure coming towards her, it was amazing. She was terrified and didn't know what it was. She hears the sounds of the birds chirping loudly and this demonstrates the freedom the birds have outside. She also has a newfound freedom, her husband is gone. She does not have to wash his clothes anymore, cook dinner at a certain time of day, and she is now also single and can do whatever she pleases. Looking out the window, she says, "Free, free, free. Body, soul, free!" She is also free like the birds chirping. This is an example of symbolism used in "The Story of an Hour." Also, the story describes her as a Goddess of Victory. This is an example of imagery. This story has a strange tone to it; it's suspenseful and kept me wondering the entire time.
I think the most important literary element used in "The Story of an Hour," is the use of irony. Mrs. Mallard dies of heart disease-of joy that kills. She was so happy now that's she was free. But guess who walks in the front door, her husband. He wasn't dead. He didn't even know anything about an accident. Isn't it ironic how he wasn't dead, but now she was?
"The Story of an Hour," possesses great use of literary elements, such as: imagery, tone, similes, symbolism, and the most important, irony.