PART 1
- What is Louise Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
Louise Mallard thinks marriage is a bad thing and indicates it when she says that now that her husband is dead, she would be free: “free, free, free!”. Paragraph 12 suggests it.
- Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
She stops crying, because looking at the window, she understands that the death of her husband isn’t wrong. This death finally lets her be whatever she wants. (Paragraph 10)
- How does she feel about her future as a widow? Cite the line in the text, using just the first few words, then a series of dots …?
She feels free, she wonders about the numerous things she will do now that she is.
“Her fancy was…”
- Why is there so much description of what is outside the window when Louise is alone in her room?
The description of the outside is important, it reflects the main irony of the story: beautiful scenery versus death. Also, it’s important as this scenery makes Louise think of how it will be great to be free.
PART 2
- What is Louise Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
Louise Mallard thinks marriage is a bad thing and indicates it when she says that now that her husband is dead, she would be free: “free, free, free!”. Paragraph 12 suggests it.
- Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
She stops crying, because looking at the window, she understands that the death of her husband isn’t wrong. This death finally lets her be whatever she wants. (Paragraph 10)
- How does she feel about her future as a widow? Cite the line in the text, using just the first few words, then a series of dots …?
She feels free, she wonders about the numerous things she will do now that she is.
“Her fancy was…”
- Why is there so much description of what is outside the window when Louise is alone in her room?
The description of the outside is important, it reflects the main irony of the story: beautiful scenery versus death. Also, it’s important as this scenery makes Louise think of how it will be great to be free.
PART 2
The Story of an Hour, written by the American author Kate Chopin (1850-1904), is a short story about the loss of a woman’s husband and her reaction to it. The author mainly uses dramatic irony as a figure of speech in this text as Louise, the main character, is happy about the dead of her beloved husband.
At the very beginning of the third paragraph, the narrator admits that Louise didn’t react to the hearing of the death of her husband as any normal woman would have. Initially crying, she then went in her room and sat in her “comfortable” and “roomy” armchair. These two words begin the irony of the story as it is more important for the author to specify this than the feelings of the main character. Once she sits, Louise watches outside at the beautiful scenery well described: “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 ware”. All these positive adjectives mark a great difference between them and the death of the husband: it lets the audience the thought of it not being important for Louise. The paragraphs eight to ten counter this idea as the reader can clearly understand that she is affected by the loss of Brently (the husband): “now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought”. Suddenly Louise is hit by an idea, saying “free, free, free!”, she now understands that as Brently is gone, she will be able to live her live freely as she wants to; however, she admits that she did love Brently. This foreshadowing by the author is followed by the surprising ending of the story: Brently is alive and Louise dies when she learns it. The doctor says she died of joy which is ironic, because she actually died learning that her joyful dream of being free wouldn’t happen.
This story is a great example of irony as from the beginning to the end of the story; it does not make any sense if the reader does not understand it. This short story also presents a special view of human relations: a widow is happy of the death of her husband even though she loves him, making the reader think about the importance of freedom opposed to love.
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