Among all short stories, The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin impressed me the most. I would like to list various elements of fiction used by the author. Except for the sad irony and expected distress, there are few more recurrent elements recalled in the story.
Environment figures as a reflection of the main heroine’s inside world and laceration. Besides, to allude to the inevitability of tragic outcome, Chopin mentions main character’s problems with heart at the very beginning. This fact adds some sort of dramatic effect to the story. At the same time, a reader can perceive this information ironically as the author applies the article a . soon, the reader finds out Chopin was talking rather about mental disorder than a physical one. The symbol of marriage explains a lot of other aspects of this “heart trouble.”
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We face foreshadowing in the next paragraph as well. Chopin mentions her heroine treated things in a way that was different from other women around. To underline the irony, Kate Chopin involved the word abandonment . In fact, Chopin’s message states that Mrs. Mallard felt imprisoned for so many years, and all of a sudden she feels free. That is why she prefers staying alone and recognizing the idea of own freedom. Here, in her room, the environment is another crucial fiction element to recall. It is not just another room in the house: it is a representation of the heroine’s entire world and emotions. The “tops of trees” seen from her window signal the future Mrs. Mallard has never thought of before. All of her modifications are perfectly reflected by the picture she observes outside. Everything, from the smell of air and touch of rain refers to her new future full of opportunities. The idea of her husband’s death starts to delight her. When hearing her “free, free, free" a reader may think of a happy end for the woman. But that is a big delusion.
Among other fiction elements, Chopin does not forget to use descriptions of human mind and body. She relates the feelings of Chopin to her pulse, recalling the “heart trouble” again. It is just an approach to laugh out of court. As a result, a reader starts to realize that Mrs. Mallard’s marriage is compared to the chains. She was thinking about the duration of life and how long it is. Once again, it is a hint for the story’s end.
The image of the opened front door might have the same meaning as the opened window. But at this moment, the woman is ready to leave her room and house. She finally recognizes her new position. She does not want to wait anymore. Mrs. Millard hurries up to grab her opportunities when, all of a sudden, Brently Mallard enters the house through that door. Thus, her limbo is unavoidable. Chopin says that the travel-stained man had his umbrella with him. To me, an umbrella is like a roof of this prison where Mrs. Mallard will have to continue her life. The woman cannot stand being under her husband’s rule again. She slowly dies of repression, her heart disease gets physical form as of “joy that kills." In the last paragraph, the foreshadowing, irony, and the reflective environment reach their culmination.
Reference
Chopin, K. (2001). The Story of an Hour and Other Stories . Tale Blazers. (first published 1894).
