The Story Of An Hour

The Story Of An Hour by Kate Chopin was both heartless and surprising following main charcter Mrs. Mallard's feelings for her supposedly dead husband. Initially, rhetorical devices that the author used within the text, most notably similes, at first signified to me a false belief that Mrs. Mallard was in fact troubled and deeply grieved by her husband's death. "..A sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in it's dreams,"(Chopin,326). This led me to think that upon hearing the awful news of Brently's death, Mrs. Mallard did feel compelled to sob and distress, throwing herself on the chair. How quick a change in mood before she is struck with the thought of actually being free from her husband, and to live selfishly without his control. "..She would live for herself..'Free! Body and soul free,'"(Chopin,326). More similes are used, this time to express her happiness and relief for being without her husband's restraint. Mrs. Mallard is described as, "..carrying herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory,"(Chopin,327). This furthers the idea that Mrs. Mallard sees victory in her husband's death and complete freedom in being widowed and alone. She is almost floating with the thought of being free from his control, as if she has just conquered something magnificent. Turns out, she spoke to soon and got her hopes up because shockingly, there Brently Mallard stands in the doorway, appearing to her as if he just arose from the dead. I believe truly the shock of the whole incidence and Mrs. Mallard's heartless killed her.