Story of an hour

A detailed Summary of Story of an hour

In, The Story of an Hour, written by Kate Chopin, there are many hints of irony shown throughout the story which are finally revealed in the end. This short story reveals the allusion, the unexpected joy, and finally the reality of what has really happened to Mr. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard is alluded and given the information that her husband is dead. From this allusion comes the unexpected joy. This unique situation was revealed to Mrs. Mallard, and the unexpected joy of not having anyone to control her is so overwhelming that she starts making plans for the future. When she finally realizes that the information given to her was incorrect, she is forced to face the harsh reality of not having all of her freedom. This topic shows the irony of not knowing the right information, and jumping the gun before this information is confirmed.

The allusion that Mrs. Mallard comes to accept as reality is that her husband is dead, but she makes no effort to find out if this information is true With the allusion of Mr. Mallard's death, Mrs. Mallard starts making plans for the future. These are explained in great detail by Stephen R. Shuchter in the Dimensions of Grief Adjusting to the death of a Spouse. The allusion that

The allusion, unexpected joy, and the reality of things are the three aspects that help build the irony of this story. Although Mrs. Mallard dies, she is setting the example of not confirming information before she starts making plans. This is shown to be fatal to her, but is not always the case for every situation. Mrs. Mallard is a prime example of jumping the gun. Although she put all her faith into Richards' information she should have waited to start making plans. This is one of the human vices that she has and has not over come, but this was her natural response to this situation, which makes it unique that she would not be the one who would end up planning their life without the other.

Chang, Valerie. I Just Lost Myself Psychological Abuse of Women in Marriage. Connecticut: Praeger Publishers,1996.

Falcon, Chuck. Psychology Made Easy. Lafayette: Sensible Psychology Press, 2000.

Shuchter, Stephen. Dimensions of Grief Adjusting to the Death of a Spouse. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers,1986.

Mr. Mallard is dead gives Mrs. Mallard an overwhelming sense of freedom, and throws out all rational thinking. When Mrs. Mallard is alluded and given the information that her husband is dead. "It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of killed. He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message"(Chopin 452). When Richards finds out this disturbing news of his friends death, he only reads the telegram and then goes and tells Mrs. Mallard. This news over her husbands death is quite inaccurate, when in fact he is very much alive but she is misinformed and is brought to think that he is dead . After being oppressed for so long Mrs. Mallard jumps right into making a new life for her self . "While the surviving spouse is learning new tasks and roles, he or she is simultaneously "trying on " new aspects of identity , new self-concept: as future "mother-father," "sole supporter," "boat operator," "single person," " autonomous functioner," "lonely widow," or "incapable and helpless victim"(Shuchter 114). This shows that Mrs. Mallard is living and accepting the fact that her husband is dead and is ready to move on with her life. She makes the transition of being married to being a widow rather quickly without much thought or asking any questions such as, what if he is really alive and not dead, which would be a perfectly natural response to the death of a spouse. "Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own" (Chopin 452). This further shows the transition made by Mrs. Mallard or making plans for the future and living in the allusion that her h

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Approximate Word count = 1939
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English