Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Kate Chopin uses setting, imagery, symbolism, and irony in "The Story of an Hour" to demonstrate the negative effects of living in a society in which women are subordinate to their husbands.

From the Paper:

"Chopin is able to illustrate the small world Louise lived in by having the entire setting take place in one room. After Louise hears the news of her husband's death, she retreats to her room and "would have no one follow her" (635). This indicates that she had only one place to which she could go to be alone. It is from this room that Louise able to look out at the world. It is also important to note that when Brently returns home, he opens the "front door with a latchkey," which indicates that Louise was literally locked inside her own house. We can see that the extent of Louise's entire world was her house. Of course, the story takes place in just one hour, as well. By placing Louise in such a limited setting, Chopin helps us understand how women had very little freedom."

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