Like many people, authors have attitudes also. Their attitudes can change depending on the situation and they set the tone of the story. They also reveal how the author feels about a certain subject and it is the reader’s job to identify it. In Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of An Hour” she writes of a women who finds a newfound freedom prior to her husbands supposed death. In the story Chopin uses diction, character responses, and character thoughts to express her thoughts on men and women’s marital role.
Kate Chopin’s diction in the short story is precise and consistent. Throughout the story her sentences, along with her paragraphs, are short and filled with specific words that appeal to the readers emotions. In the story she uses words such as monstrous joy, imposing will, and the repetition of the word free by Louise. These examples show the strife Louise was dealing with in her marriage and how she repressed her needs and will. The word free is one of the few words actually spoken by Louise and it’s repetition eludes to how important her new found freedom is to her. The way the characters respond to certain situations throughout the story helps support Chopin’s attitude on the roles of men and women. Throughout the story Louise seems different from other women in her society. As readers assume she would be overwhelmed with sadness and grief for a long period of time, Louise is only saddened for a brief moment, “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.” The readers only wonder if she is saddened in front of her sister and friend because that is what is expected of her. Louise also does not take any time to accept this fact for as it is stated in the story, “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once…” Josephine’s reaction is sympathetic towards Louise, as it should …show more content…
Although Chopin is not directly revealing her attitude on the subject, she is using Louise to reveal it. Louise’s thoughts fluctuate from saddened to joyous to shock. As Louise is in her room her thoughts run rampant. “But 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.” This quote in the story shows Louise’s difference; it shows that what she sees is not what most women would reflect on after their husband dies. In the story it says, “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.” This shows how joyful and thankful she was for this unfortunate event. She dreaded life alongside her husband because women in that era were never heard, never considered, and were more or less properties of their husband. With this new found freedom and new sense of well-being she looked forward to the days she didn’t have to answer to anyone else and express her will freely. After years of repressing her feelings she feels relieved and free of
Kate Chopin’s diction in the short story is precise and consistent. Throughout the story her sentences, along with her paragraphs, are short and filled with specific words that appeal to the readers emotions. In the story she uses words such as monstrous joy, imposing will, and the repetition of the word free by Louise. These examples show the strife Louise was dealing with in her marriage and how she repressed her needs and will. The word free is one of the few words actually spoken by Louise and it’s repetition eludes to how important her new found freedom is to her. The way the characters respond to certain situations throughout the story helps support Chopin’s attitude on the roles of men and women. Throughout the story Louise seems different from other women in her society. As readers assume she would be overwhelmed with sadness and grief for a long period of time, Louise is only saddened for a brief moment, “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.” The readers only wonder if she is saddened in front of her sister and friend because that is what is expected of her. Louise also does not take any time to accept this fact for as it is stated in the story, “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once…” Josephine’s reaction is sympathetic towards Louise, as it should …show more content…
Although Chopin is not directly revealing her attitude on the subject, she is using Louise to reveal it. Louise’s thoughts fluctuate from saddened to joyous to shock. As Louise is in her room her thoughts run rampant. “But 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.” This quote in the story shows Louise’s difference; it shows that what she sees is not what most women would reflect on after their husband dies. In the story it says, “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.” This shows how joyful and thankful she was for this unfortunate event. She dreaded life alongside her husband because women in that era were never heard, never considered, and were more or less properties of their husband. With this new found freedom and new sense of well-being she looked forward to the days she didn’t have to answer to anyone else and express her will freely. After years of repressing her feelings she feels relieved and free of