Monday, September 15, 2008

The Story of an Hour

It is neat to name a story after the time frame in which it takes place.  I very much like this story because, although it is really short, it offers many things to think about.  When the woman hears of her husband’s death, the story says, “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…”  I wonder why this lady reacted differently from other women.  Why did the author tell us that she reacted this way?  Does it reveal something about the way she really feels about her husband?  
 
Another part of the story I find intriguing is the process which the woman goes through in which she moves from being distraught to being elated.  The emotions both negative and positive are very genuine, which makes me wonder about her relationship with her husband.  Is he a good man, or is he oppressive?  

 Finally, I wonder if there is a reason for the cruel irony at the end of the story that makes this tale stick with us.  Is the surprise placed at the end of the story simply for entertainment, or is there a meaning or a statement behind it?

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