The Story of an Hour

Question

by Kate Chopin

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. 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.

She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom.

Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.

But Richards was too late.

Using the Answer, Cite, Explain, Summerize format, analyze how the author's choice of an ending contributes to the story's aesthetic impact.
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Answer 1

Answer: The ending of Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" plays a crucial role in shaping the story's aesthetic impact by delivering an unexpected twist that starkly contrasts the protagonist's newfound sense of freedom with the sudden return of her husband.

Cite: In the passage, after a moment of overwhelming joy and liberation, as Louise Mallard imagines a future filled with spring and summer days that would be her own, the narrative takes a sharp turn when Brently Mallard reenters the scene, completely unaware of the reported death. The text states, "He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one."

Explain: This sudden return of Brently Mallard disrupts the joyful anticipation that Louise felt moments earlier. The juxtaposition of her euphoric imagining of freedom and the harsh reality of her husband's arrival highlights the fragility of her desires. This twist not only illustrates the theme of the oppressive constraints of marriage but also elicits a powerful emotional response from the reader, emphasizing the tragic irony of her situation.

Summarize: Overall, Chopin’s choice to conclude the story with Brently Mallard’s unexpected return serves to intensify the emotional weight of the narrative, revealing the ultimate futility of Louise's brief glimpse of independence and the constraints that society imposes on women. This ending not only encapsulates the story's central themes but also leaves a lasting impression on the reader, amplifying the tension between freedom and confinement.