Question

The Story of an Hour

It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. 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.

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, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

Use the passage from “The Story of an Hour” to answer the question.

Drag each line from the passage to the developing theme it supports.

The True Self Versus the Outward Self

A). "The delicious breath of rain was in the air"
B). "She wept at ounce, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms."
C). "Into this she sank, pressed down by aa physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul."
D). "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life"

Answer 1

B -> Outward Self
- "She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms." shows the public, expected display of grief.

C -> True Self
- "Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul." reveals her deeper, private inner condition.

D -> True Self
- "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life" symbolizes her inner awakening and newly felt vitality.

A -> True Self
- "The delicious breath of rain was in the air" echoes the fresh, private sensations that contrast with her outward mourning.