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Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS 1

LITERARY ANALYSIS 4

Literary Analysis

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“The Story of an hour” by Kate Chopin illustrates the story of woman who gains and loses freedom within a short time. The story is based on Louise Mallard’s story and experiences. In the “Desirees Baby” the main character, Armand chooses his race over his family Armand was a slave owner and used his hierarchy within the Louisiana society to his advantage. Armand believed he had to do anything to protect the Aubigny name so that meant putting his self-importance before his family. He could not have anything tarnish his reputation so when he began to have suspicions of his child with Desiree having African blood, he told her they both must leave. There are themes such as race, love and family which are prevalent within the stories.

Louise Mallard soon learns that her husband was killed in a train accident. Upon receiving the news from Josephine, her sister, he is thrilled rather than upset by the news. Louise Mallard gives a cold reception to the news and she was unperturbed by the fact the she was a widow. Louise was excited by the fact that she never knew what the future had for her upon losing her husband and thus torn between the excitement of freedom and reality of losing her husband. Moreover, the author describes Mallard as having a heart problem as a result of her marriage. The bitter experiences triggered her to rejoice in her husband’s death.

Armand believed he had to do anything to protect the Aubigny name so that meant putting his self-importance before his family. He could not have anything tarnish his reputation so when he began to have suspicions of his child with Desiree having African blood, he told her they both must leave. He felt he could no longer love his wife because she had lost her ethnicity and the disgrace she had brought to his family name. I believe Armand did not love Desiree genuinely but only loved her because she could produce a child for him. Armand did love their son however, because he could carry on the family name. Since Desiree was adopted and did not know what her ethnicity was all blame went to her when there was question of African blood in the child.

Armand was certain of his past and knew who he actually was so he assumed all fault was to be on Desiree. At the end of the story Armand discovers a letter from his mother with her confessing to him that she is the one with African blood. Realizing that his son’s African blood comes from his family, Armand should learn that a name is just a name until you know the history behind it.

The issues of family, race and love are adversely covered in the short stories. The main characters are affected by the main themes. Mallard for instance, is thrown into a moment of joy upon realizing the death of her husband.

References:

Chopin, K. (2018). The story of an hour. Joe Books Ltd.

Hu, A. (2020). The Art of Repetition in The Story of an Hour. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, 1-6.

Yazgı, C. (2020). Tragic Elements and Discourse-Time in “The Story of an Hour”. The Explicator, 78(3-4), 147-152.