James Clark
Eng. 102
18 April 2018
The Stride For Independence How often do we lean on others to make ourselves feel whole? What are we, the social creatures that we may be, without others? Kate Chopin’s short story, “The Story of an Hour” speaks of a woman who tries to isolate herself from those around her and is dealt a fatal consequence. Throughout the story, as Mrs. Mallard has fewer and fewer people surrounding her in her life and is given knowledge of her husband’s death, the more she suffers from conflicting emotions that ultimately cause her death. Both before and now, Mrs. Mallard's’ emotions are highly unstable, due to the trauma she has faced in her lifetime. We also see just how weak she’s mentally, allowing these thoughts …show more content…
“She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her...She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death.” After hearing of a loved one's death, Mrs. Mallard does not understand if she is feeling joy or sadness. She immediately feels joy that she will be able to do things independently rather than suffering from the agony of having somebody who’s life was intertwined with hers go; she definitely thought this anyway. In reality, she was suffering through a painful situation, but did not want to face the reality so she never did. She lost to the outside stress and trauma, revealing her weak mental fortitude. her frailty is not just of body but also of soul and this is what prompts Richard to try to the best of his ability to protect her. The author uses says that Mrs. Mallard sobs as a ‘child who has cried itself to sleep’ (UKEssays). The phrase “a child who has cried itself to sleep” shows that Mrs. Mallard is weak willed which displays a lack of mental fortitude. Some argue, that despite Mrs Mallard’s physical frailty only extends to that of her heart, but her mind is strong, however, if this was the case, the death of her significant other would not affect her to the point of