Read "The Story of an Hour." This story met with significant indifference or hostility when Kate Chopin wrote it in 1894. As you read, keep track of your responses to the central character (the protagonist) Mrs. Mallard, Write these responses in a substantial paragraph or two (250 words or more). You may consider any of the following questions which help you think about how you respond to the emotions she expresses concerning the news of her husband's death. Why did she feel this way?

Answer and explanation:

Note: I'm writing according to my responses while I read the story. Feel free to change anything to make it true for yourself.

Unlike readers at the time when the story was published, I've found it amusing and intelligent. At first, I assumed Mrs. Mallard would be another simple, shallow, tragic character. Her reaction after hearing of her husband's presumed death seemed quite normal, since she looked devastated. For an instant I thought she would die from her heart condition even though her sister and friend were careful while giving her the news. However, to my delight and surprise, Mrs. Mallard finds enlightenment at that sad moment. Her house and her husband have meant confinement for her. She has been obedient, submissive, impotent her whole life. As she locked her bedroom door, I thought she wouldn't know what to do without Mr. Mallard. But she looked out the window, saw the beautiful world that did not stop existing due to her husband's death, and realized she was finally free. The story suddenly got a thousand times more interesting. This woman, this seemingly shallow character, is actually deep and colorful. She has a will to live that had been buried. Now that the main symbol of her oppression as a woman is gone, she is at liberty to feel, think, and do as she pleases. It was comically tragic when she indeed died of her heart condition upon finding out her husband was alive. I hoped the story would end with Mrs. Mallard leaving the house and heading towards her new life. Still, the irony of the situation is amusing. Other characters assumed she died of happiness when we, the readers, know she died of disappointment.

in the short story the slip-over sweater by jesse stuart, the main character and narrator shan is friends with grace, an intelligent girl he has known since childhood and with whom he used to be in love.

at the beginning of the story, shan believes he’s no longer in love with grace, but loves jo-anne instead. in order to buy a slip-over sweater and have jo-anne wear it so that the other students would know she loved him too, shan takes a loan at the bank.

while jo-anne is wearing shan’s sweater, his friend grace starts to wear another popular boy’s one, roy’s sweater. because of that, the other students begin to pay attention to grace and compliment her perseverance and effort. they admire her for walking 5 miles to school every day, despite the weather, and still getting the best grades. shan, who knows all of that for a fact, says, as the narrator, ‘and i knew she had the durability and the toughness of a storm-battered mountain oak.’ he compares his friend’s strength – not only physical, but also of character – to an oak tree, whose wood is known for being sturdy.

as the story goes on, shan changes his behavior out of concern for the debt he has to pay at the bank. his new girlfriend jo-anne never asks him what is wrong nor offers any sort of . instead, she breaks up with shan for not being as fun as she thought he was supposed to be. grace, however, not only asks about shan’s problem, but him make the money he needs. shan can’t but notice how different the girls are and what a wonderful person grace is.   even though he used to find jo-anne prettier at the beginning of the story, he now says, ‘grace was as beautiful as our mountain was in april, prettier than a blossom of wild phlox or a mountain daisy.’ his comparing grace to a mountain or something that exists on a mountain (such as a mountain oak or daisy) certainly has important meaning since shan loves the mountain and everything about it and he knows the mountain thoroughly. shan also loves and knows grace as completely as he does the mountain.