Monday, March 31, 2014

Are there any fairy tale/fantasy elements in Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour?"

The story itself does have a "once upon a time" feel to it; it is short, it delivers a message or moral, it involves a supposedly perfect relationship between a young man and woman, and has moments of supsense, drama and tragedy.  All of those are features of fairy tales.  Unfortunately, it does not have a "happily ever after" ending like most fairy tales do.  However, a lot of fairy tales served to issue warnings or edicts on behavior, and this story does too.  Take, for example, Cinderella--the message is to work hard and treat others nicely; if you do, you will be rewarded.  The message here in this story is that not all marriages are "happily ever after," but can sometimes be stifling and repressive to women at that time.


The fact that Brently Mallard's name was listed among the dead, then he shows up at the end could be considered fantastical.  And Louise's dramatic death at the ending, for bizarre reasons could also fit under that category.  Chopin's brief foray into describing the outdoor weather also has a bit of fantasy to it; Louise hears a distant song, and ties it to her current moods.  It's almost like she is hearing a magical spell that wakes her up to her own misery in marriage.


I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck!

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