Choplin: The Story of an Hour

Choplin's short story, written in 1894, offers many insights regarding what the life of a young American wife might have been like during that time period. Wai-chee Dimock's commentary titled,  “Kate Chopin”, from Modern American Women Writers explains this well when they remark on Choplin's similar novel The Awakening, stating how, even with the "New Woman" phenomenon movement, "gender inequality remained a glaring fact at the turn of the century." Mrs. Mallard goes through a wild ride of emotions, as they process the news of their husband's death. She experiences a wave of grief; and then, after taking time to herself, also acknowledges feelings of liberation and expresses hope for her future. Choplin writes, "There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory." This story represents the oppression women were experiencing during a time of change. She talks about a realization around a new-found confidence in herself. Mrs. Mallard returns to her sister and gleefully moves forward with her sister in arm. The story ends with a final and major conflict. Her husband was alive and arrived home, none-too-aware of the accident. Mrs. Mallard's weak heart, mentioned at the beginning of the story, meets its ultimate dis-ease and she succumbs to death. The heart is our center. I think Choplin chose the heart because of its significance in our emotional and physical experience and that part of the story had great deal of meaning.