The Story of an Hour

In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Choplin the reader’s see how the settings play a major contribution to the influence a person mood may be in. A variety of emotions can come out from potential happiness, excitement, sadness, anger, and even depression. We all in our everyday lives without much realization use certain places, objects and items to symbolize and stimulate particular feelings. The importance that settings play can always be displayed when reading stories like “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Choplin.

“The Story of An Hour”, takes place in the spring time of the 1890’s, in the time-frame of an hour at the Mallard’s house. The story is about Mrs. Mallard, who is soon to find out by her sister Josephine and husband’s friend Richards that Mr. Mallard was named leading the list killed in a terrible railroad disaster. After learning of her husband’s death, she reacted with erupted emotions at once by weeping with wild abandonment into her sister arms. Though as time passes by throughout the hour Mrs. Millard emotional state go through different phases as she thinks to herself. The setting plays a major part in the story that’s entirely relevant and significant as the meaning of the story unfolds.

To begin with, as we read the story Chopin word choice let us know that she was vigilant and sincere by being so descriptive; For example, Chopin states, “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone”. Stating this is ironic because later she describes things as if a storm had come. Mrs. Mallard felt what a storm consists of, black clouds and destruction when she found out her husband was dead. When a storm comes it suddenly gets dark and gray, which are colors to describe depression. It also rains which can be looked at as releasing and tears. Storms are things that can’t be foreseen and just appear such as the death of Mr. Mallard. They are felt and heard and in most cases does cause damage but they never last forever. In the story that let’s us know that whatever she feels at that present time will not be the whole way long. Chopin took a word that's a setting and defined a feeling with it, when in reality it is the setting at the time which is similar in ways with what Mrs. Mallard’s feel. The quote states a great deal within itself when look into deeply.

Furthermore, after the storm of grief had spent itself she went to her room. As she goes to her room, “There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair”. That statement can’t be looked at as any other ordinary sentence because it enlightens much in itself. It automatically lets us know that Mrs. Mallard is a person that likes to think a lot. The setting itself is totally different from what she’s feeling at the time; it is one which is for relaxation and thought. Chopin informs us that the window is open which allow her to look at the outside world, outside of her troubles, problems, and worries. A roomy, comfortable armchair might be needed to relax tension at a circumstance such as hers. This setting lets us know that Mrs. Mallard will soon calm down to a neutral state for the situation she’s dealing with. As we read on Choplin states, “She(Mrs. Mallard) sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when