The Story of an Hour Group

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sham1994
sham1994
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What does Louise Mallard recognize as "the strongest impulse of her being"?

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Posted by sham1994 on Saturday October 17, 2009 at 3:09 PM and tagged with characters, mrs mallard, quote, strongest impulse of her being, the story of an hour.

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  1. kiwi
    kiwi Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Louise Mallard states that it is the 'possession of self-assertion' which she recognises as 'the strongest impulse of her being.' it is the belief that her husband Brently is dead, and the realisation that she is now 'free' of the 'powerful will bending hers' and that she can live with herself, by herself.

    Louise is aware of the strangeness of her epiphany which is why she remains in her room, busting with joy as the spring buds outside her window do. Her freedom is now the strongest impulse of her being, her independent life force. It is all the more tragic that this intensity of joy is not to last, and is to become 'the joy that kills'

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    http://www.enotes.com/story-hour/q-and-a/tags/The+Story+o...

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    Posted by kiwi on Saturday October 17, 2009 at 3:52 PM