The Story of an Hour Group

Question:

englishworries
englishworries
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What does Ms. Mallard being young tell you about her life?

 

Does her age surprise you? What does her face tell you about her life?

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Posted by englishworries on Monday June 1, 2009 at 2:35 PM and tagged with characters, mrs.mallard.

Answers:

  1. herappleness
    herappleness Teacher
    Graduate School

    She is indeed a very young woman to be having heart complications. Her face is described as young and calm, plus

    "whose lines bespeak repression and even a certain strength" (p. 312)

    This is worth being noted, because since the theme of male dominance versus female fragility in the Victorian mindset is the most predominant theme in the story, it makes us wonder if those "lines of expression" being already showing in a young woman signify the repression of her own thoughts, ideas, words, and intelligence.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/story-hour

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    Posted by herappleness on Monday June 1, 2009 at 3:41 PM


  2. timbrady Teacher
    College - Senior

    I would add that it tells me that she is facing MANY years of "oppression" at the, perhaps unwitting, hand of her husband who seems to be out of the traditional model of the husband.  The length of her "sentence" in part explains her exuberance at have in "communted."  It also, in part, explains the depth of her despair when she finds that her husband is alive.

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    Posted by timbrady on Monday June 1, 2009 at 5:30 PM