The Story of an Hour Group

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august6star
august6star

I am writing an argumentive essay on self-identity and freedom. Why would freedom be significant to "The Story of an Hour"?

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Posted by august6star on Wednesday September 24, 2008 at 6:02 PM and tagged with essay, freedom, selfidentity, the story of an hour, themes.

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  1. timbrady Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    The story is essentially about the freedom Mrs. Mallard feels when she "realizes" that her husband is dead.  After the initial shock wears off, she is aware of the freedom that is now hers, that she is no longer under his "control."  This new life is symbolized by the fact that, when she looks out the window, it is spring ... and her life is at a new spring.  As it is expressed in the notes, "she is ecstatic that she will never have to bend her will to his again."

    Although she is diagnosed of having died of a heart attach, the result of the sudden joy she experiences when her husband returns, we know that what dies is the dream of her new life, her new person, and that death takes her with it.

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

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    Posted by timbrady on Wednesday September 24, 2008 at 10:44 PM