The Story of an Hour

1. The Story of an Hour Kate Chopin Mrs. Gonzalez/AP Literature

2. Kate Chopin’s Time Frame • Written in the late 1890’s • Offended readers with her frank discussions of women’s emotions

3. “The Story of an Hour” • Does this title give us any clues about what we are going to read? • Think about what the words in the title mean. Use your prior knowledge: • This makes me think about… • Hour Story

4. Predictions • What can you predict about the story based on our discussion of the title? • What could happen in just one hour? • Read the first two paragraphs. • What important details are given in these paragraphs? • What is meant by “veiled hints that revealed in half concealing?” • Do your predictions match up so far? What could you add to your list? • Will Mrs. Mallard understand the veiled hints? What reactions might she have?

5. Making Connections & Analyzing Craft • Read paragraph 3. • Can you make connections as you read this paragraph? • Do you know anyone who is unable to accept the significance of what a tragedy such as death, or anything else, means when they hear about it suddenly? • What are you noticing about the author’s writing style? • What do you visualize as you read, “She was crying as hard as one can cry as she stood there held by her sister”?

6. Subject/Topic THeme • In paragraph 4, “ what is meant by, “pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul”? • What is the theme at this point in the story? • Write a paragraph proving your theme.

7. Interpretation/visualization • What can you interpret about Mrs. Mallard’s actions so far? • Read paragraphs 5-7. • What do you visualize from these paragraphs? • Write a paragraph on the importance of the imagery in this section. • Why does the author now introduce a contrast to the sadness and death topic?

8. Asking questions • Read paragraph 8. • Create one question that you have at this point in the story. • Ex.: How can repression and strength be shown in one’s face? • Turn to your neighbor and Q&A . • What can we infer about Mrs. Mallard at this point of the story?

9. Prediction and Author’s craft • Read paragraph 9. • Mrs. Mallad is doing a form of dreaming. • Predict what it might be. • Don’t forget to analyze the author’s craft as you make your predictions. • “creeping our of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air”

10. Asking questions • Read paragraph 10 • Turn to your partner and pose one question about what is happening here and try to answer your partner’s question. • Make a prediction. • Read paragraph 11. • What do we learn?

11. Summarize • Read paragraphs 12-14. • Will someone summarize these three paragraphs? What is happening here? What is the key information we receive from them? • Paragraph 12 refers to Mrs. Mallard’s feelings as a “monstrous joy that held her.” What do you think the term “monstrous joy” means? What device is this?

12. Adopting alignment • Use another strategy from your cognitive tool kit, adopting alignment. • Discuss with your partner your thoughts on Mrs. Mallard as she rejoices over the fact that she can now “live for herself.” • Discuss the fact that human beings, according to the story, sometimes impose their will upon their fellow creatures. • How do you feel about Mrs. Mallard now, about her husband? Which character can you most identify with? Or can you align with the plot, the events in the story and the way in which they unfold?

13. Clarify Meaning • Clarify the meaning of “impressing his will? • What is the theme of this story? • What ideas have your revised along the way? How did your revise them?

14. Predictions • Read paragraphs 15-16. • How is freedom emphasized here? • What could possibly happen in the remainder of the story?

15. Making inferences • Read paragraph 19. Discuss Mrs. Mallard’s feelings. • What does this paragraph infer? • Read paragraph 20. • Mrs. Mallard finally emerges from the room she closed herself into. She has been drinking in the “very elixir of life” in the previous paragraphs. Now she emerges like “a goddess of victory.” What can you infer from these words?

16. Read paragraph 21. • What will happen after Brently Mallard walks in the door, and Richards is too late to hide the view of him from his wife. • Read the rest of the story. • Write a quick response on how you have had to revise meaning and the new interpretations you have formed as the story unfolded. You may want to interpret the final words, “a joy that kills.” Your theme may have changed, etc.

17. reflecting • What part of the story relates to your own life? • Is there a particular lesson you may have learned which you can state as a theme, an insight into human life? Will you think or do something differently as a result of reading this story?

18. Evaluate • Is this story still relevant today? How so? How not? Discuss with the people around you.