1. Zelda's Essays
2. Other Possible Prompts
3. Help With Conclusions
Version #1
Have u ever read a story with irony? Do u know what irony is? Kate Chopin wrote a great story called “Story of an Hour,” and it has a lot of irony. Verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.
There’s verbal irony when the doctors say Louise died of the “joy that kills.” I think that’s verbal irony because we, as readers, know that Louise died of something other than joy.
I guess situational irony might be when when Louise feels “monstrous joy.” I say that because she’s in this weird situation where she supposed to be grieving from the loss of her husband, but instead, she’s beginning to feel overcome by joy as she realizes she might have a life of freedom.
Dramatic irony is in the last part of the story when the husband comes back.
I’ve read many stories with irony, and I hope u have, too. Thanks for reading this and please, please, please give me an “A.”
Version #2
A Seemingly Simple Story
Irony is the gift an author gives to challenge a reader; the twist it provides makes a seemingly simple story a deep, thought provoking experience. In Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour,” the author effectively uses irony with clarity and purpose to make a statement about women and marriage in the late 1890’s. She uses all three types of literary irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic.
When the doctors say that Louise died of the “joy that kills” at the end of the story, this example of verbal irony makes clear that no one really understood Louise or what she’d been through. After learning the shocking news that her husband is not dead after all, her “heart condition” does her in--but not from joy, as the doctors (who are supposed to know the answers) asserted. She died from the sharp shock of it all, true, but it was the realization that his return negated the dreams of freedom she’d allowed herself to experience when she looked out the open window onto the square below, It was not joy about her husband’s return; it may have been some thing like horror. The use of irony here makes clear what a tragedy Louise’s life has been.
Situational irony also occurs near the story’s end. “It was Brently Mallard who entered...” He was the last person whom anyone expected to be “... opening the front door with a latchkey.” The author cleverly uses this irony as the final blow to a woman who has only tasted, not really felt, her own freedom as an individual apart from her husband. The possibility of that freedom was snatched away in a single moment of a single hour, and it creates a strong sense of sympathy for Louise and what she’s lost. In a sense, it’s also situational irony that Louise dies, and Brently lives.
Dramatic irony is also apparent in this last part of the story when Brently arrives home: ”He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one.” He doesn’t even know what’s transpired in his absence; he has no idea that they all thought he was killed--in fact, he didn’t even know about the accident. This scene has a powerful effect on the reader because one almost wants to jump into the story and warn poor Brently about the drama thatÕs occurred in his absence.
The ironic twists in Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” are springboards for ideas about marriage, life choices, freedom, and control. It is not just about a lady with heart trouble who dies; it’s about many other, deeper issues, as well.
Other possible prompts:
Discuss how Kate Chopin uses symbols in "Story of an Hour." What are the symbols, and what do they represent? Why do you think she chose those specific symbols?
Based on your reading of "Story of An Hour" what do you think is the author's view of women and marriage? Do you think she feels absolutely positive or absolutely negative, or somewhere in between? Use quotes and examples from the story to support your opinion.
Conclusions: They're just plain challenging...
Your conclusion should achieve three goals:
1. Refer back to the hook, if possible, to bring the essay full circle.
2. Reinforce the thesis statement without repeating it exactly.
3. Leave a strong impression on the reader.
Example of how NOT to write a conclusion:
In my hook, I talked about what love is. In Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour," three essential quotes told you all about love. You should love your family and tell them every day. What do you think?
What's wrong here?
- The use of I/You
- The last sentence is preachy and tells your reader how to act.
- For the purposes of this essay, avoid ending with a question (especially this one). It's the easy way out, and it sounds seventh grady.
Better example:
(Assume the hook mentioned ambivalence, and the thesis statement was: Three essential quotes in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" reveal how Louise's suppression of her true feelings led to both physical and emotional pain.)
Ambivlance of any kind is never easy to deal with, and Louise's struggle is not unique. As the quotes illustrate, keeping ambivalence inside and avoiding it can lead to emotional pain as well as physical pain. Perhaps looking deep within and facing one's problems head on is a healthier way to live.
For more help, try this link:
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html
Good luck!
