"The Story of an Hour" and Critical

Approaches to Literature

Literary Theory (pp. 43-58) Literary Theory

The way we
We call this
“see” (read and “perspective” or
understand) “point of view.”
literature
No single lens
depends largely gives us the
upon what kind clearest view.
of “glasses” we
Most people use
are wearing. several lenses
at once.

Why should I think about

How many sides to a story?
literary theory?

Literary theory
Most likely you have
provides a deeper been taught Formalism/
understanding of New Criticism. This is
a text. just one of many ways

Looking at a story to approach a text.
from different
Although there are
perspectives often many “lenses” (different
results in discover- ways you can approach
ing new and Literary theory lets you in on the “secret.”
a text), we are going to
intriguing things.
study seven in particular.
Take notes!

Types of Literary Theory Formalist/New Criticism

(“Lenses”)
Concentrates on literary
features such as symbol,

Formalist / New Criticism (pp. 43-46) imagery, tone, style, and

Biographical Criticism structure to determine

Psychological Criticism (pp. 47-48) how these function

Historical, Cultural, and Marxist Criticism together to create the
(pp. 49-50, 52-58)
Says there is one reader’s experience.

Gender (Feminist, LGBT) Criticism (pp. 54-55) “right” answer
Supposes that there is a

Mythological (Archetypal) Criticism (pp. 46-47) that can be found central, unifying theme

Reader-Response Criticism (pp. 48-49) within the text. in every work.

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical
Approaches to Literature

Formalist Analysis of Kate

Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Biographical Criticism

Consider
Concentrates on the author’s life
• adjectives, adverbs, vivid verbs (diction) experiences and how
• foreshadowing (“heart trouble”) those may have
• metaphors (“storm of grief,” “a very elixir of life”) influenced him or her
• personification (“something coming to her… creep- in writing the work.
ing out of the sky,” “monstrous joy,” “joy that kills”?)
• repetition (“open,” “free”)
It is believed that every
• symbols (open window/“new spring life,” closed door) work has a single
• similes (“like a goddess of Victory”) interpretation—what
• irony (her sudden death at the end, “joy that kills”) the author intended.

What can you infer is the theme?

Biographical Analysis of Kate

Psychoanalytical Criticism
Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

Research Kate Chopin’s life and
Explores the
Takes into account
marriage. Is any character a representa- symbolic meanings dreams, subcon-
tion of the author? (If not, don’t use this approach.) of events scious

Look at the work through the author’s eyes. and the desires, and
Is Chopin making a personal comment? conscious or sexual

How would the effect be different if a man, subconscious repression
a woman who was a former slave or poor, motivations (for example,
or a 21st-century writer had written this? of the characters or the Oedipus or
the author. Electra complex).

Psychoanalytical Analysis of Historical, Cultural, and Marxist

Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Criticisms

Imagine that you are a psychotherapist and

Treat a literary text as a
Louise Mallard (or Kate Chopin) is your document reflecting, producing,
patient. (Do not assume the protagonist is the author.) or being produced by the social

What makes her the way she is? Why does she do what conditions of its time or culture.
she does?

What are her subconscious fears? What are her
Take into consideration
subconscious desires? what was happening in the

Is she healthy or disturbed? world or a society at the time

Does she have issues with authority (what we might the text was written (for
casually call “daddy issues” or “mommy issues”)? example, wars, social issues,

Can she adapt and function in her world? political movements, and

Does she have a “breakthrough”? industrialization).

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical
Approaches to Literature

Historical Analysis of Chopin’s Gender (Feminist/Gay/Lesbian)

“The Story of an Hour” Criticism

Consider the author’s and protagonist’s
Explores how what society
social (and economic) class. says is masculine or feminine

Consider what the world was like in the time is reflected in a literary work,
(late 19th century) and place (New Orleans) often seeking to correct or
the story was written and takes place. supplement a heterosexual/

What was going on in the American South? male-dominated critical

What was life like then?
perspective.

How would the story be different if the main
character were of a different race or social class?

Considers how litera-

What comment might Chopin be making on social ture portrays women
rules and expectations? and/or LGBT people.

Feminist Analysis of Chopin’s Mythological (Archetypal)

“The Story of an Hour” Criticism

What was life like for women in Louise Mallard’s
Looks for underlying, recurrent
(and Kate Chopin’s) society? patterns in literature (like death

Who holds power in that society? and rebirth/the seasons) that

Consider the female (Louise and Josephine) and reveal universal meanings and
male (Richards and Brently) characters. Does each basic human experiences.
fit the stereotype of his or her gender? How? If
Finds associations between a literary work
not, how is he or she different? and widely

Which characters show power or weakness? How? known stories

Why is the protagonist called “Mrs. Mallard” in the like myths,
beginning but “Louise” later in the story? religious texts,
and fairy tales.

Archetypal Analysis of Chopin’s

Reader-Response Criticism
“The Story of an Hour”
Says that every reader’s interpretation is

Can you find any allusions to familiar unique because every
stories or universal truths? reader has a different

The four seasons biography, history, gender/
sexual orientation, mythol-

In what season is the story set? ogy, and psychology.

What is the significance of this season? What
does it typically represent?

What the reader sees and
understands, not what

How does this relate to the character of the the writer may have
protagonist? intended, is what is
important.

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical
Approaches to Literature
Using at least one of the critical approaches
discussed in class today, write a 1,000-to-
1,200-word, five (or more)-paragraph literary
analysis of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an
Hour.” Specific topic choices are on the handout.
Be sure that your essay focuses on a single
main point, clearly stated in the thesis. Don’t try to
write every thought that you have about the story;
narrow your topic so that you can cover it
completely in 1,100 words. I encourage you to
visit the ASC with these assignment instructions
before you begin your draft.
Remember, the literary essay is meant to offer and
investigate an interpretation of the work.
It is NOT a summary!
To decide on a controlling idea for a critical
analysis, consider the reading strategies
discussed in pages 43-58 of your textbook:

Formalist (How does the language or style used affect the reader?)

Psychoanalytical (Is there anything Freudian in the work? Why?)

Reader-Response (Consider your personal reactions to the work.)

Historical (How did or does the time period affect the writer or reader?)

Gender (Does the work have a feminist or homosexual level of meaning?)

Mythological (Does the work echo a universal story? If so, why?)

Biographical (How does the work reflect aspects of the author’s life?)
Consider DICTION—how the author’s use of descriptive
language such as ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS, and VIVID
VERBS as well as figurative language such as
METAPHORS, SIMILES, and SYMBOLS helps develop the
character and the conflict of the story.
metaphor (p. 327): a figure of speech, not meant to be
factually true, in which one thing is compared or substituted for
something else…
simile (p. 335): … a figure of speech whereby two unlike
objects are compared to each other with the word like or as…
symbol (p. 336): … an element that stands for something
beyond its literal meaning in the text…
Your essay must contain an introduction paragraph that includes the
author’s name, title, genre, and theme and ends with the thesis statement. The
essay must also include three or more body paragraphs providing specific
“evidence” or details (including direct quotes from the story, at least one per
body paragraph), and a concluding paragraph that returns to the idea of the
thesis and provides a sense of closure.
Also, be sure you complete and submit all five steps in the writing process:
1. prewriting/brainstorming
2. organizing/outline with thesis statement
3a. drafting (the first draft)
4. revising (SmarThinking/Academic Success Center AND group discussions),
3b. drafting again (the second draft), and
5. proofreading (at least two classmates).
The final version of the essay is due on MyHCC/Canvas before class
begins February 16. Final essays will NOT be accepted if you do not
participate in and submit all five steps!
By Kate Chopin
Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a
heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as
gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.
It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken
sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing.
Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her.
It was he who had been in the newspaper office when
intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with
Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He
had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by
a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any
less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad
message.
She did not hear the story as many women have
heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its
significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild
abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of
grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone.
She would have no one follow her.
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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical
Approaches to Literature

It was her sister Josephine who
Adjectives: “broken,”

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was
“heart trouble” — Mrs. told her, in broken sentences;
afflicted with a heart trouble, Mallard is weak or veiled hints that revealed in half
“veiled,” “half,”
great care was taken to break to “second,” “careful,”
her as gently as possible the
delicate; also, what does concealing. Her husband’s
news of her husband’s death. “heart” symbolize? friend Richards was there, too, “tender,” “sad”
near her. It was he who had

“great care,” “gently” —
Adverbs: “too,” “near,”
been in the newspaper office
notice the adjectives when intelligence of the rail- “only,” “less”
and adverbs road disaster was received, with
Vivid verbs: “revealed,”
Brently Mallard’s name leading “concealing,” “leading,”

“afflicted” — notice that the list of “killed.” He had only
this verb suggests taken the time to assure himself “assure,” “hastened,”
passivity, victimhood of its truth by a second “forestall,” “bearing”
telegram, and had hastened to
Repetition: “less

“her husband’s death” forestall any less careful, less
— the initial conflict or tender friend in bearing the sad careful, less tender”
problem of the story message.

She did not hear the story
Adjectives: “many,”

as many women have
heard the same, with a
paralyzed inability to
accept its significance. She
wept at once, with sudden,
wild abandonment, in her
sister’s arms. When the
storm of grief had spent
itself she went away to her
room alone. She would
have no one follow her.
“paralyzed,” “sudden,”
“wild”

Adverbs: “not,” “at once,”
“alone”

Vivid verbs: “did not
hear,” “accept,” “wept,”
“had spent,” “would have”

Figurative language:
“storm of grief” (nature
imagery)
1. Do prewriting and outlining for the
1100-word analytical essay and bring a
hard copy of those steps to class
Tuesday.
2. Read pp. 82-84 of your textbook.
3. Continue reading or re-reading your RP
book and taking notes.