Compares the use of literary elements in these works by Kate Chopin and William Faulkner.
Throughout literature, the use of literary elements has always been effective in delivering irony or an element of surprise in a story’s conclusion. The paper shows how this is evident in The Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin, and A Rose for Emily, by William Faulkner. In both these stories, the use of literary elements such as archetypal imagery, foreshadowing, and significant meanings of the titles are essential in bringing the reader to the stories’ unexpected and ironic conclusions.
“The Story of an Hour” refers to Mrs. Mallard’s ephemeral joy upon learning of her husband’s death. At first, Mrs. Mallard is saddened by the loss, but soon realizes that her husband’s death signaled a new beginning for herself. It is through this epiphany, or significant and sudden realization, that Mrs. Mallard became ready to live her life freely. There would be no one to live for those coming years; she would live for herself. Here, it is evident that Mrs. Mallard is finally beginning to truly live.”