The-symbols-of-the-story-of-an-hour

Thesymbolsin“thestoryofanhour”Symbol,inliterature,isathingthatrefersorsuggestsmorethanitsliteralmeaning.“TheStoryofanHour”isashortstorywrittenbyKateChopinonApril19,1894.ThestorydescribestheseriesofemotionsthattheprotagonistLouiseMallardhearsthatherhusbandisdeadtoshediscoversthatheisaliveafterall.SeveralsymbolsinKateChopin’s“StoryofanHour”createafeelingofcomfort,wellness,andwonderfulnesswithinthereader’smind.Andtherearemanysymbolsin“thestoryofanhour”.I’dliketosharemyopinionaboutit.FirstoneIthinkis“HeartTroubles”.Thefirstsentence(KnowingthatMrs.Mallardwasafflictedwithahearttrouble)informsusthatMrs.Mallardhashearttroubles.Weknowtheheartistraditionallyasymbolofanindividual'semotionalcore,soMrs.Mallard’sphysicalheartproblemsmaybecansymbolizeheremotionalheartproblemsrelatedtohermarriage.AndintheendingMr.Mallardenteredthedoorwaysafeandsound,beingfarawayfromtheaccidentspotandknowingnothingoftheaccidentandtheferociousfightinghappenedinhiswife’mind.HethinksthatiswifeMrs.Mallarddiedofheartdisease---ofjoythatkills.Secondisthe“armchair”whichMrs.Mallardsitswhenshekeepherselfinherroomafterhearingofherhusbands'death.Thechairisdescribedascomfortableandroomy.What’smore,thechairs'locationisalsoimportant,itisfacinganopenwindow,(Therestood,facingtheopenwindow,acomfortable,roomyarmchair.Intothisshesank,presseddownbyaphysicalexhaustionthathauntedherbodyandseemedtoreachintohersou)thisseemstosymbolizesrestfromheroppressivelifeandfreedomfromsocietalexpectationsThroughtheopenwindowsheseesmanyothersymbolsfurtheringthefeelingsofgoodnessinthereader.Sheseesthetopsoftreesthat“wereallquiverwiththenewspringlife”symbolizinganewlifetocome,somethingnewhappeninginherlife.Thesettingofa“deliciousbreathofrain”intheairreferstothecalmnessafterastormwhenthesuncomesbackout.KateChopinisusingthistorefertothedeathofMrs.Mallards’husbandandthenewjoyouslifeshemaynowleadthatsheisfreeofhim.Alsotobeheardoutsidearethesingingofbirdsandthenotesofadistantsongsomeonewassinging,symbolizinganoncomingfeelingofwellness,abuilduptoherrealizationthatsheisnowfreeofthetyrannicalruleofherhusband.Fourthisthe“scenesoutsideofthewindow”shecouldseeintheopensquarebeforeherhousethetopsoftreesthatwereallaquiverwiththenewspringlife)IthinkSpringLifesymbolizinganewlifetocome,somethingnewhappeninginMrs.Mallard’slife.Therearesomeproblemsinhermarriage,it’seasytoseeshemaywanttooutofthismarriage.Herhusband’sdiedgiveherachacetofindhernewlife.Sospringlifemaybesymbolizeshernewlifeinthefuture.(Therewerepatchesofblueskyshowinghereandtherethroughthecloudsthathadmetandpiledoneabovetheotherinthewestfacingherwindow).Lightwasbreakingthroughwhatpreviouslyhadbeencover.It'snoaccidentthatthislightappearsinthewest,theendoftheday.Inmyopinionthissymbolizestheemergenceofhernewlife.FifthisthedescriptionofMrs.Mallard.Shehasdescribedasbeingyoungandhavingafair,calmface(Shewasyoung,withafair,calmface,whoselinesbespokerepressionandevenacertainstrength）whichsymbolizingthebeautyandinnocenceofachild.Herhusbandhadrepressedher,andnowthroughthissuperficialtragiceventsheisfreedofhisruleandsheisabletolivehernewlife.Lastistheroleofherhusband.Whenhearingthebadnews,Mrs.Mallardhadnowordsatall.Whenfinallysureof“thispossessionofself-assertionwhichshesuddenlyrecognizedasthestrongestimpulseofherbeing”,shefeltfree.Insuchprocess,wecaninferthatmaybehermarriagewithherhusbandwasnotsatisfying.Herhusbandisthesymboloftyranny.TheawarenessofMrs.Mallard’sfreedomisalsodemandsofmanywomen.Intheend,Iwanttosay,whenwereadstories,weshouldpaymoreattentiononthesesymbols.Whenwemakeclearthesesymbolsfortheirunderlinemeanings,wecanseetheauthor’shardworkontheirstoriesandwecanunderstandthestorybetter.References:1.袁宪军，英语小说选读（第二版），北京大学出版社2.俞东明&李华东，写作教程3（第二版），上海外语教育出版社