ENG40: Up, Up and Away

Thursday, September 24, 2009

"The Story of An Hour"

I was actually quite surprised by the level entertainement this story evoked. Prior to reading it, I quickly perused the study sheet just to know what I was supposed to be absorbing. The moment I read it was written with woman's rights in mind I was sure I would be bored to tears. I immediately closed the study sheet and decided to start reading and get the story over with. In the past, any literature I had come across with feminine rights as the subject has not kept my attention, and seemed to be a chore more then anything else.
Luckily, I was dead wrong. Although the general undertones were quite feminist, the author managed to keep the reader enthralled in the world she had created. (Not a very difficult task considering it's length, but none-the-less entertaining). Kate Chopin repeatedly used almost poetic contradictions to portray the inner turmoil brewing within the main character.
Also, I enjoyed how well written the story was. Statements like "It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought" really let you know that you are reading the work of an intelligent author. I actually re-read this sentence a couple of time before moving on due to its well-written nature.
In closing, I enjoyed the piece and considering how brief it was, I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story. I hope that the following stories are as good, and perhaps in a more modern setting.