Reading Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour' landed me on an erratic roller-coaster ride. Chopin did, however, warn me in her first sentence that because of Mrs. Mallards heart trouble, I was in for a herky-jerky ride through her short story.
I start out with a jolt - the news of the death of Mrs. Mallards' husband - (hold on tight) then abruptly slowing to a gentle cruise as I first come to know her true feelings about how this tragedy has made her "free, free, free!" Now, she imagined, everyday ahead would be an extended, carefree escapade in the sunshine.
Then, even more abrubtly, this spasmodic roller-coaster ride goes over the top and dives down to a screeching halt as Mrs Mallard sees her very- much-alive husband at the front door, no less, letting himself back into her life. His latch key piercing her heart, but get this, not ending her briefly-celebrated freedom. She outwitted him in the end and reversed who left who.
What a great description! I felt the same way when I read that story but you described it perfectly; the rise and falls. I like the idea of setting emotions to an event, it helps place it and it also helps other people relate with the way you're feeling.
ReplyDeleteI love the metaphor of the roller coaster!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you could actually make a visual diagram of the plot -- you know, "plot" points along a graph? Would that be helpful in doing literary analysis?
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ReplyDeleteMmm. Mmhmm. You nailed it. You used a metaphor that everyone--as they read it--was probably feeling, but couldn't put into words.
ReplyDeleteA roller coaster is not for the weak-hearted. This story certainly illustrated that!
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