8. The Story of an Hour

"She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought."

This quote shows the realistic nature of how she looks and what she is feeling at the time. Instead of leaving this information up to the reader to imagine, the author goes ahead and describes it all to you.

"There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination."

This quote shows the social issue which Chopin is addressing: womens rights. The quote shows the pure exhaltation that Mrs. Mallard feels upon hearing the news that her husband has been killed because she is no longer going to have to obey his will. This speaks to the social issues of the late 1800's concerning the rights of women such as the right to vote and equality in the workplace and at home.