Mrs Mallard: a Dynamic Character

Characters in Literature: Change and Transformation

In lots of books and stories, characters change a lot, and that helps move the story along. One such character is Mrs. Mallard from Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour." When she hears about her husband's death, she feels all sorts of things that lead her to a new sense of freedom and finding herself. Here, we’re gonna dive into how Mrs. Mallard changes from a wife who goes along with everything to a woman standing on her own two feet. By looking closely at the text, it's clear Mrs. Mallard’s journey is all about discovering herself and breaking free.

Mrs. Mallard: A Dynamic Character

At the start of the story, Mrs. Mallard comes off as your typical 19th-century wife, stuck with what society expects and playing the role of a submissive partner. She's got "heart trouble," which could mean she's not only sick physically but also emotionally drained. This paints her as someone fragile, leaning on her husband for emotional backup. But then bam! She gets news that he’s gone, and instead of falling apart like you’d expect, she cries hard at first but then sneaks off to her room to be alone. This is where things start changing for her.

Sitting by herself, Mrs. Mallard starts thinking about what freedom looks like now that she’s on her own. Chopin writes something like “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully.” So yeah, she's kinda scared but also excited about what might happen next. This moment flips a switch in her mind – she starts questioning if marriage is really what she wants or if being independent is more up her alley.

What’s interesting is how quickly Mrs. Mallard bounces between emotions throughout the story. At first, she's drowning in grief – pretty much what you'd expect from someone who just lost their spouse. But those feelings soon give way to this wild sense of liberation and happiness. Chopin says there’s “a feverish triumph in her eyes,” showing just how alive she feels with this newfound freedom. This sudden flip in feelings shows how Mrs. Mallard can roll with the punches and grab onto new opportunities after her husband's death.

Plus, Mrs. Mallard's changing views on marriage and women's roles underline just how dynamic she is becoming. She thinks back on her marriage as a “powerful will bending hers” – realizing she wasn't living for herself but for him instead. This aha moment lets her see cracks in the life she had before and opens doors to what life could be without him holding her down.

The end of the story hammers home just how much she's changed too. As she walks downstairs with her sister thinking she’s free at last, there stands Mr. Mallard alive in front of them! That shock ends it all abruptly for her freedom ride, leading to her collapse and death right there on the spot! Some folks might say this means maybe she wasn't really changing after all… but wait! Couldn’t it be seen as one last big “nope!” against being forced back into an old submissive role? For one fleeting moment filled with possibilities beyond any shackles tying her down… better dead than caged again.

All said n’ done? Yeah–Mrs.Mallard totally counts as a dynamic character in Kate Chopin's "The Story Of An Hour." From stepping out from behind shadows cast by outdated societal norms into light-filled spaces allowing personal growth–her journey screams individual agency strength enough cracking even unyielding binds trying holding anyone captive long-term such.

References

• Chopin, K., & Baym N., et al., (2016). The Story Of An Hour: The Norton Anthology Of American Literature (pp-414–416). W.W.Norton & Company.
• Culley M.M., (1970). Contextual Analysis On Female Liberation In Fictional Works By Kate-Chopin Studies Magazine Volumeeight-Issuefour Pgs10-12
• Petry-A.A.,(1988),Writing Women: Books Featuring Protagonists Breaking Free Of Societal Constraints HarperCollins Publishers Page23-24
• Toth E.F.(1999),Unveiling Identity Evolution Through Narratives-Inspiring Freedom Journeys Texas Review Press Editionthree-chapterfive-six