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Story Of An Hour Literary Techniques Essay

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Literary Techniques in “The Story of an Hour” Writing a good short story is difficult. A strategic use of literary devices is needed to get the author’s point across in a short amount of time. The use of literary devices can also make a short story much more engaging. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”, she uses a multitude of techniques to create an engaging story. Chopin creates a memorable story through her effective use of descriptive language, irony, and a gripping twist ending. From the very beginning of the story, Chopin uses descriptive language in various ways. At the very beginning, it is used describe the main character. She is described as: “...young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain …show more content…

After receiving news of her husband’s death, Mrs.Mallard’s thoughts take an odd turn: “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” (Chopin). This is an example of situational irony because it is unusual for one to respond with happiness in a situation like this. As mentioned previously, the description of the weather is ironic. Mrs.Mallard looks out the window in her room and sees: “There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.” (Chopin). This is an example of situational irony because blue skies and good weather are associated with happiness and, that is the exact opposite of her current situation. The ending of the story is probably its most ironic element. The last line is: “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills” (Chopin). This is incredibly ironic because it was believed that she died of joy at seeing her husband alive, but she actually died of shock and

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