Question

practice
use the chart to track mrs. mallard’s actions and the emotional journey she undergoes. then, explain how mrs. mallard’s actions and feelings suggest chopin’s theme about the status of women in the society of her era. note that there may be more than one theme. complete this chart independently, and then share your responses with your group.
cite textual evidence
to support your answers.
(paragraph column with 3, 9, 10, 17; what mrs. mallard does column; what mrs. mallard feels column; thematic meaning column)

Explanation:

To complete this, we analyze Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" (Mrs. Mallard is the protagonist). For each paragraph:

Paragraph 3:

• What Mrs. Mallard Does: She “wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment” (textual evidence) and then goes to her room, shutting the door.
• What Mrs. Mallard Feels: Initially, she feels grief (weeping), but as she processes, a sense of “something” (later revealed as freedom) begins to stir.
• Thematic Meaning: Her immediate, unrestrained grief hints at the oppressive nature of her marriage—she is allowed to express sorrow, but the “wild abandonment” also suggests a repressed desire to break free (foreshadowing the theme of female liberation).

Paragraph 9:

• What Mrs. Mallard Does: She sits, “pressed down by a physical exhaustion,” and looks out the window, noticing spring (birds, trees, sky).
• What Mrs. Mallard Feels: She feels a “monstrous joy” (text: “she was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will”). This joy is from realizing freedom from her husband’s control.
• Thematic Meaning: The contrast between her physical exhaustion (from societal constraints) and the “joy” of freedom highlights how marriage confined her; nature’s renewal mirrors her emotional awakening to autonomy.

Paragraph 10:

• What Mrs. Mallard Does: She “breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.”
• What Mrs. Mallard Feels: She feels elated, embracing her newfound freedom—she now wants a long life to enjoy independence.
• Thematic Meaning: Her reversal (wanting long life vs. dreading it) shows how marriage made life feel oppressive; freedom gives her purpose, emphasizing the theme of women’s desire for self - determination.

Paragraph 17:

• What Mrs. Mallard Does: She opens the door, “clasped her sister’s waist,” and descends the stairs.
• What Mrs. Mallard Feels: She feels triumphant, ready to embrace life as a free woman (text: “she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory”).
• Thematic Meaning: Her “Victory” - like posture symbolizes her victory over marital oppression. However, her sudden death (when her husband returns) underscores the tragedy of a society that denied women autonomy—her new - found freedom is snatched away, reinforcing the theme of female subjugation.

Overall, Mrs. Mallard’s journey (grief → awakening → joy → tragic end) suggests Chopin’s theme: In the 19th - century, women were confined by marriage, and the longing for freedom (even in death) reveals the oppressive status of women.

Answer:

PARAGRAPH	WHAT MRS. MALLARD DOES	WHAT MRS. MALLARD FEELS	THEMATIC MEANING
9	Sits, looks out window at spring, resists “monstrous joy”	“Monstrous joy” (freedom from marriage), physical exhaustion (from societal constraints)	Nature mirrors her emotional liberation from marital control
10	Prays for a long life (reversal of prior dread)	Elated, eager for independent life	Marriage made life oppressive; freedom gives purpose
17	Opens door, embraces sister, descends stairs	Triumphant (like “Victory”), ready for free life	Victory over oppression (tragically cut short, highlighting societal injustice)

(Note: For each row, cite the text (e.g., “wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment” for Paragraph 3) to support actions/feelings.)