''the Story Of An Hour'' And Critical Approaches To Literature Presentation--for Printing.pdf 4h6u41

"The Story of an Hour" and Critical Approaches to Literature

Literary Theory (pp. 43-58)

Literary Theory

The way we

We call this

“see” (read and understand) literature depends largely upon what kind of “glasses” we are wearing.

“perspective” or “point of view.” No single lens gives us the clearest view. Most people use several lenses at once.

Why should I think about literary theory?

Most likely you have

Literary theory

provides a deeper understanding of a text. Looking at a story from different perspectives often results in discovering new and intriguing things.

How many sides to a story?

Literary theory lets you in on the “secret.”

been taught Formalism/ New Criticism. This is just one of many ways to approach a text. Although there are many “lenses” (different ways you can approach a text), we are going to study seven in particular. Take notes!

Types of Literary Theory (“Lenses”)

Formalist / New Criticism (pp. 43-46) Biographical Criticism Psychological Criticism (pp. 47-48) Historical, Cultural, and Marxist Criticism (pp. 49-50, 52-58) Gender (Feminist, LGBT) Criticism (pp. 54-55) Mythological (Archetypal) Criticism (pp. 46-47) Reader-Response Criticism (pp. 48-49)

Formalist/New Criticism Concentrates on literary features such as symbol, imagery, tone, style, and structure to determine how these function together to create the Says there is one reader’s experience. Supposes that there is a “right” answer central, unifying theme that can be found in every work. within the text.

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical Approaches to Literature

Formalist Analysis of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Consider • adjectives, adverbs, vivid verbs (diction) • foreshadowing (“heart trouble”) • metaphors (“storm of grief,” “a very elixir of life”) • personification (“something coming to her… creeping out of the sky,” “monstrous joy,” “joy that kills”?)

• repetition (“open,” “free”) • symbols (open window/“new spring life,” closed door) • similes (“like a goddess of Victory”) • irony (her sudden death at the end, “joy that kills”)

Biographical Criticism Concentrates on the author’s life experiences and how those may have influenced him or her in writing the work. It is believed that every work has a single interpretation—what the author intended.

What can you infer is the theme?

Biographical Analysis of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Research Kate Chopin’s life and

Psychoanalytical Criticism Explores the

Takes into

marriage. Is any character a representation of the author? (If not, don’t use this approach.) Look at the work through the author’s eyes. Is Chopin making a personal comment? How would the effect be different if a man, a woman who was a former slave or poor, or a 21st-century writer had written this?

symbolic meanings of events and the conscious or subconscious motivations of the characters or the author.

Psychoanalytical Analysis of Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

Historical, Cultural, and Marxist Criticisms

Imagine that you are a psychotherapist and Louise Mallard (or Kate Chopin) is your patient. (Do not assume the protagonist is the author.) What makes her the way she is? Why does she do what she does? What are her subconscious fears? What are her subconscious desires? Is she healthy or disturbed? Does she have issues with authority (what we might casually call “daddy issues” or “mommy issues”)? Can she adapt and function in her world? Does she have a “breakthrough”?

dreams, subconscious desires, and sexual repression (for example, the Oedipus or Electra complex).

Treat a literary text as a

document reflecting, producing, or being produced by the social conditions of its time or culture. Take into consideration what was happening in the world or a society at the time the text was written (for example, wars, social issues, political movements, and industrialization).

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical Approaches to Literature

Historical Analysis of Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Consider the author’s and protagonist’s social (and economic) class. Consider what the world was like in the time (late 19th century) and place (New Orleans) the story was written and takes place. What was going on in the American South? What was life like then? How would the story be different if the main character were of a different race or social class? What comment might Chopin be making on social rules and expectations?

Feminist Analysis of Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” What was life like for women in Louise Mallard’s



(and Kate Chopin’s) society? Who holds power in that society? Consider the female (Louise and Josephine) and male (Richards and Brently) characters. Does each fit the stereotype of his or her gender? How? If not, how is he or she different? Which characters show power or weakness? How? Why is the protagonist called “Mrs. Mallard” in the beginning but “Louise” later in the story?

Archetypal Analysis of Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Can you find any allusions to familiar stories or universal truths? The four seasons In what season is the story set? What is the significance of this season? What does it typically represent? How does this relate to the character of the protagonist?

Gender (Feminist/Gay/Lesbian) Criticism Explores how what society says is masculine or feminine is reflected in a literary work, often seeking to correct or supplement a heterosexual/ male-dominated critical perspective. Considers how literature portrays women and/or LGBT people.

Mythological (Archetypal) Criticism Looks for underlying, recurrent

patterns in literature (like death and rebirth/the seasons) that reveal universal meanings and basic human experiences. Finds associations between a literary work and widely known stories like myths, religious texts, and fairy tales.

Reader-Response Criticism Says that every reader’s interpretation is unique because every reader has a different biography, history, gender/ sexual orientation, mythology, and psychology. What the reader sees and understands, not what the writer may have intended, is what is important.

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical Approaches to Literature

Using at least one of the critical approaches discussed in class today, write a 1,000-to1,200-word, five (or more)-paragraph literary analysis of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” Specific topic choices are on the handout. Be sure that your essay focuses on a single main point, clearly stated in the thesis. Don’t try to write every thought that you have about the story; narrow your topic so that you can cover it completely in 1,100 words. I encourage you to visit the ASC with these assignment instructions before you begin your draft.

Your essay must contain an introduction paragraph that includes the author’s name, title, genre, and theme and ends with the thesis statement. The essay must also include three or more body paragraphs providing specific “evidence” or details (including direct quotes from the story, at least one per body paragraph), and a concluding paragraph that returns to the idea of the thesis and provides a sense of closure. Also, be sure you complete and submit all five steps in the writing process: 1. prewriting/brainstorming 2. organizing/outline with thesis statement 3a. drafting (the first draft) 4. revising (SmarThinking/Academic Success Center AND group discussions), 3b. drafting again (the second draft), and 5. proofreading (at least two classmates). The final version of the essay is due on MyHCC/Canvas before class begins February 16. Final essays will NOT be accepted if you do not participate in and submit all five steps!

, the literary essay is meant to offer and investigate an interpretation of the work.

It is NOT a summary! To decide on a controlling idea for a critical analysis, consider the reading strategies discussed in pages 43-58 of your textbook: Formalist (How does the language or style used affect the reader?) Psychoanalytical (Is there anything Freudian in the work? Why?) Reader-Response (Consider your personal reactions to the work.) Historical (How did or does the time period affect the writer or reader?) Gender (Does the work have a feminist or homosexual level of meaning?) Mythological (Does the work echo a universal story? If so, why?) Biographical (How does the work reflect aspects of the author’s life?)

Consider DICTION—how the author’s use of descriptive language such as ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS, and VIVID VERBS as well as figurative language such as METAPHORS, SIMILES, and SYMBOLS helps develop the character and the conflict of the story. metaphor (p. 327): a figure of speech, not meant to be factually true, in which one thing is compared or substituted for something else… simile (p. 335): … a figure of speech whereby two unlike objects are compared to each other with the word like or as… symbol (p. 336): … an element that stands for something beyond its literal meaning in the text…

By Kate Chopin

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death. It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.

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"The Story of an Hour" and Critical Approaches to Literature

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.







She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.









“heart trouble” — Mrs. Mallard is weak or delicate; also, what does “heart” symbolize? “great care,” “gently” — notice the adjectives and adverbs “afflicted” — notice that this verb suggests ivity, victimhood “her husband’s death” — the initial conflict or problem of the story

Adjectives: “many,” “paralyzed,” “sudden,” “wild” Adverbs: “not,” “at once,” “alone” Vivid verbs: “did not hear,” “accept,” “wept,” “had spent,” “would have” Figurative language: “storm of grief” (nature imagery)

It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.









Adjectives: “broken,” “veiled,” “half,” “second,” “careful,” “tender,” “sad” Adverbs: “too,” “near,” “only,” “less” Vivid verbs: “revealed,” “concealing,” “leading,” “assure,” “hastened,” “forestall,” “bearing” Repetition: “less careful, less tender”

1. Do prewriting and outlining for the 1100-word analytical essay and bring a hard copy of those steps to class Tuesday. 2. Read pp. 82-84 of your textbook. 3. Continue reading or re-reading your RP book and taking notes.

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