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The story of an hour

 

            
            
             During the past century, many economic, political, and society changes have greatly altered the face of marriage. The sanctity of marriage is now nothing compared to what it was years ago. The woman is no longer just a homemaker. She is now a self-sufficient partner in a dual earning household. This is attributed to the long overdue equal rights and the push for educational achievements for woman. No longer is the man of the house the sole provider. Although it can be said that due to the economy and cost of living, this is not by choice; the "wife" of today would insist on being an equal "partner" and member in the modern household. These differences would make Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour develop differently if it took place in modern day and the main character was my friend Lois. .
             Like Mrs. Mallard, the initial emotion would be of shock and sadness followed by long periods of crying and grieving. Lois" grief would wane into a bizarre sense of freedom as Mrs. Mallard did, but would remain for a considerable length of time. Mrs. Mallard was "trapped" in a lifestyle that demanded her to take care of her husband in everyway she could. He was the sole provider in the household and her job was to cater to his every whim. This was the normal lifestyle at the time making her life in the household life being in a kind of prison. She was not free to do anything unless it involved her catering to her husband. This is what caused her to have a morbid sense of happiness set in shortly after she realized that she was now alone. In Lois" case this would not be. She is an educated, hard working, woman who is as much a part of providing for her household as her husband is. They each work as one and together provide for the needs of their home together. She is her own person and does not have to cater to her husband's wishes but rather wants to please him in any way she can. .
             Because of this difference, which I believe is attributed to the change in the times, no sense of happiness or joy would ever come into play in Lois" life after she heard the news of her husband's death.


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