Rice 1
Landon Rice
Professor Velez
English 1B
6 March 2021
The Uses of Tone, Imagery, and Irony
Louise Mallard was a lady who always wanted something more, a different meaning in
her life, but she couldn’t. She wanted to be free and have a husband whom she loved and adored.
An unexpected change that happens in her life leaves her to be free and happy like she has never
felt before. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is a short story about Louise Mallard, who
finds out that her husband has just passed away. One of the most depressing and unimaginable
moments in most people’s life becomes a resurgence for Josephine and a glimpse of her new
bright future. Kate Chopin uses imagery for the audience to understand the joy she feels in the
beginning and the pain she feels in the end. The irony in this story is to show how fast things can
change. One second she is jumping for joy; the next second, she is dying in the hospital. The
author Kate Chopin in the short story “The Story of an Hour” uses tone, imagery, and irony
throughout the story to keep the audience engaged.
The way tone is used in a story can affect how the audience acknowledges the character
and the story. The audience can perceive the textual evidence different from what the author
intended, but the tone in this story is revealing. The author uses tone to direct the reader to
experience how Louise is coping with her problems and the different emotions Louise is feeling.
The main character in the story, Louise Mallard, lost her husband to a tragic railroad accident
and soon realizes that she never loved him. She began to feel relieved and happy that he is gone
and that her husband’s death revealed the truth through the accident. “Free! Body and soul free!”
Landon Rice
Professor Velez
English 1B
6 March 2021
The Uses of Tone, Imagery, and Irony
Louise Mallard was a lady who always wanted something more, a different meaning in
her life, but she couldn’t. She wanted to be free and have a husband whom she loved and adored.
An unexpected change that happens in her life leaves her to be free and happy like she has never
felt before. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is a short story about Louise Mallard, who
finds out that her husband has just passed away. One of the most depressing and unimaginable
moments in most people’s life becomes a resurgence for Josephine and a glimpse of her new
bright future. Kate Chopin uses imagery for the audience to understand the joy she feels in the
beginning and the pain she feels in the end. The irony in this story is to show how fast things can
change. One second she is jumping for joy; the next second, she is dying in the hospital. The
author Kate Chopin in the short story “The Story of an Hour” uses tone, imagery, and irony
throughout the story to keep the audience engaged.
The way tone is used in a story can affect how the audience acknowledges the character
and the story. The audience can perceive the textual evidence different from what the author
intended, but the tone in this story is revealing. The author uses tone to direct the reader to
experience how Louise is coping with her problems and the different emotions Louise is feeling.
The main character in the story, Louise Mallard, lost her husband to a tragic railroad accident
and soon realizes that she never loved him. She began to feel relieved and happy that he is gone
and that her husband’s death revealed the truth through the accident. “Free! Body and soul free!”
