What kinds of psychological issues does “Story of an Hour’ explore?

After reading Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” and reflecting on our course materials around Psychoanalysis criticism, compose a 500-word  analysis of this short story reflecting on Mrs. Mallard’s state of mind and what the story reveals and withholds about it. You may use one of these questions to get started: how do Mrs. Mallard’s relationships (with her sister, her husband, even with Richards) impact how she perceives herself? What kinds of commentary does the story make on the psychological pressure of heteronormative relationships? Is there more than one way to interpret this story? Does this text require us to read it “as women”? In other words, does it rely on an understanding of women’s social and gender oppression? You don’t need to answer all of these questions — these are potential avenues, from which you might pick one.

Your goal is to make a persuasive argument about the text using textual evidence (i.e. quotes and passage references) and drawing on at least one concept from Chapter 4 (Dobie). Your paper should try, as much as you can in two pages, to engage with these issues using textual evidence and critical analysis. Showcase your ability to formulate a complex thesis and discuss it with at least one thoughtfully analyzed example. 

Short papers should be formatted according to MLA format and are due to Blackboard before midnight on Sunday, March 12. Please be sure to proofread your work carefully and check its formatting before submitting. Trust your ideas! Your response should be original and carefully crafted – you should not consult any external sources for this assignment.