Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by Kate Chopin
• Josephine
Mrs. Mallard’s sister
• Richards Antagonists
A friend who told them the
news that her husband was dead.
Flat characters
• Brently Mallard
Mrs. Mallard’s husband
Mrs. Mallard
protagonist & round character
• Direct characterization:
“She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke
repression and even a certain strength.” (para 8)
• Indirect characterization:
“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. ” (para 3)
“She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except
when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep
continues to sob in its
dreams. ” (para 7)
“She said it over and over under her breath: "free, free, free!" The vacant stare and the look
of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat
fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. ” (para 11)
“‘Free! Body and soul free! ’she kept whispering .” (para 16)
……
Characters
Mrs. Louise Mallard is the protagonist of the
story. She is introduced as being "afflicted with
a heart trouble", which is why great care is
taken in telling her of her husband's death. She
mourns her husband, but then begins to feel
relieved and liberated.
Mr. Brently Mallard is assumed dead until the
end of the story when it is revealed that the
news of his death was a mistake.
Characters
Josephine is Louise's sister who tells Louise of
her husband's death. She embodies the
feminine ideals of the time, acting as the picture
perfect wife figure.
Richards represents the standard image and
expectations of the man during the time period
- responsible for protecting women. However,
he fails which could have been a bit
controversial for the time period.
Narrator's point of view
And its first use can date back to Ancient Greece, when
Aristotle, a great philosopher at that time, specially
discussed this skill in his Poetics. He pointed out that
sudden turn meant actions opposite to what we called
the principle of steering.
Kate Chopin also introduced a plotchange into this
short story.