Journal Assignment

ad over this week's discussion posts (especially mine) and then write several paragraphs (at least five hundred words) on Louise's conflict in "The Story of an Hour." Keep in mind that there is only one central conflict in this story (although it can be described in different ways) and that this conflict already exists when the story opens. (Hint: The conflict is not the death of her husband or her heart condition.) If you wish, you can also discuss the irony of the doctor's final words.

Link to "The Story of an Hour" (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

• Mr. Taylor's post #1

  "Conflict" in "The Story of an Hour"

  In âThe Story of an Hour," the conflict exists in Mrs. Mallard before the story opens. In fact, the conflict exists in the main character at the start of almost all stories. The major conflict is not something that occurs during story; it is something that already exists as the story opens; it is a problem that the events in story force the main character to confront and resolve.The conflict in "The Story of an Hour" is NOT Mrs. Mallard's heart condition. Please read on.When talking about âthe conflictâ in "The Story of an Hour," we must ask ourselves a simple question: What was Mrs. Mallard's problem before the story started--what was bothering her before she heard of her husband's supposed death? Hereâs a hintâthe answer isn't the train wreck or the fact the she thinks her husband is dead. It isn't her heart trouble, either (that's a "device," something the author has done to prepare the reader for Louise Mallard's death at the end of the story). The conflict here is something that has been bothering Louise for a long time but that she hasn't faced until the action in the story occurs. In this story, the train wreck and Brently's supposed death is what we call the "complication"--the event that forces Louise to face her conflict.Read "The Story of an Hour" carefully and see if you can figure out just what Mrs. Mallard's problem (or "conflict") is before she receives the news of her husband's death.