Short Stories Comparison and Contrast Essay
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
Summary
In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard is at home when her sister Josephine and Richard, her husband’s friend, come to relay news of Mr. Brently Mallard’s death as a result of a railroad accident. Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her room in grief. However, while in the room, she starts to contemplate on her newfound freedom. The realization is both devastating and pleasant, even though scared of admitting it, there is peace and joy in the recognition. So while locked in her room, she keeps repeating the word ‘free’ reassuring herself what that meant in her newfound life. However, her joy and freedom are shortlived when her husband returns, and due to the shock and her heart’s condition, she dies. When the doctors come, they attribute the death to her heart’s disease and refer to it as the joy that kills.
Symbolism
The heart is the primary form of symbolism used in the short story. At the beginning of the story, everyone is concerned about the heart condition she suffers, even when informing her of Mr. Mallard’s death. But while grieving in her room, she realizes that Brently’s death brings with it the hope for freedom. Understanding this brings her heart back to life, Chopin says that Mrs. Mallard’s pulses beat fast, and the coursing of the warm blood relaxed every part of her body (Chopin,262). But, soon, her hope is crushed when Mr. Mallard returns, causing the heart condition to return and end her life.
Author’s Craft
The sentence, “When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease – of the joy that kills.’’ (Chopin, 263), stands out in the text due to its significance and ironic nature in the text. Instead of being sorrowful for her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard finds joy in the realization of freedom it brings. But when she realizes that her husband was not involved in the accident, the hopes run out, and she dies. In the sentence, the author has applied the element of irony. Ironically, the doctors interpret the death as the joy that kills, while she dies as a result of the hope for freedom taken.
Internal and External Conflicts and Theme
In the story, when grieving her husband, it is identified that Mrs. Mallard experiences both internal and external conflicts of joy and sorrow relating to his demise. On the one hand, she is sorrowful because she at times loved him, and that’s what she should do as a wife, and on the other hand, she finds joy because she is finally free and will not be under anyone’s rule. When the society expects her to show sorrow and grieve him, she is inwardly rejoicing her freedom. Further, when they realize that Mr. Mallard was not involved in the accident, other than rejoicing as expected, the sorrow of losing her freedom conflicts with the external expectations, and she dies.
Author’s Purpose
From The Story of an Hour, the author’s purpose is to illuminate the aspect of marriage and freedom among women in society. Mrs. Mallard’s marriage and desire for freedom highlight the lack of equality that women face, not only in marriage but also within the community in general. One can learn that even though the story is based on the social life that dates back to the 1890s, it also illuminates the need for appreciating women today. The roles that women play both in their marriages and society are crucial and, therefore, when not treated fairly, can result in severe consequences.
Thank You, Ma’am, by Langston Hughes
Summary
In Thank You, Ma’am, by Langston Hughes, while Mrs. Luella, an elderly African American woman, walks home, a young boy named Roger attempts to steal her purse. However, he trips and falls on his back, and the woman kicks him squarely. Nevertheless, she pities him and goes on to tell young Roger that if he were her son, she would have taught him a lesson. Mrs. Luella does not call the police on the boy but takes him home with her to wash his face. While at her home she warms some food asks the boy his reasons for trying to steal from her, and he says that he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. Mrs. Luella graciously gives Roger the money when leaving, and as he struggles to say thank you, she closes the door.
Symbolism
In the story, the aspects of symbolism are evident, and Roger’s pair of blue suede shoes stands out as the most potent symbol in the text. In the contextual approach of the story, they are a symbol for a better life, desire, and the importance of money in individuals within a society. From Roger’s perspective, the shoes symbolize the acquisition of a luxury that he could not afford. And therefore, it is evident that the pair of blue suede that Roger desires is a representation of the unattainable.
Author’s Craft
In Thank You, Ma’am, while Mrs. Jones stands out as an intense and intimidating person, she is kind and non-judgemental, “And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s – because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet.” (Hughes, 3). In the sentence, Mrs. Jones gives the boy a warning on the dangers that life pose if he keeps up with his behavior, it is evident that the entire text is focused on educating on life lessons and the importance of being responsible and accountable. In this sentence, Hughes uses a metaphor, ‘shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet.’ (Hughes, 3) to emphasize the lesson learned from Mrs. Jones.
Internal and External Conflicts and Theme
The internal and external conflicts in Hughes’ story are compassion and justice, respectively, as shown in Mrs. Jones’ reaction towards Roger. The woman kicks the young boy when he falls after attempting to steal from her, and she reacts compassionately after lifting him and seeing his dirty face. Instead of seeking justice as would be the norm, she takes the boy to her home, offers him water to wash his face, some food, and even gives him money to meet his desire. The conflicts between compassion and justice are related to the short story’s central theme based on the power of kindness. Even though the boy commits a crime by attempting to steal, the woman shows kindness towards him.
Author’s Purpose
The author’s purpose in Thank You Ma’am is to educate on the power of kindness and compassion in society. From the story, life lessons on the importance of showing people compassion and forgiving are the main takeaways. The young boy can learn the value of responsibility and goodness, which in turn helps the reader understand their role in helping the less privileged. We also learn the implications of forging good relationships in society and the impact it has on the overall life of a person.
Comparison and Contrast
In both The Story of an Hour and Thank You, Ma’am, the authors have applied the element of surprise. In Chopin’s story, it is expected that Mrs. Mallard would show joy when her husband returns; instead, she dies. On the other hand, in Hughes’s short story, the element of surprise is seen when Mrs. Jones offers Roger ten dollars to buy the shoes he wanted. In The Story of an Hour, the most potent theme is the conflict between repression and freedom, and Mrs. Mallard is a victim of oppression and desires to be free from her husband. Her marriage life denotes the society’s expectations from her, and it shapes how she should act both as a woman and a wife. Therefore, when her husband dies, Mrs. Mallard sees an opportunity to be free of her husband’s control and society’s perception of her feminism. The author uses the element of surprise to show the importance of freedom for women when she ultimately and suddenly dies upon seeing her husband. Consequently, in Thank You Ma’am, Hughes applies the same concept of the element to make an emphasis on the power of kindness. Mrs. Jones realizes the boy’s face is dirty and offers to clean it, and she ignores the apparent reality that the boy had tried to steal her purse. She tells him that if he were her son, she would have taught him right from wrong (Hughes, 1). But since he is not, the least she could do was show him kindness. Within the society, it is common that when a person attempts or commits a crime, they are reported to the police; however, in Mrs. Jones’s case, showing kindness is the best approach in changing the society. Mrs. Jones understands Roger’s situation and offers to pay for the pair of blue suede shoes that he so much desired to the extent of committing a crime. By using the elements of surprise identified in their texts, both Chopin and Hughes contribute to the emphasis of the themes focused on.
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
Summary
In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard is at home when her sister Josephine and Richard, her husband’s friend, come to relay news of Mr. Brently Mallard’s death as a result of a railroad accident. Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her room in grief. However, while in the room, she starts to contemplate on her newfound freedom. The realization is both devastating and pleasant, even though scared of admitting it, there is peace and joy in the recognition. So while locked in her room, she keeps repeating the word ‘free’ reassuring herself what that meant in her newfound life. However, her joy and freedom are shortlived when her husband returns, and due to the shock and her heart’s condition, she dies. When the doctors come, they attribute the death to her heart’s disease and refer to it as the joy that kills.
Symbolism
The heart is the primary form of symbolism used in the short story. At the beginning of the story, everyone is concerned about the heart condition she suffers, even when informing her of Mr. Mallard’s death. But while grieving in her room, she realizes that Brently’s death brings with it the hope for freedom. Understanding this brings her heart back to life, Chopin says that Mrs. Mallard’s pulses beat fast, and the coursing of the warm blood relaxed every part of her body (Chopin,262). But, soon, her hope is crushed when Mr. Mallard returns, causing the heart condition to return and end her life.
Author’s Craft
The sentence, “When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease – of the joy that kills.’’ (Chopin, 263), stands out in the text due to its significance and ironic nature in the text. Instead of being sorrowful for her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard finds joy in the realization of freedom it brings. But when she realizes that her husband was not involved in the accident, the hopes run out, and she dies. In the sentence, the author has applied the element of irony. Ironically, the doctors interpret the death as the joy that kills, while she dies as a result of the hope for freedom taken.
Internal and External Conflicts and Theme
In the story, when grieving her husband, it is identified that Mrs. Mallard experiences both internal and external conflicts of joy and sorrow relating to his demise. On the one hand, she is sorrowful because she at times loved him, and that’s what she should do as a wife, and on the other hand, she finds joy because she is finally free and will not be under anyone’s rule. When the society expects her to show sorrow and grieve him, she is inwardly rejoicing her freedom. Further, when they realize that Mr. Mallard was not involved in the accident, other than rejoicing as expected, the sorrow of losing her freedom conflicts with the external expectations, and she dies.
Author’s Purpose
From The Story of an Hour, the author’s purpose is to illuminate the aspect of marriage and freedom among women in society. Mrs. Mallard’s marriage and desire for freedom highlight the lack of equality that women face, not only in marriage but also within the community in general. One can learn that even though the story is based on the social life that dates back to the 1890s, it also illuminates the need for appreciating women today. The roles that women play both in their marriages and society are crucial and, therefore, when not treated fairly, can result in severe consequences.
Thank You, Ma’am, by Langston Hughes
Summary
In Thank You, Ma’am, by Langston Hughes, while Mrs. Luella, an elderly African American woman, walks home, a young boy named Roger attempts to steal her purse. However, he trips and falls on his back, and the woman kicks him squarely. Nevertheless, she pities him and goes on to tell young Roger that if he were her son, she would have taught him a lesson. Mrs. Luella does not call the police on the boy but takes him home with her to wash his face. While at her home she warms some food asks the boy his reasons for trying to steal from her, and he says that he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. Mrs. Luella graciously gives Roger the money when leaving, and as he struggles to say thank you, she closes the door.
Symbolism
In the story, the aspects of symbolism are evident, and Roger’s pair of blue suede shoes stands out as the most potent symbol in the text. In the contextual approach of the story, they are a symbol for a better life, desire, and the importance of money in individuals within a society. From Roger’s perspective, the shoes symbolize the acquisition of a luxury that he could not afford. And therefore, it is evident that the pair of blue suede that Roger desires is a representation of the unattainable.
Author’s Craft
In Thank You, Ma’am, while Mrs. Jones stands out as an intense and intimidating person, she is kind and non-judgemental, “And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s – because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet.” (Hughes, 3). In the sentence, Mrs. Jones gives the boy a warning on the dangers that life pose if he keeps up with his behavior, it is evident that the entire text is focused on educating on life lessons and the importance of being responsible and accountable. In this sentence, Hughes uses a metaphor, ‘shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet.’ (Hughes, 3) to emphasize the lesson learned from Mrs. Jones.
Internal and External Conflicts and Theme
The internal and external conflicts in Hughes’ story are compassion and justice, respectively, as shown in Mrs. Jones’ reaction towards Roger. The woman kicks the young boy when he falls after attempting to steal from her, and she reacts compassionately after lifting him and seeing his dirty face. Instead of seeking justice as would be the norm, she takes the boy to her home, offers him water to wash his face, some food, and even gives him money to meet his desire. The conflicts between compassion and justice are related to the short story’s central theme based on the power of kindness. Even though the boy commits a crime by attempting to steal, the woman shows kindness towards him.
Author’s Purpose
The author’s purpose in Thank You Ma’am is to educate on the power of kindness and compassion in society. From the story, life lessons on the importance of showing people compassion and forgiving are the main takeaways. The young boy can learn the value of responsibility and goodness, which in turn helps the reader understand their role in helping the less privileged. We also learn the implications of forging good relationships in society and the impact it has on the overall life of a person.
Comparison and Contrast
In both The Story of an Hour and Thank You, Ma’am, the authors have applied the element of surprise. In Chopin’s story, it is expected that Mrs. Mallard would show joy when her husband returns; instead, she dies. On the other hand, in Hughes’s short story, the element of surprise is seen when Mrs. Jones offers Roger ten dollars to buy the shoes he wanted. In The Story of an Hour, the most potent theme is the conflict between repression and freedom, and Mrs. Mallard is a victim of oppression and desires to be free from her husband. Her marriage life denotes the society’s expectations from her, and it shapes how she should act both as a woman and a wife. Therefore, when her husband dies, Mrs. Mallard sees an opportunity to be free of her husband’s control and society’s perception of her feminism. The author uses the element of surprise to show the importance of freedom for women when she ultimately and suddenly dies upon seeing her husband. Consequently, in Thank You Ma’am, Hughes applies the same concept of the element to make an emphasis on the power of kindness. Mrs. Jones realizes the boy’s face is dirty and offers to clean it, and she ignores the apparent reality that the boy had tried to steal her purse. She tells him that if he were her son, she would have taught him right from wrong (Hughes, 1). But since he is not, the least she could do was show him kindness. Within the society, it is common that when a person attempts or commits a crime, they are reported to the police; however, in Mrs. Jones’s case, showing kindness is the best approach in changing the society. Mrs. Jones understands Roger’s situation and offers to pay for the pair of blue suede shoes that he so much desired to the extent of committing a crime. By using the elements of surprise identified in their texts, both Chopin and Hughes contribute to the emphasis of the themes focused on.