Symbolism in the Story of an Hour Essay Example

Symbolism in the Story of an Hour Essay Example Symbolism in the Story of an Hour Essay Symbolism in the Story of an Hour Essay Several symbols in Kate Chopins Story of an Hour create a feeling of comfort, wellness, and wonderfulness within the readers mind. The first symbol I will speak of is the comfortable chair which she sinks into after the news of her husbands death. Then, I will speak of the open window, which she sits in front of through which she sees many symbols of things that are good. Finally, I will speak of the description of Mrs. Mallard herself and her comfortable situation, which will tie together all the symbols that create the feelings of comfort and wellness in the reader. The armchair in the story in which Mrs. Mallard sits after secluding herself in her room upon hearing of her husbands death is described as comfortable and roomy. The chairs location is also important, it is facing an open window, this symbolizes being open to change, and the fact that it is open shows that it is somewhat warm out suggesting life rather than the cold of winter symbolizing death. The adjectives comfortable, roomy, and sank symbolize a feeling of being embraced by the chair, a feeling of love and warmth. Through the open window she sees many other symbols furthering the feelings of goodness in the reader. She sees the tops of trees that were all quiver with the new spring life symbolizing a new life to come, something new happening in her life. The setting of a delicious breath of rain in the air refers to the calmness after a storm when the sun comes back out. Kate Chopin is using this to refer to the death of Mrs. Mallards husband and the new joyous life she may now lead that she is free of him. Also to be heard outside are the singing of birds and the notes of a distant song someone was singing, symbolizing an oncoming feeling of wellness, a build up to her realization that she is now free of the tyrannical rule of her husband. Mrs. Mallard is described as being young and having a fair, calm face symbolizing the beauty and innocence of a child. Brently Mallard had repressed her, and now through this seemingly tragic event she is freed of his rule over her and she is able to go on with her life. The reader feels for her when she explains the way she had only loved him sometimes, but more often didnt, and how in the coming years she would be able to live for herself and no one else. When you decipher these symbols for their underlying meanings you see then how Kate Chopin worked on her story to give the reader a good sense of comfort and wellness in the reader. The three symbols we have discussed are just a basis to start digging into the story; so much more can be pulled from the word choices and objects presented in the story if you just give the effort to look into it.

Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns

Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns By Mark Nichol How do you decide which form of a pronoun to use, as in the choices of the wording in â€Å"John is as fast as him† and â€Å"John is as fast as he†? Knowing the varieties of pronouns will help you choose the correct form. A subject pronoun is one used as the subject of a sentence, as in â€Å"He is right† or â€Å"I am amazed.† (Subject pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.) Subject pronouns may also rename the subject, following a copular verb (one that is a form of â€Å"to be†): â€Å"It is I who left the chair there.† A subject pronoun should also be used for such sentences as â€Å"It might have been she,† though an object pronoun is used in its place almost invariably in casual speech and often in writing. Object pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, and them), by contrast, are used to identify the object of a sentence, as in â€Å"Mary gave it to her† and â€Å"The tourists went to see them.† (Notice that you and it can serve as both subject and object pronouns.) Object nouns are used with all the three types of objects: â€Å"The Smiths invited us† (direct object), â€Å"The Smiths gave us our dish back† (indirect object), and â€Å"The Smiths gave a party for us† (object of a preposition). Should a sentence read, â€Å"I am older than her† or â€Å"I am older than she†? In a statement of comparison that uses as or than and does not end with a copular verb, temporarily add one to test the correct type of pronoun: â€Å"I am older than her is† does not sound right, but â€Å"I am older than she is† does, so the correct word in this sentence is she. (Therefore, the correct sentence in the pair of examples in the first paragraph of this post in formal writing, at least is â€Å"John is as fast as he.†) Note, however, that what appears to be a sentence with an incorrect form of a pronoun can be correct when it means something else. For example, â€Å"She fell asleep before him† could mean that the woman fell asleep in front of someone, not earlier than someone, in which case the statement is correct. What if the sentence refers to more than one person? Several factors come into play. The pronoun in â€Å"Joe and I were invited to the party† is correct because I is part of the subject (â€Å"Joe and I†). But â€Å"John went to the party with Joe and I† is not, because â€Å"Joe and I† is now the object, and the correct personal pronoun for an object is me: â€Å"John went to the party with Joe and me.† (Test for the correct form of the pronoun by removing the other person from the object: â€Å"John went to the party with me,† not â€Å"John went to the party with I,† is correct, so â€Å"John went to the party with Joe and me† is correct.) But an exception is made when the reference to Joe and the writer is preceded by a copular, or linking, verb (a form of â€Å"to be†), as in â€Å"The last people at the party were Joe and I.† In this sentence, â€Å"Joe and I† are predicate nominatives, meaning that they rename or describe the subject: â€Å"Joe and I† equals â€Å"the last people at the party.† A pronoun in a predicate nominative takes the subjective, not objective, case: â€Å"The last people at the party were Joe and I† is correct. It may seem wrong, but that’s because the rule is ignored in most spoken English and in much written English as well, so we’re accustomed to hearing and reading the error. It should be observed, however at least in formal English. (Some comments on this post refer to a previous version of this discussion.) Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs) signal possession or relationship and, unlike nouns in possessive form, never include apostrophes. They take the same form whether in the subjective position or the objective position: â€Å"That is hers. Yours is here.† Reflexive pronouns (myself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, ourselves, yourself, and yourselves) refer to something already mentioned (â€Å"The machine appeared to start by itself†) or implied (Suit yourselves†). â€Å"The directions applied only to myself† is wrong because the person indicated by myself is not explicitly or implicitly referred to. (The correct wording is â€Å"The directions applied only to me.†) However, â€Å"I followed the directions myself† is correct because myself refers to the subject I. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?Treatment of Words That Include â€Å"Self†