The Freedom Theme in Kate Chopin’s Emancipation and The Story of an Hour
The freedom theme illustrates the absence of inappropriate restrictions, and also the chance to exercise the freedoms or powers that an individual possesses. Freedom theme illustrates the opportunities provided for practicing the rights, power, desire and privileges by the individual. Freedom comprises various forms; for instance, freedom of conscience, movement, and speech. Freedom subject is also used to illustrate the liberation from confinement and bondage. Kate Chopin describes the freedom theme in the two literary works. The Story of an Hour was written on April 19, 1894. The story illustrates a female protagonist, who experiences certain liberation after hearing that her husband is dead. Emancipation metaphorically describes the story of an animal that escapes from captivity. The two literary works provide adequate encounters with the freedom theme (Toth 51).
Emancipation
Chopin illustrates that freedom can be denied. The animal in the story is denied freedom through being cage since birth. The cage is adequately protected through iron bars and confining walls. Only natural lights and air is allowed into the cage through the openings. The short story is an exact illustration of the happenings in the society. Very many individuals are denied freedom in the society at present and also historically. The Americas history of slavery illustrates how individuals were denied freedom of speech, association, and movement. The movement of the slave was determined by the slaveholder, and the association with friends and family members was strictly controlled or prohibited (Kate, 2000 23).
The author explains in the short story that certain benefits are obtained when freedom is denied. The invisible hand in the poem took care of the wellbeing and interest of the animal during the caging duration. The care was through provision of, shelter, safety, food, water and treatment if treatment occurs. The care is to ensure that the basic needs of the animal are taken care of. In the modern society, there is the prison system which limits the freedom of criminals. However, the basic necessities are provided by the state to the inmates; for instance, food, shelter, medication, clothing, and even education services.
The author illustrates that the opportunity to get freedom is usually utilized. The animal in the short story escaped from the cape, when the door was accidentally left open. The escape is, however, conducted cautiously due to the inadequate understanding of the surrounding environment. On realizing that the cage gate is open, the animal crouched as it experienced fear and also wonder. The modern society illustrates that the freedom to access information has been adequately embraced by the individuals in many countries. The United States embraces the freedom of information concept through creating an enabling environment for media operations. The media outlets are the main institutions responsible for providing information that is of public interest (Kate, 2000 31).
The author also illustrates that effort is required to ensure freedom. The animal in the short story gets freedom, through escaping from captivity without considering the fear of the unknown. The animal manages to escape through running at high speeds. The freedoms that exist in the present American society arose due to the results of continuous political goodwill, negotiations and efforts. The Fourth Amendment of the American constitution provides the foundation for the major freedoms enjoyed by Americans. The Amendments were realized through the political process of legislations. Political leaders adequately debated the proposed freedom bills, before agreeing to integrate them in the constitution. The political efforts are very important in ensuring that the present American generation benefits for appropriate freedom.
Chopin illustrates that the process of ensuring or getting freedom has several challenges. The animal in the short story `is injured during the escape. This is because of the high escape speed that resulted in the animal being injured, strained muscles and fatigue. It is also highly probable that the animal can be killed by human beings during the escape attempts. The present society has experienced several problems and challenges in the process of getting freedom. The challenges are usually of political nature. The Arab Spring political revolution illustrates the challenges experienced when looking for political freedom, against dictatorial regimes. Very many lives were lost during the political revolution process. Populations were also displaced, and many properties were damaged (Brender 71).
The author finally illustrates that freedom has both negative and positive consequences. This means that a free being has both positive and negative experiences. The animal in the short story, after escape, experiences joy and suffering. The joy entails the unrestricted ability of exploring nature. The suffering part of the freedom includes the violent attacks, by other animals or human beings. The animal also has the additional responsibility of looking for its own shelter and food. The society also has positive and negative effects of freedom. The positive aspect includes transparency in governance, due to the right to information by the citizenry. The negative aspect involve freedom abuse; for instance, providing personal or confidential information, through using the freedom of information concept (Brender 67).
The Story of an Hour
Chopin illustrates the desire of Mrs. Mallard to escape from the repressive marriage. Repressive marriage in one that is abusive, with no adequate trust, love, belonging or friendship. Repressive marriage also illustrates the relationship where the partners do not take into consideration the needs, desires, aspirations of interest of each other. The illustrations of the railroad accident in the story explain that the husband of Mrs. Mallard frequently used the railway mode of transportation over long distance. This explains that the husband did not spend adequate time with his family; due to the long distance travelling. The loneliness that she suffers in the story is what drives Mrs. Mallard to desire escape from the marriage institution (Berkoye 113).
The author explains that Mrs. Mallard experiences health challenges as a result of the heart problems. The heart problem limits her ability to engage in certain physical activities, or receive shocking information. This is the reason why her sister informs her of her husband’s death in a gentle manner. She has the desire of living her life in a healthy manner; and therefore experience health freedom. This freedom has not been realized in the story because she dies after discovering that her husband is still alive and standing by the door. Medical, such death cases are attributed to the shock of unexpected events; and mostly affect the individuals who experience heart problems.
Mrs. Mallard enters a room and immediately locks it, after getting the information that her husband died due to a fatal rail road accident. The locking of the room illustrates minimal or lack of freedom. The main aim of locking the room was to mourn the death of her husband. This illustrates in that society, it is inappropriate to mourn in public and hence private mourning is the norm. The desire for the death of her husband, illustrates the need of breaking from the closed freedom environment and contexts. The freedom is meant to enhance the right of publicly expressing emotions in the society (Kate, 2003 23).
Mrs. Mallard considers the death of her husband important in getting complete freedom. The freedom implies the escape from marriage life and the ability of making independent decisions. The author illustrates that there is no love in marriage relationships. Lack of love may be the reason why Mrs. Mallard desires the death of her husband. Being a widow, will enable her be free in looking for love in other places, issues, things, or people. The freedom to make independent decisions may include the right to engage in income generating activities or socialize with friends and family members. The story illustrates the woman sitting in a room at home; there is no adequate illustration of her participation in outdoor activities such as income generating projects. The death of her husband will enable her to effectively engage in outside activities that are important to her (Kate, 2003 19).
Limited freedom in the short story is illustrated through the repression of the feelings of Mrs. Mallard. The author illustrates that she desires the death of her husband, however, the later stages of the story illustrates the contrary, her husband is still alive. The feelings repression is what results to shock, when she finds out that her husband is still alive. Repression of feeling is also illustrated through the change in the mood of Mrs. Mallard, from joy to sad. Joyful mood is seen after she analyzes the repercussions of her husband’s death. However, she experiences the sad mood on discovering the contrary, that her husband is still alive (Berkoye 115).
The shock that she suffers that leads to her death, in literary concepts, illustrates the freedom achieved in another form. The death gives Mrs. Mallard freedom from the marriage that she hates because of inadequate love. Death also frees her from the sad and lonely instances of looking herself in a room. Death also frees her from the health challenges that she experiences with her heart. This is because a person who is death does not experience health related problems such as shock, stress and medications. Death frees Mrs. Mallard from receiving any more negative news such as the death of somebody. This is because dead individuals do not have feelings or emotions.
In conclusion, the author of the two literary works, Kate Chopin, illustrates that the main characters received freedom at the end of the story. The animal character in Emancipation received freedom through escaping from the cage. This ensured that the animal explored the environment; with the associated suffering, joy and responsibilities. Mrs. Mallard in The Story of an Hour gets her freedom through death. The death removes suffering, emotions and marital responsibilities. She escapes from the loveless relationship, poor health, and negative information. The main consequence of her freedom is death. Each and every individual needs adequate freedom. Adequate effort should be directed at achieving the freedom. On getting the freedom, the individual must learn to accept both the negative and positive consequences.
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