Forbidden Happiness Essay examples

Submitted By Cooper10816
Words: 1005
Pages: 5
Open Document
Forbidden Happiness

Beginning at birth, people are dependent on someone other than themselves and as people grow up they become more dependent on others, sometimes by choice, other times involuntarily. When they are born and much throughout their childhood, they have no choice but to be dependent on such people as their parents, siblings, other relatives, and friends. Although as they grow up, they become a little more independent; choices come along whether they want to be dependent on others for certain aspects of life or not. Little children will fight to do the little things that make them independent, such as tying their shoes by themselves, picking out their own clothes, etc. Once people hit the point of adulthood and start living on their own, almost everyone becomes independent. Eventually, they meet the person they choose to be with for the rest of their life, and suddenly they’re back to being dependent. Its strange that after finally getting their independence, they choose to throw it away for one person. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” shows how people’s choices to be dependent or not has a huge affect on their lives. This story was first published in Vogue in 1895; this was a time when women just started to stand up for themselves and their rights. Women stayed at home, they were oppressed in the sense that they didn’t have the freedom to do and go as they please, the head of the house (a male) made the rules. The images of a the open window, with birds chirping and clouds breaking up, while Mrs. Mallard is in her bedroom reinforce the idea that she is gaining a new found freedom, when she felt a new start at life following her husband’s death. Louise Mallard's reaction to her husband’s death is a very normal reaction at first. The person she depends on for essentially everything is now gone. When the initial grief passes, she decides to go into her room. It says, “She would have no one to follow her.” (Chopin). This implies that if her husband was there she would not be going to her room alone, he would be following her. This statement shows the dependence between Mr. and Mrs. Mallard when he was alive. Louise’s thoughts go from grieving to being free. “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!”(Chopin). Louise has this new found freedom that she never had with Bentley. She thinks that nothing can compare to this new feeling she has. As she continues, her newest thought comes up; “She breathed a quick prayer that life be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.”(Chopin). While her husband was alive, she was thinking about life, its length and dreading living out the rest of her years. Now that her husband is gone, she is hoping she lives a very long life, so she can enjoy all of her new found freedom. Louise probably should have been more careful with what she wished for. Throughout the story Louise Mallard finds this new freedom and she now feels that she is independent without her husband, she struggles with this idea of freedom at first, then she lets it take over. She has always been dependent on her husband and with him gone, she finally feels she can be free; although a person does not have to take away another person's freedom. Just as when people are younger, they have the choice to be dependent on others. It is the same with freedom, people can choose whether their significant other takes away their freedom. Freedom and independence go hand in hand. Many people are married and still have their personal freedom, just because one person is connected to another person
Show More

Related Documents: Forbidden Happiness Essay examples

Essay on Paradise Lost

give Adam the forbidden fruit or not. An example from the text is: “But to Adam in what sort Shall I appear? Shall I to him make known As yet my change, and give him to partake Full happiness with me, or rather not, But keep the odds of knowledge in my power Without copartner?”(Milton 816-821). This shows exactly the decision that Eve has to make. She can either share her knowledge and ultimate happiness with Adam or keep all this to herself. Eve decides to give Adam the forbidden fruit by using…

Words 757 - Pages 4

Comparing Love In Romeo And Juliet And Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty

turn out tragic, or the couple lives in loving bliss for eternity is. Possibly the most classic example of this is Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet; the story of two star crossed lovers who meet and fall in love at first sight. However, their forbidden love ends in tragedy at the hands of their feuding families. On the contrary, Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty, is a definitive fairytale romance where a boy meets a girl, and the girl falls in love with the dashing prince as he overcomes any potential…

Words 193 - Pages 1

Loyalty In Romeo And Juliet

Conflict Caused by Extreme Loyalties Extreme loyalties have always caused problems in society, now more than ever. They cause conflicts of all sorts, even the most tragic, death. Most families pass on beliefs that have originated many generations ago, and when one is born into a family, they are expected to pass on those beliefs. A lot of people choose to stay completely faithful to their family’s beliefs rather than exploring their options. They do not try any other ways of living and follow traditions…

Words 781 - Pages 4

The Persian Carpet Character Analysis

The story, The Persian Carpet by Hanan Shaykh, is about two sisters and a relative of their father who go to see their mother in secret. Their parents had been recently divorced and their father had forbidden them from seeing their mother. When they get to their mother's new house, the narrator recognised the Persian carpet on the floor of her house. A couple of months before her parent's divorce, her mother had put the carpet on the roof in the sun. However, when she went up to retrieve it, it was…

Words 1056 - Pages 5

Essay China: People ' s Republic of China and Chinese New

the day ranges from end of January to mid-February. It is one of the most significant celebrations in the Chinese culture. The Holiday consists of parties and great food, but also has deeper meaning. The day is meant to bring people good luck, and happiness throughout the year. It is also a day where you forgive and forget all grudges you have against people. There are several explanations to what the origin of Chinese New Year is. The tradition has been carried on from generation to generation, which…

Words 747 - Pages 3

Who Is Disobeyed In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Equality states, “men are forbidden to take notice of women, and women forbidden to take notice of men”(37). This is one of the main reasons the government should not be allowed to control an individual, because it is wrong for a citizen to have to live in a world, where wanting to love someone, or admire them for who they are is wrong. Having this rule in action will make it so no individual will find happiness and get to share their lives with another. Another important…

Words 589 - Pages 3

Essay about Storm of Passion

and Alcee. When Alcee first arrives, he does not intend to go in the house, but with the intensity of the Storm, whether were referring to the physical weather or whether were referring to the “storm of passion” taking place on Alcee to see his forbidden lover. Another way that I believe she meant to tie in internal conflict was when Chopin had the Chinaberry tree struck by lightning. How does that relate back to internal conflict? Well if you didn’t know most Cajuns/Louisiana citizens are catholic…

Words 451 - Pages 2

Jane Cooper Happiness

The author Jane Cooper once said (n.d.), “Happiness is in between our hands. It can’t be forced, it can’t be taught, it can’t be forbidden, and it can only be chosen if one chooses to be wise”. A lot of people go through experiences and face daily situations that either puts them in a very bad mood where they would feel depressed for the rest of the day, or in a very happy and cheery mood that would make them enthusiastic and full of joy for the entire day. Situations like this could differentiate…

Words 638 - Pages 3

What Is The Importance Of Frederick Douglass Abolish Education

Before abolishing slavery, all the slaves were persecuted and oppressed. Their masters used to torture and lash them. They were also forbidden from taking any education. Even though everybody was supposed to have the right to learn how to read and write. However, Douglass fought for the freedom and rights of the African Americans. He believed that education is the way to get freedom and liberty from slavery. Frederick Douglass was a slave man who devoted his life to abolish slavery. He born as a…

Words 247 - Pages 1

Morality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

don’t set us apart, they bring us together as our own individual persons. This concept that Equality learned is contradictory to everything his society taught him. He went against the flow and disagreed with his brothers and ended up finding true happiness and love; the two greatest emotions known to…

Words 925 - Pages 4