"The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin portrays an immensely powerful anti-love theme where love is not acknowledged and where life is brought upon by death and vice versa.  Chopin puts a unique twist on the life of Mrs. Mallard by showing it as the most intensified when she is informed of the death of her husband and partner for life, which usually calls for a more somber reaction and feeling.  Through the use of extremely visual imagery, such as the description of the world outside her window, the constant theme of freedom, and constant use of detailed vocabulary describing Mrs. Mallard's emotions, Chopin allows the readers to recognize the burden that Mrs. Mallard is forced to cope with her whole life and recognize her path to find true independence.   Chopin's way of writing this text and conveying the themes enables the reader to come to grips with how much of an impact a person can make on another's life, whether it be negatively or positively.  

The crippling affliction that Mrs. Mallard is dealing with is not actually due to a physical problem as the reader originally thinks.  Instead, it is due to another form of life giving off a sense of being completely overbearing.  All forms of life become visible and recognizable when she is confronted with death and sits in front of a small but glowing window in her room.  This scene also makes her own life become visible and recognizable to herself as she know sees what her life could look like if it was filled with laughter and happiness.  Chopin mentions many different forms of life to show that Mrs. Mallard's life without any setbacks is back and full of the energy of life around her.  Chopin writes, "The delicious breath of rain was in the air.  In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.  The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves" (Chopin 223).  Kate Chopin reflects on other life forms to really bring Mrs. Mallard's newfound life into perspective.  She was missing out on and not appreciating the simple sounds and joyful images of everyday life and it was all because of her controlling husband.  The simple task of living life to the fullest and stopping to enjoy it seemed like a foreign concept to her before she heard the news of her husband's death.  It all became real to her after that because a truly new breath of fresh air was pumped into her body and her physical pains went away.  The news of death truly was a healing power in a weird way and the mentality of freedom that Mrs. Mallard gained from the situation relieved all her troubles.

The story focuses on a very prominent and important theme of "freedom" which was non-existent before in Mrs. Mallard's life with her husband.  It had been so long that she had gone without it that she fully embraced it while sitting in that chair gazing at the window.  When experiencing this newfound joy entering her body, Mrs. Mallard opened up her mind and body willingly in order to enjoy this concept that had been kept under lock and key from her.  Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard's actions perfectly during this eccentric time when she says, "She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her.  A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial" (224).  Mrs. Mallard is being described as totally accepting of the situation which she should be.  At this moment she is not being bothered or pestered like she was her whole life with the large, looming presence of her husband.  She realizes that she has no one else to live for except herself and she is completely comforted in this moment.  She has no more responsibilities pertaining to serving her husband's needs.   

Mrs. Mallard constantly mutters that she is free which helps her embrace the fact that she really is and doesn't have to live under the rules of another person.  Chapin backs up this point when she writes, "'Free! Body and soul free!' she kept whispering" (224).  The sense and feel of freedom was finally making its way and reaching Mrs. Mallard after all these long, cruel years without it.  She's so amazed and good-spirited when she realizes that freedom is present in her life and physical body that she constantly whispers it to make it truly known so she can appreciate it more.  Chopin makes sure that the theme of freedom runs throughout the whole story.  Through repetition of language, she makes it known to the reader what exactly Mrs. Mallard is experiencing and feeling. The use of strong vocabulary to express feeling brings out a better understanding within the reader/s mind thanks to Chopin. 

 After finally gaining all that sense of freedom and new life, Mrs. Mallard could not feel any happier.  Chapin uses words of pure excitement and power to describe Mrs. Mallard's persona after coming out of her room.  Chapin describes Mrs. Mallard's joy by stating, "She arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities.  There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory" (224).  Mrs. Mallard seems nothing like the one who was talked about in the beginning of the story before hearing the news of her husband's death.   At first, she was described as being powerless with a fair, calm face and white slender hands by Chopin.  She was portrayed as being weak and at the end of her road.  The Mrs. Mallard we see coming out of the room at the end seems 30 years younger by her actions and emotions.  The whole situation sounded and felt way too good to be true.   

All of her happiness is thrown out the window when her husband is found to not actually be dead when he walks through the front door.  Chopin's description of Mrs. Mallard's reaction relates perfectly to the nature of the situation.  She let out a "piercing cry" (224) at the sight of her husband which is very unlike the noise a woman would let out at the sight of her husband walking through the door in one piece after originally thought to be dead.  It's extremely bizarre just like the concept of seeing life come from death that Chopin portrays throughout her writing in "The Story of an Hour".  One simple cry takes away all the joy and freedom Mrs. Mallard was previously experiencing in her room by herself.  The pain in her heart, mentioned earlier in the story, comes back with vengeance as she dies of a heart disease.  Many people, including Chopin, may consider that disease her husband.  

Mrs. Mallard truly lived a life of affliction as a result of her husband.  Chopin expresses her grief by making the reader feel as if he or she is in the same situation as Mrs. Mallard.  Chopin paints a picture for the reader to truly comprehend and it is extremely helpful.  The relevant and captivating vocabulary of Chapin and the language she uses within the text makes the story go above and beyond regarding the reader's interest and being able to maintain it.  The constant theme of freedom also becomes engrained in the mind of the reader due to the repetition and importance of the word and subject.  Overall, Chopin does an incredible job of creating a visual experience for the reader from the words and sounds muttered by the characters to the unique emotions felt by each and acted upon by them as well.  

