The Story
of an Hour
by Kate Chopin
Knowing that Mrs. Mallard
was afflicted with a heart
trouble, great care was
taken to break to her as
gently as possible the news
of her husband’s death.
It was her sister Josephine
who told her, in broken
sentences; veiled hints that
revealed in half concealing.
Her husband’s friend
Richards was there, too,
near her. It was he who had
been in the newspaper
office when intelligence of
the railroad disaster was
received, with Brently
Mallard’s name leading the
list of “killed.” He had only
taken the time to assure
himself of its truth by a
second telegram and had
Use the text of “The
Story of an Hour” to
answer the question.
How does the story’s
end contribute to the
overall structure of the
story?
a. Mrs. Mallard’s
surprising death
at the end of the
story brings the
two-part
structure to a
tragic close.
b. The story’s
surprising
ending gives the
story a three�part structure
that explores
the distinction
between Mrs.
Mallard’s public
persona and
private
emotions.