The Story of an Hour Analysis

Hastily he rushes to Mallard's home to pass the news and upon arrival, together with Josephine, a sister to Mrs. Mallard, they inform Mrs. Mallard the tragic story. Openly and in sorrow, Mrs. Mallard weeps before leaving to her room where she sits alone. Surprisingly, Brently Mallard shows up at the front door. He has been nowhere near the tragic railroad accident. Mrs. Mallard cries out loudly, and upon the doctor's arrival, she is pronounced dead from heart disease. The story can be viewed through the psychological lens of grief. Mrs. Mallard undergoes through avoidance which is the first phase of the process of grief. When the survivors receive the news of the death of a loved one, their first reaction is usually shocking which is leads to disbelief. Disbelief is a feeling of numbness that acts as anesthesia to one's emotions as the individual begins the grieving, which is, getting awareness of their situation as well as confronting it (Watts, Jacqueline H, 665).

This first phase lasts for a concise time varying from hours to weeks depending on the individual. Confrontation is the second phase of the process of grief. The mixed emotions occurring during this phase include; anxiety, protest, sadness, abandonment, frustration, helplessness and a yearning for the lost loved one (Watts, Jacqueline H, 665). While in her room, Louise Mallard sits in an armchair that is facing the open window. She is undergoing a variety of emotions as she sinks into the chair feeling physically exhausted (Chopin, Kate). Mrs. Even though this second phase of confrontation is quite difficult for the survivor's, it helps them as they attempt to work through the grief. The strong feeling of anguish inside them as a result of not acquiring their long desire to meet their love done brings the individual closer to acceptance of the reality that they have lost a loved one.

It is at this stage that they get the understanding that a transformation must occur whereby the physical presence relationship moves into just a representation of the inner self. As Mrs. Mallard stares into the blue sky, she is not only taking a glance to reflect, but also it acts as an indicator of some suspicions of intelligent thoughts coming her way. Her status has to be changed from Mrs. Mallard to a widow. As she is sitting in her armchair, she can feel something approaching her. She is aware that the feeling of loneliness will engulf her as seen in her words that "she knows that she will weep again upon seeing the kind and tender hands of her husband folded in death. According to the dual-process model that people use to deal and cope up with the loss, the individual ought to work between having to deal with the consequences occurring to their emotions as well as attending to the changes that tend to take place in the life of the bereaved (Watts, Jacqueline H, 665).

During the entire period, Josephine has been kneeling in front of the closed door leading to Mrs. Mallard's room (Chopin, Kate). She begs Mrs. Mallard to open the door fearing that the prolonged grief will make her fall sick. Josephine feels sympathetic to what has occurred to her sister. Mrs. Mallard suffers the loss of a loved one, who is his husband, Brently Mallard. This affliction makes her undergo the three phases of the grief process, avoidance, confrontation, and restoration. The three stages enable her to deal with situation thus accepting the reality of death as it is. Josephine, Mrs.