Compare and Contrast of Short Stories
Kathleen Smith
English 112
Beckmann
Paper 3 rough draft
July 16, 2010
Compare and Contrast Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” to Robinson, “Richard Cory” In today’s society, criminals are tried in a court system, with a jury of their peers, for crimes they are accused of committing. In some court cases, witnesses are called to give their testimony to as what they have seen occurred in a particular incident, after which the jury of twelve members recommends a ruling on the case. The jury does not listen to just one witness’s story; they take in many different stories, all that probably have different accusations. This helps the jury decipher the truth among the witnesses. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” and Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory”, both of these short stories show that one cannot fully rely on what other people say in specific situations. In Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour”, she talks about an hour in the life of the main character, Mrs. Millard. She is afflicted with a heart problem and received some terrible news; her husband has passed away due to a train accident. Mrs. Millard’s sister, Josephine, and Richard, her husband’s friend, are there to break the horrifying news to her as gently as possible. They are both concerned that the new might put her health in a great deal of danger. Ironically, Mrs. Millard reacts to the news with excitement. Even though the event is heartbreaking, Mrs. Millard feels an overwhelming sense of freedom from the depressing life she was living. She keeps whispering, “Free! Body and soul free!”. She is happy because she does not have to live for anyone but for herself now. At the end of the story, Mr. Millard opens the door and is surprised by his sister in law, Josephine, gasp. Mr. Millard did not have the slightest idea about the accident that he was supposedly in. With a quick motion, Richard tried to block Mr. Millard’s view of his wife, but it was too late. The doctors said she died of a heart
English 112
Beckmann
Paper 3 rough draft
July 16, 2010
Compare and Contrast Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” to Robinson, “Richard Cory” In today’s society, criminals are tried in a court system, with a jury of their peers, for crimes they are accused of committing. In some court cases, witnesses are called to give their testimony to as what they have seen occurred in a particular incident, after which the jury of twelve members recommends a ruling on the case. The jury does not listen to just one witness’s story; they take in many different stories, all that probably have different accusations. This helps the jury decipher the truth among the witnesses. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” and Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory”, both of these short stories show that one cannot fully rely on what other people say in specific situations. In Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour”, she talks about an hour in the life of the main character, Mrs. Millard. She is afflicted with a heart problem and received some terrible news; her husband has passed away due to a train accident. Mrs. Millard’s sister, Josephine, and Richard, her husband’s friend, are there to break the horrifying news to her as gently as possible. They are both concerned that the new might put her health in a great deal of danger. Ironically, Mrs. Millard reacts to the news with excitement. Even though the event is heartbreaking, Mrs. Millard feels an overwhelming sense of freedom from the depressing life she was living. She keeps whispering, “Free! Body and soul free!”. She is happy because she does not have to live for anyone but for herself now. At the end of the story, Mr. Millard opens the door and is surprised by his sister in law, Josephine, gasp. Mr. Millard did not have the slightest idea about the accident that he was supposedly in. With a quick motion, Richard tried to block Mr. Millard’s view of his wife, but it was too late. The doctors said she died of a heart