Question

What was the result of Josephine’s importunities outside her sister’s door?

a. They gave support to Mrs. Mallard’s feelings of self-assertion.
b. They made Mrs. Mallard impatient and annoyed with her.
c. They persuaded Mrs. Mallard to leave her room.
d. They led her to overhear Mrs. Mallard weeping.

Answer 1

Josephine's persistent pleading outside her sister’s door led to Mrs. Mallard opening the door, persuaded by her sister's concern. Mrs. Mallard had been experiencing a sense of liberation after hearing of her husband's death, which was fiercely interrupted by his sudden return.

Step-by-step explanation:

The result of Josephine’s importunities outside her sister’s door was to persuade Mrs. Mallard to leave her room. Mrs. Mallard, initially resistant and absorbed in her own realizations of newfound freedom after receiving the news of her husband's death, is repeatedly implored by Josephine to open the door. Eventually, she does open the door, with a feverish triumph in her eyes, symbolizing her acceptance of the future that lays ahead of her, which she believes will now belong to her completely.

The keyword ‘importunities’ indicates Josephine's persistent pleading, which underscores the eventual capitulation of Mrs. Mallard to her sister's concerns. The narrative describes how Mrs. Mallard, also known as Louise, embraces her future with zeal, a state that is abruptly changed upon the unexpected return of her supposedly deceased husband, leading to her fatal shock.

Answer 2

"The Story of an Hour," is a short story written by Kate Chopin on April 19, 1894. It was originally published in Vogue on December 6, 1894, as "The Dream of an Hour"