Question

Label the responses that Mrs. Mallard had to the news of her husband's death in the order that they occurred. The first response will be labeled 1, and the last will be labeled 5.

4— Sudden and complete joyfulness
1— Weeping with wild abandon
2— Numbness and vacancy
3— Fearfulness for what is to come
4— Sudden and complete joyfulness
5— Shock leading to a physical reaction

Answer 1

Mrs. Mallard's progression of emotional response to her husband's death in 'The Story of an Hour' is from weeping, numbness, fear, to sudden joy, and finally, shock leading to a fatal physical reaction. The correct answers are all of the above.

Step-by-step explanation:

The emotional journey of Mrs. Mallard in Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour is complex, moving through multiple stages as she reacts to the news of her husband's death. According to the sequence provided, the responses Mrs. Mallard had to her husband's death should be labeled in the following order:

1. Weeping with wild abandon
2. Numbness and vacancy
3. Fearfulness for what is to come
4. Sudden and complete joyfulness
5. Shock leading to a physical reaction

This progression shows Mrs. Mallard's initial shock and grief, moving through a numb disbelief, and eventually leading to an unexpected sense of elation and freedom at the thought of her independence. However, it ultimately results in her untimely demise, as the joy that she experiences is so extreme that it leads to a fatal heart attack.

The story deeply explores the themes of freedom and the individual's relationship with grief. Through Mrs. Mallard's reaction, Kate Chopin provides a critique of the institution of marriage and the constraints it imposed upon women during the time period. The subject of heart trouble, which serves both as a literal ailment and a metaphor for Mrs. Mallard's emotional confinement, underscores the complexity of marriage and personal autonomy.