"The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin

        "The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin highlights essential aspects of marriage that typically were hidden in the 1800s. Women during this time were expected to be devoted entirely to their husbands and their families, they were allowed lives outside of their homes, but it was constrained. Their entire purpose in life was to keep their homes running smoothly even if it meant giving up parts of themselves to do so. Their identity was that of their families, not of their own. Naturally, women were frustrated by this, and were frequently unhappy but couldn't do much about it because of the societal normalities forced upon them. Divorce was frowned upon, being single was frowned upon, it was a lose-lose situation no matter what. In this short story, we see this firsthand with Louise Mallard, a woman who was content in her marriage because she saw no other option but to settle. When news of her husband's demise was delivered, she had a moment of clarity and realized she wasn't okay with just being content. She yearned for a fuller and more satisfying life, not because her marriage was terrible, but because she lost her identity somewhere along the way.

This still happens today but not as severe as it did in the 1800s. In today's society, men and women sometimes share the burden of keeping their homes stable. Men watch their children while their wives work, men cook and clean, household tasks aren't entirely on the wives shoulders. Their roles in society are not as tightly bound as they once were. It's acceptable for women to not want kids or husbands, at least with my generation and the generation before mine. My mother, for example, is a single mother with three children. She works a full-time job and takes care of us all by herself. Sometimes it gets tough, but it's never unmanageable. If we were in the 1800s or even in the 1940s, my mother would be frowned upon. She would be seen as less than everyone else even though she works her hardest and does a great job. Thankfully now there isn't as big of a stigma around unmarried women especially those with children.  I can't imagine how women felt in Kate Choplin's generation, being as confined as they were.  I'm thankful we, as a society, have made progress; however, we still have a long way to go.