Eternal Life Essays -- Essays Papers

Eternal Life1 Is there life sentence after(prenominal) death? In Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour, Mrs. mallard is drinking the elixir of life through her open window. It is possible that this very elixir fork overs Mrs. mallard with her granting immunity through eternal life. Through Chopins use of characterization, conflict, and symbols, the fountain reveals the theme that like Mrs. Mallard, some people can achieve freedom through eternal life. Does eternal life here mean life after death, or, as in Dr. Heideggers Experiment, life without death? The basic problem with this look for is that it overlooks the primary point of the story -- Louise glimpses freedom as a result of the death of her husband, and then loses that freedom with the realization that he is nevertheless alive. It is a story of an hour because Louise has only an hour of freedom. Although the writer of this essay makes a valiant attempt to support the thesis, there really is not enough religious (o r moral) symbolism, etc. to support it. 2 Chopins material and emotional characterization of Louise suggests the woman is experiencing a spiritual encounter that includes the orifice of eternal life. Early in the story, Chopin uses characterization to describe Mrs. Mallards physical condition, noting that she has heart trouble (12) this description foreshadows her death, i.e. not eternal life which provide take place later in the store story. Isnt it also emblematical? The causality illustrates that Mrs. Mallard is physically exhausted by writing that when she hears the newsworthiness of her husbands supposed death, she sinks into a comfortable, roomy armchair . . . quite inactive with her head thrown back (12). Chopin goes on to write that Louise pay backs physical debilitation that haunted her body and visitmed to reach into her a soul (12), which allows the reader to see that something is pickings place within her both physically and emotionally. This paragraph de mosntrates that something is taking place, but not that it relates to eternal life. 3 The author also describes Mrs. Mallard as feeling young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength (12)-- the strength of God. What suggests that it is the strength of God, and not just a personal strength of her own? From the statement now her bosom go up and fell tumultuously (12), the reader can sens... ...new freedom? Her moment of shine (the true light) signifies her soul is now saved. She even breathes a quick supplicant (13), which is symbolical of her quest for a divine intervention and repentance. (sShe is totally and alone engulfed with the presence of God). No, what was she praying for? A long (not eternal) life. One of Mrs. Mallards go bad actions is to rise (resurrection action) at length and open the door (the gateway to her salvation). In addition, the author provides the reader with the words joy that kills (13), the joy is symbol ic of her freedom and that kills is symbolic of her eternal life. CS -1 Why would that kills be symbolic of eternal life? These words provide the reader with an understanding that a human being must experience death to receive eternal life. Louise has found her freedom through eternal life. 9 Louises figurative elixir of life is the foreshadowing ? that Chopin uses in the story to express Louises freedom through eternal life. In regards to past readings, Nathaniel Hawthornes Dr. Heideggers Experiment, Title the elixir is both literally and symbolically a recipe for immortality or eternal life.