1. Regionalism and Women’s Writing
Kate Chopin and The Story of an Hour

2. To Start
Recall and Assess and Apply: How would the presentation of women’s lives in the late nineteenth century lead to criticism of American society?
What do you recall about irony? What are the three types of irony?

3. Irony – The Three Types
Dramatic – audience/reader knows more than a character in the work
Situational – difference between what is expected or should happen and what really does happen
Verbal – difference between the literal meaning of words and what is really meant

4. Objective
Students will read Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour and analyze Chopin’s use of irony as a vehicle for social criticism.

5. The Story of an Hour
The Story of an Hour is to be found on page 548 of the anthologies.
As you read, note the changing emotions of Mrs. Mallard and the reasons for the change.

6. The Story of an Hour -- Analysis
What type or types of irony can be found in the story?
How does Chopin use irony to communicate her message about the lives of women in her society?

7. Wrap Up
Consider the ways Chopin used irony to tell her story and communicate her message. Would the story have been the same (more or less effective) if Chopin had told the story differently, without the use of irony? Why?