Alyssa Wallingford

December 2, 2022

English 206

When discussing stories or any form of media that we consume today, these literary theories can always be applied, and are even in many cases necessary when discussing that piece of work. But regardless of the theory, there is always theory in the media, whether we like to admit it or not. This is in part due to the fact that the person writing these works had preconceived biases, ideas, and intentions while even forming the idea for the story in their heads, and their ideas were informed by the experiences that they have had in their lives. 

In engaging with this claim, I have chosen to draw from Story of an Hour and The Awakening with focuses on theories of feminism and psychoanalysis to draw connections to theory and its importance.

The first theory that will be focused on is psychoanalysis in both previously mentioned texts. There are a few major points that are important to psychoanalysis, which include the unconscious, repressions, drives, and defenses, and the clinical method. However, for the sake of specificity, this paper will be mainly discussing the focuses of the unconscious and repression as the aspects of psychoanalysis. The theory of psychoanalysis posits that there will always be some sort of transference or unconscious ideas and thought present in a text, whether that was put there by the author or by the consumers of those texts (Parker ___). Of course there is always the author’s intentions, which as stated by the author in many cases as the purpose or intention behind the writing; however there are also assumptions, motivations, and even biases pushed onto the text by the author whether they realize it or not. And this unconsciousness doesn’t only apply to the author, because as the consumer of those texts, you also have ideas which you carry to the text, and often apply to the characters and plot without realizing, ultimately coloring the way you read the text in a way that is unique to you (Parker ___).

In the application of this theory, I would first like to bring attention to the text Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin. Throughout this short story, there are many assumptions placed on the main character by other characters, which was the work of the author. Once ____ dies at the end of the story, the people around her assume that she died of heart failure over the joy of her husband actually being alive and returning home, after she had been told earlier that he had passed away. [insert quote]. But from the perspective of the main character herself, as the reader, we have just witnessed her becoming overly excited and joyous at the prospects of what she could do with her life now that her husband is gone. The others are assuming that in her marriage, she was incredibly happy in her marriage, content with her current situation [mention this later in feminism section]. Assumptions also include these ideas of unconscious things, that we don’t even recognize as something that has been assumed. An example of this is the roles of the characters themselves. When breaking the news to her about her husband’s death, the characters decide to let her know the news with one of her “more gentle” friends, someone who can inform her of the news in a caring way. That friend is a woman, filling in the stereotypical traits of women being more caring or empathetic, which is further instilled because of the fact that the man that is currently there is wary of telling her the news, and opts instead for the “more caring” friend. This also places the assumption that men are less empathetic, and are meant to be stoic as something that is assumed.

This deeply connects to feminism because there are so many dynamics that work out in the story in part because of the typical gender roles these characters are supposed to be playing in this story. Even when she is crying, instead of describing them as sobs of despair or wailing, she is compared to the crying of a child “as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams”(Chopin ???? no pages). 

Regardless of the acknowledgement on the part of the author, characters, or readers, there exists some unspoken rules and assumptions that go along with the story’s development. In our first story, 

For example, in reading the awakening, even in the first chapter, the interactions between _her__ and her husband are brief, but incredibly informing of their relationship, becoming what we assume to be the “traditional” marriage arrangement at the time.

“”(Chopin 36)

The second theory that I would like to draw focus to is feminism. Specifically, I would like to focus on the application of feminism on modern texts. Feminism critiques are the ideas that much of if not all of media today is made for “the male gaze”, an idea put forth by ____. In analyzing texts and other media in this light, you can truly recognize just how male oriented the modern idea of media is. A great example in Story of an Hour is the words that the author uses to describe the feeling of joy that is creeping up on ___ after she starts thinking about how she could start to live for herself, and all the things she could do with her new life. 

Both of these theories connect back to the larger ideas of the importance of any and all critical theories in literature. In using both of these theories on the same texts, their usefulness and versatility can be showcased, helping to highlight their importance. In being aware of these ideas, we can now willingly question what it is we know and what we think we know, and ultimately become more aware of the ideas swirling sound us at all times. But it was these two theories in particular that intrigued me the most in part because 

In terms of expansion into the outside world, I think that the two theories that I chose are the most applicable to where I am currently and how I plan on going forward in my life in terms of media consumption. As a female in the modern world, I have for at least a few years been viewing ideas that I have been taught and the media that I consume to be created with mostly if not all male viewers in mind. Although this is changing somewhat as recognition becomes more and more prominent, everything from how characters act to how they are even framed in the shots by the camera can be viewed in this feminist light.

In conclusion, not only are theories important in literature and media, it is inescapable. But just because it is inescapable does not mean that it is a hindrance, on the contrary, theory enhances our understanding of these works, and may even change the way that we read them depending on the theory that we use.

Mode: Essay

Quotes to Use:

~The Awakening~

“ (Chopin 4)

~Story of an Hour~

(Parker 128)