Realism

“She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.” These were words written by Kate Chopin to describe Louise Mallard’s thought and expression as she reflected upon the news of her husband’s death. It details her character vividly by telling the reader of how her face moved to express the emotions she felt. It describes her seeing through her eyes and what they saw through the window she was sitting next to. Her feelings were reflected by the weather and view she saw through the window.

I felt that the social injustice described in this story was the pre-unionized rail road industry and the hazards to safety it presented to its workers. “It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed." The entire backdrop for “The Story of an Hour” is based on this event. Richards a friend of the Mallard family was working at the news paper office when the news arrived and even verified his “death” by another telegram. The social I think and could be wrong that the social problem being addressed in this short issue of unsafe working standards in an earlier era can also be tied to the less stable level of mass communication that had developed by this time period. I feel that there was a lack of communication due to the end of the story when it is revealed that her Husband’s death was actually a misunderstanding.

“Mr. Covey seemed now to think he had me, and could do what he pleased; but at this moment- - from whence came the spirit I don't know- - I resolved to fight; and suiting my action to the resolution, I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as I did so, I rose.” I felt this was the strongest action of Fredrick Douglas’s in his narration detailing part of his slave “career.” In this brief moment he choose not to be whipped and in an unpremeditated way. He said his spirit to resist came from inside and at a time he had not seen it coming. I think that once he began to trust his instincts like in this situation his actions began to speak for what he truly felt inside his heart. If his instincts were a reaction to a social injustice is something only Fredrick Douglas can tell.

The social injustice in this story is much clearer than the previous story by Kate Chopin. Slavery was a large topic of controversy when realism began as a literature writing style. It was previous to the civil war that people began to interpret things are sharply as reality described them. People had taken more of an interest in human rights and in turn saw injustice in practices such as slavery or women not being given the right to vote. The aspect of slavery was by far the strongest social problem in this era of writing. I think most would agree since a war had been caused by it. Some would disagree that the American civil war was started over slavery but I am firmly convinced that it was the majority factor to the separation of the union and the cause of the war.

In modern days there are probably more social injustices that aren’t given much attention purposefully to make them seem like less of a problem. Many country’s citizens find their jobs disappearing for instance and the level of unemployment on the rise. In some countries workers have decided to take a stand against such action against their lively hood. In Argentina for example a large corporation that was partially funded by the government was closing plants that provided employment for many working people. Many workers in other parts of the world would have accepted non-employment and poverty. In the case of this Fjora auto plant in Buenos Aires the workers chose that their work place should not be closed and that instead they should re-open by the workers for the workers, even if they weren’t allowed to. They occupied the factory illegally and even fought of police with sling shots using marbles as ammo. It is obvious that the need for work is becoming a more drastic problem especially in countries were there is a larger level of poverty. This event was made into a documentary called “La Toma” or “The Taking.”