“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin may be a short story, but it is by no means a story that will end shortly after you read it. Chopin's use of vivid imagery and subtle irony will captivate the reader and leave the mind reeling long after the last sentence. When reading "The Story of an Hour" a lot of controversy arises as to why the woman dies having her thoughts of being her dead husband return. Using textual evidence one can conclude that he dies of shock and disappointment once he realizes that his newfound freedom has come to a screeching halt after seeing the all-too-familiar face come back through the front door. While it is a powerful story, the setting only takes place in her bedroom, the stairwell, and by the window. This could symbolize how limited Louise is and how controlled she is in her own life. She is trapped in her own house and in her own mind because she can't talk to anyone about how she feels. She's stuck in a marriage with someone she doesn't want to get married to. As a result, she feels trapped in her house and her only way of seeing the outside world is through the window. When Louise looks through the window the reader can begin to feel the desire for freedom that resonates with her. From the story the reader can begin to feel a sense of claustrophobia forming. Who would want to be trapped in his situation? The limited freedom she has is still limited because she is not herself in this marriage. One's bedroom is normally considered a safe haven against a cruel world where they can be themselves without anyone throwing stones. But what if the person who represents the storm in life lives in the same house? How can this be addressed? When reading “The Story of an Hour” the reader… in the center of the paper… is chirping in the gutter. “This is not a representation of the world around someone who is grieving. The way Chopin describes the “new spring life” is as if Louise has been given a new beginning. The way the world looked for her before was bleach and dull. Now it's vibrant and full of rich colors he never knew existed. The weight of the world she was trapped in was lifted from her fragile shoulders. Although she is very optimistic about the new life she has received, she still mourns the death of her husband. Even if it wasn't the life she wanted, she still cared about him. His love simply wasn't enough. Their marriage was too restrictive and heavy for her heart. She couldn't make herself love him, even though she did in a few moments. The overwhelming feeling of freedom enveloped her. She was so elated that she wasn't entirely sure what had happened to her.