Short stories in the classroom: Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour

Abstract

The following workshop offers both a theoretical (Part One) and didactic (Part Two) approach to Kate Chopin’s much-revered and anthologized The Story of an Hour in the ESL classroom. Introducing university students in advanced-level courses to short stories has numerous benefits, particularly when coupled with discussion around important themes such as gender equality, stereotyping, marriage, and women’s emancipation. Moreover, students will appreciate exposure to an authentic text replete with various literary devices.