Paradoxes used in « The Story of an Hour » to showcase the contradictory 
emotions of Louise. Mrs Mallard, « wept at once, with sudden, 
wild abandonment » as she was informed of the death of her 
husband. The term wild stands for strength and power, while 
abandonment refers to surrender. This literary device implies that 
Louise was torn between two strong emotions : one the result of 
the accumulated preconceieved standards of how she should act, 
and the other is the outcome of the sense of freedom she felt at 
that moment. In the beginning of the story, Louise was 
represented as Mrs Mallard, by the family name of her husband, 
as if she belonged to him and as a sickly passive stereotypical wife. 
Yet, Louise shows strength as an unconventional woman who 
refuses to give up and follow the mass. Besides, paradox is again 
used to describe the « monstous joy » Louis feels. She realizes 
something woderful and terrible at the same time, her husband is 
dead but she is finally free. She is no longer the weak wife but 
rather the woman who knows how to plan for a new bright life. 
These passages hints that marriage is more of a cage that holds Buck women from being their true selves and live according to their owna plans