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Choose one of the stories to apply feminist criticism to the reading. Identify the protagonist and antagonist and describe their relationship as it relates to the theme. How does the relationship to the foil, if there is one, reflect the theme? Identify whether the protagonist is round or flat, dynamic or static. Support your response with examples from the text.
 * Chopin’s “Story of and Hour” and Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”**

I believe feminist criticism applies to The Yellow Wallpaper in a major way. At the beggining of the story the main character, Jane states that both her husband and brother were doctors. During this time period a woman doctor would not be allowed and strongly criticized. Jane's husband tells her that her sickness is nothing but a figment of her own imagination. Being that this is a time of patriarchy she takes her husbands word and does as he says.

Jane is very much a round character as we saw her depressed, mad, sad, happy, and reflective. Jane is also dynamic because her character changed throughout the story. At the very beggining Jane kept her thoughts from her husband for fear of what he might think or say. As the story progresses the yellow wallpaper starts to get to her head. Jane gradually starts having her own thoughts. Although it takes her to go completely insane Jane finally breaks away from her husband's controlling ways.

I would say the theme of this story is to always be yourself, you are the only one in control of yourself. The Yellow Wallpaper definately shows the effects of how letting somebody else run your life can effect you. Jane's husband's controlling ways changed Jane's outlook on life and her overall mental health.

In Stephen Crane’s “Mystery of Heroism”, a foot soldier had to decide between life or water. “Mystery of Heroism” shows the soldiers wants, needs, and struggles. This story is written in such a way that it could almost make you feel the fear, pain, and struggle of the Civil War.
 * Crane’s “Mystery of Heroism”**

“Mystery of Heroism” shows the everyday struggle a soldier went through during the Civil War. Have you ever been dehydrated? Your body has its way of signaling to you when you need water or food or sleep, all three of which soldiers were deprived of. “I wisht I had a drink, I bet there’s water in that there ol’ well yonder!” Nowadays water is very accessable, a very different story during the Civil War. See, a drink of water for the soldier could mean death. Step in the wrong place at the wrong time and you could be done for. Both water and food were an everyday struggle for soldiers whereas its expected with little consequences today.

Unconsiously

Select an example of imagery that creates the mood of the story? How does the mood of the setting reflect the character’s motivations driven by their id, ego, and superego?

“I seem sixty and married, but these effects are due to my condition and sufferings.” As quoted in Mark Twain’s “The Invalid’s Story.” Somehow the character in “April Showers” relates to the character in “The Invalid’s Story,” I’ll show you how. “The Invalid’s Story” had kind of a sick twist to it. Although in the beginning it seemed to be your ordinary story it had a very different story to tell. “The Invalid’s Story” was of a man who received a coffin-box in the mail. At first Thompson, the main character, explains this as a “prodigious mistake,” he was a deeply saddened because he knew this day was coming. His friend had died and he was sure this was his corpse. He was a condutor so transportation was no problem. Thompson knew what he had to do, he had to get rid of the body. It smelled so bad he was physically sick. How will he do it? He had to insinerate it, he originally planned to burn it. The smell was so horrible it sped up the proc ess.
 * Wharton’s “April Showers” and Twain’s “The Invalid’s Story”**