Thomas Cook PESTEL Analysis

Thomas Cook PESTEL Analysis This report is going to analyse and evaluate the strategic fit of Thomas Cook plc and its critical success factors using analytical tools. The PESTEL Analysis is used to evaluate conditions in the Travel and Tourism market environment and how these conditions affect Thomas Cook plc and its competitors now and in the future. A porters five forces analysis will also be used to determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of the travel and tourism industry. Introduction Thomas Cook Travel Company was first started by its namesake in June of 1841 and has since become the worlds most recognisable name in the travel industry. The merger of Thomas Cook AG and My Travel Group plc on June 19th of 2007 produced Thomas Cook plc, making Thomas Cook the second largest leisure travel group in the UK behind TUI Travel plc its major competitor. Thomas Cook specialises in providing a wide range of package holidays to destinations. (Thomascook.com) INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS (Task A) PESTEL ANALYSIS The PESTEL frame work categorises environmental influences into six main types which are political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal (see appendix A). The PESTEL framework helps managers understand the key drivers of change and also the differential impact of these external influences and drivers on the industry, markets and individual organisations. (Johnson, Gerry, 2005). Political factors According to CIPD, coalition governments spending cuts are going to result in 0.7million job losses in the public sector. The travel and tourism industry is in the public sector; therefore their employees are faced with fears of redundancy. Announcement of redundancies will invariably have an adverse impact on morale, motivation and productivity of remaining employees. The negative effects can be reduced by sensitive handling of redundant employees and those remaining and to be as honest as possible with the remaining staff to gain back their trust and confidence. (cipd.co.uk) Economic factors are of concern to travel and tourism, because they may influence demand, costs, prices and profits. Package holidays are an income elastic business, as income decreases or rises; it can have a significant effect on the demand. Therefore looking ahead, public sector cuts are likely to have a major consequence on the travel and tourism industry. Social Factors Redundancies and other government cuts will potentially result in limited disposable income for consumers. According to Mintel, some 12% of consumers are spending nothing on non-essentials, with 35% describing themselves as very cautious, 30% as quite cautious, and only 5% as not at all cautious. This is because of the decrease in disposable income. If income decreases, then spending will become more cautious, especially on income elastic items such as package holidays, therefore reducing profit  margins for the travel industry. With all the package holidays in the UK, supply will remain very high as demand decreases forcing companies to reduce their prices. The spending cuts will mean that business executives will have to cut their budgets and most likely use low-cost travel planes such as Easy Jet and Rynair. Video conferencing is improving all the time, and the price has fallen to zero using online systems such as yahoo messenger, business may be forced to use this method to communicate to reduce their costs. This going to affect the travel industry a lot, executives provide business anytime of the year whilst holidays are seasonal. This will reduce customers. If classy seats are either vacant or earning less revenue, this means less departures or soaring economy class fares. Companies will also be forced to provide bargains for leisure travelers willing to upgrade to business class. Technological Factors The most powerful example technology is the emergence and improvement of the internet, which led to reduced costs and increased operational efficiency within the tourism agencies and airports. Because the internet is becoming better every day, its causing intimacy between tour operators and clients and improving contentment for both parties. Aside the internet, other major technologies that support the continuous growth of the tourism industry are those implemented by transportation, which is becoming safer, quicker and more pleasing. The technological implementations within tourism operations have led to changes in working behaviour and will also result an increase of demand for labour force, implying as such that educational institutions place more emphasis on teaching tourism. Environmental Factors Protecting the environment is one of the most talked about and sensitive matters today, making environmental responsibility part of the factors that determine a tour operators success. According to global warming 2020, aviation which ferries hundreds of thousands of tourists across the globe is of great concern to those seeking to protect the environment. A major concern for the industry is  greenhouse  gas  emissions and their implication for climate change. Aviation produces at least two percent of emissions. One way the aviation industry is working on this problem is by rolling out newer planes that have fuel efficient engines which means less carbon emissions. However not all airlines especially in the poorer countries can afford buying new aircraft. PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Porters five forces analysis (see appendix B) was developed to as a way of assessing the attractiveness of different industries. The five forces constitute an industrys structure. (Johnson, Gerry, 2008) Threats of substitutes The lack of disposable income and the effect of coalition government spending cuts are likely to change consumer spending habits, as a result with a significant shift in demand from luxury goods to inferior goods which are much more affordable, consumers are likely to shift to local and cheaper holidays and may choose to use trains (eurostar) or their cars to local holidays. Terrorism has affected the mentality of travellers and has made travelling more difficult and uncomfortable. People have to think about security issues from when they start packing to when they reach their destination, this will convince more travellers to use trains or holiday locally. This is however a moderate threat because customers usually prefer airlines because they are much quicker. Competitive Rivalry The Travel and tourism industry occupies a big segment of the business market and therefore provides many opportunities for tour operators; however its a very competitive industry. To be successful a package holiday company needs to discover the best fit between their individual skills, competencies and resources and external market characteristics to make sure that they stay on top of their game. Brand recognition and strength also determine the success of a company against its competitors, especially if times are tough in the economy. Negotiating powers of buyers Demand in package holiday industry is extremely elastic; this means that buyers will not just accept a given price by a package holiday company. Customers will use any information sources available to them such as the internet to look for better and exclusive deals available around, and with so many package holidays available in the UK, they are likely to find one and use a different company. As discussed above about the effect of economy on the travel industry, the powers of buyers are that they have a huge influence on the setting of prices in accordance with the prices which are around in the market. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Critical success factors are used to identify key factors that a business needs to focus on to ensure that their business is successful. To survive and prosper, all industry participants must use an emergent strategy. Emergent strategy is a way of action that develops over time in an industry without a specific mission, goals or long-term plans. Emergent approaches should be thoroughly analysed in the context of an increasingly active, highly competitive and global business market. Influential external forces mentioned in the PESTEL analysis are pushing companies to reduce costs, improve processes and identify new opportunities for growth and an emergent strategy will help companies cope with these factors. An emergent approach leads to more creative and responsive strategy making which is well suited to the hyper-competitive and unpredictable environments such as the package holiday industry. It is more suited to instigating positive, transformational organisational change such as diversification or restructuring. It also has the added benefit of helping to reduce resistance to change as it allows time to build employee support while the strategy is taking shape. (powerfulwords.co.uk)

Film Analysis of King Kong Produced by Merian C. Cooper Essay examples

Film Analysis of King Kong Produced by Merian C. Cooper A classic adventure-fantasy film in the earlier talking films is King Kong (1933). King Kong was conceived by director/producer Merian C. Cooper. Cooper tells the story of an attractive blonde woman and a frightening gigantic ape-monster who are immersed in a Beauty and the Beast type tale. A major section of the film is the struggle on Skull Island between the filmmakers, the islanders, and the other resident of the island. The other resident being a mutant creature who must also fight civilization when it is brought to New York City for display. From the beginning of the movie, its screenplay by James Creelman and Ruth Rose foretells the coming terror. The film included many revolutionary technical innovations for its time, and some of the best stop-action animation ever sequences and special effects (by Willis O'Brien) ever captured. King Kong was a film with many wonderful sound and cinematic techniques. The filmed contained a dramatic musical score, which helped set the mood of the film. The sound effects were also unusual for films of its time. The director used different animal’s sounds to create Kong’s voice. The narrative of the story was one that was of interest of movie goes. In King Kong the story unfolds pretty directly in front of you so there is not a lot of confusion. To me the film is a montage not mise-en-scene. The story is told in a straightforward manner that doesn’t s...

Mgt Module 5

Module 5 – Individual level: motivation concepts and applications 1 Module 5 – Individual level: motivation concepts and applications Learning objectives On successful completion of this module, you should be able to: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Define motivation and identify three key elements of motivations Identify early theories of motivation and evaluate their current use value Apply the predictions of self-determination theory to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards Compare and contrast goal-setting theory and management by objectives Contrast reinforcement theory and goal-setting theory Demonstrate how organisational justice is a refinement of equity theory Apply the key tenets of expectancy theory to motivating employees Compare contemporary theories of motivations Show how motivation theories are culture bound Learning resourcesText Robbins, SP, Judge, T, Millett, B & Boyle, M 2011, Organisational behaviour, Chapter 7. Introduction to Module 5 Welcome to Module 5 of MGT1000. I give this module about a 4. 5 rating – the theory is heavier going. There are about 22 pages from the text. Also this module is about 7 pages long. There are no must do tasks but there is still an application exercise that can take up as much time as you want to invest in it. The application is a mini essay writing exercise. The mind map that follows illustrates where we are up to in the individual level of the course so far.In this module we will be discussing theories of motivation and their workplace applications. Motivation is a critical issue within workplaces today. It is not sufficient that employees simply turn up at work. Employers want highly productive and motivated employees. You already know that workplace productivity can be enhanced by ensuring a sound fit between employee personality and job requirements, between employer and employee values and  © University of Southern Queensland 2 MGT1000 – Organisational behaviour between employee preferences and the culture and structure of the organisation.You will also realise from previous modules that in creating a motivating workplace it is employee perception of the workplace, rather than the reality of the workplace, that will influence employee performance. In this module you will learn ways that managers can make the workplace more motivating for employees. The most basic premise of this module is that motivation is not a trait like personality, but rather something that managers can encourage or discourage. Module 3 Attitudes and job satisfaction Module 4 Personality and values Module 5 Motivation Absenteeism †¢Job satisfaction †¢Turnover †¢Productivity †¢Organisational citizenship †¢Deviant workplace behaviour This first exercise will give you a chance to clarify your own (everyday) everyday experience of motivation. Learning activity 5. 1 Think of one thing you have been putting off doing. Perhaps you have a friend you have been meaning to contact; perh aps you have some task around the house you have not completed yet. Perhaps you have not been able to maintain your exercise program. Or perhaps you have had difficulty getting all your study completed.Think about these 2 questions 1. Why are you putting yourself under pressure to do this thing? 2. Why haven’t you done this thing yet?  © University of Southern Queensland Module 5 – Individual level: motivation concepts and applications 3 Learning activity 6. 1 de-brief I expect we all have things we have not done that we feel we should have done. So I assume no one had difficulty thinking of something they had put off. The following two definitions of motivation show considerable consistency and can be helpful in understanding your inability to do the task you nominated. We define motivation as the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of effort towards attaining a goal’ (Robbins, Judge, Millett, & Boyle 2011, p . 176) ‘Motivation refers to the forces either within or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action. ’(Gordon, 1999 p. 534) Both definitions seem to regard persistence as essential to motivation. Perhaps you may have lacked the persistence or continuing effort required to complete the task?In addition the definitions refer to enthusiasm or intensity – both of which can be regarded as a measure of ‘how hard’ you were prepared to work (Robbins et al. 2011 p. 176). Perhaps this is where you had your difficulty? Finally, both definitions state there needs to be some kind of purpose – variously described as direction, a goal or a course of action – that is essential to motivation. It would appear because you could articulate what you were supposed to do then at least you did have a goal, even if it is yet to be achieved. The question remains ‘Why haven’t we done this thing if we still feel we need to do it? Perhaps one of the reasons you gave for not completing this task was that it simply was too hard. Indeed the text says no matter how motivated someone is, if they truly lack the ability to do a task then it is impossible for them to do it. So if you truly lack the ability required to do the task then perhaps you should stop trying to do this task. Similarly if one of the reasons you gave for not doing this task was a lack of time, again this may be a legitimate reason for not doing the task. Robbins et al. (2011, p. 176) view motivation as a series of processes.That is, if a person lacks opportunity (for example the required time to complete a task), it does not matter how motivated or how gifted they are they simply will not be able to do the task. But perhaps your task was within your ability arrange and you had the opportunity to do it. The question remains, ‘Why didn’t you do it? ’ The definitions listed above may provide some answers. While Robbins et al. (2011) make no comment on the origins of motivation, Gordon (1999 p. 534) however, refers to motivation as ‘forces either within or external to a person’.These internal and external forces are very important in understanding Herzberg’s theory and its later developments. These two factors (internal and external factors) are the two factors that give Herzberg’s two factor theory its name. Herzberg refers to these 1) external and 2) internal factors as 1) extrinsic or hygiene factors and 2) intrinsic factors or motivators respectively. These two factors are like the oil and petrol in your car. They are quite separate, but you need both to be at the right level for the car to work well.In a car you have a petrol gauge that indicates if your tank is full or empty. It indicates if you have petrol or no petrol. So Herzberg refers to his 2 factors in the same terms. For example if you have no motivators (like no petrol) this is refer red to as a state of ‘no satisfaction’. If you have motivators (like a full tank of petrol) you have ‘satisfaction’. Interestingly, Herzberg does not regard satisfaction as the opposite of dissatisfaction. So let  © University of Southern Queensland 4 MGT1000 – Organisational behaviour e confirm, a lack of satisfaction is referred to by Herzberg as being a state of ‘no satisfaction’ not a state of dissatisfaction. The jargon in this theory is a little confusing at first, but Herzberg is making an important point. When you understand that point the jargon is easy to understand. Again consider the reasons you gave for not acting and the reasons you gave for continuing to put pressure on yourself. According to Herzberg’s two factor theory (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 178–80) only intrinsic factors are truly motivating. Intrinsic factors amount to way the task makes you feel.For example, if you stated the job is too boring or not very enjoyable that is an example of a task that is simply not motivating. That is why you lacked motivation and ultimately did not complete the task – it was simply not an intrinsically rewarding task. According to Herzberg extrinsic or hygiene factors will never truly motivate you to complete a task (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 178–80). So even if for example, one of the reasons you gave to complete the task was that you would be paid to complete it, then although you may have found the payment acceptable, it could not actually motivate you to do the task.The pay could only ever be experienced by you as good pay or bad pay for the job involved. In either event the pay itself would not motivate you to do the job – only the job’s intrinsic qualities and opportunities can truly motivate. There are many critics of Herzberg’s theory and his original research methods (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 178)and also the other earlier theories of motivation. For examp le refer to Robbins et al. (2011, p. 177) for a critique of Maslow’s theory.The text provides an overview of contemporary theories of motivation that have a reasonable degree of research validity. These theories address employee motivation and include the Self-determination theory, Goal-setting theory, Self-efficacy theory, Reinforcement theory, Equity theory and Expectancy theory. These theories provide guidelines for managers about how to enhance workplace motivation in their employees. Self-efficacy theory, for instance, argues that ‘an individual’s belief that he or she is capable of performing a task’ (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 186) influences their performance.According to this theory, employees with low selfefficacy (self belief) will exert less effort when they receive negative feedback whereas employees with high self-efficacy will increase their effort (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 187-80). Managers who focus on increasing self-efficacy in employees by setting difficult goals for them and encouraging them to perform better, can expect increased employee performance. You can see that the goal-setting theory is also applicable here – setting specific and difficult goals and providing feedback can lead to higher performance (Robbins et al. 011, p. 184). You will also read this week about ‘Equity’ theory which takes quite a different view of what motivates or ‘de-motivates’ us. Equity theory’s basic tenant is that the perception of equitable reward (such as salary) is quite essential to motivation. Most simply stated if you as an employee feel you are relatively poorly treated – for example, poorly paid as compared with others – then your motivation will suffer. In your reading you will be exposed to the mechanism of the ‘comparable worth’ as a way to create rewards systems for jobs that create equity in the workplace.Finally, you will read about expectancy theory this week which takes another quite different view of motivation. Expectancy theory is all about the expectancies or in lay terms ‘expectations’ employees have about their work and its rewards. If an employee 1) does not expect (or believe) they have the ability to complete the job to the required standard and or 2) does not expect (or believe) that the organisation will recognise their work when it is completed to the required standard and or 2) does not expect (or believe) the reward the organisation offers is worthwhile, then the employee’s motivation will suffer.You will read  © University of Southern Queensland Module 5 – Individual level: motivation concepts and applications 5 how expectancy theory can be applied to the workplace through the use of flexible benefits that allow employees to work towards rewards they truly value. Learning objectives from the text ? ? Define motivation and identify three key elements of motivations – Read ‘De fining motivation’ page 176. Identify early theories of motivation and evaluate their current use value – Read ‘Early theories of motivation’ page 176 – 181, up to the end of ‘McClelland’s theory of needs’, page 181.Apply the predictions of self-determination theory to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards– Read ‘Contemporary theories of motivation’ page 181 – 3. Compare and contrast goal-setting theory and management by objectives – Read page 184 – 188, up to the end of ‘Self-efficacy theory’ on page 188. Contrast reinforcement theory and goal-setting theory – Read ‘Reinforcement theory’ page 188 – 9. Demonstrate how organisational justice is a refinement of equity theory – Read ‘Equity theory/organisational justice’ page 189 – 92.Apply the key tenets of expectancy theory to motivating employees – Read ‘Expectancy t heory’ page 193 – 4 and ‘Flexible benefits; Developing a benefits package’ page 222. Compare contemporary theories of motivations – Read ‘Integrating contemporary theories of motivation’ page 194 – 5. Show how motivation theories are culture bound – Read ‘Global Implications’ page 196. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? We also suggest that you read Summary and Implications for Managers’ that provides you with a good summary of the theories covered in the readings.Application exercise This week’s application exercise is one I have used previously with students. You are asked to write a 5 paragraph essay titled ‘The day I hated my job more than I thought humanly possible’ or an essay titled ‘The day I loved my job more than I thought humanly possible’. In either case use Herzberg’s theory to explain why you hated or loved your job so much on that day. This is a quick exercise to get yo u thinking about 1) how to structure an essay and 2) how to apply theory to a case study.I have attached an example of an essay submitted by a previous student to help you. What follows are the quick tips on how to write a good OBM essay that were covered in module 2.  © University of Southern Queensland 6 MGT1000 – Organisational behaviour A good OBM essay has four main parts. ? ? You will always need a one paragraph introduction that states the overall theme of your essay and outlines the content of the essay. This will be the first paragraph of the essay. This will be followed by a series of paragraphs that present the real contents of your essay.This is sometimes referred to as the body of the essay. In this case this will only be 3 paragraphs. (You can have more if you really need them, but this is meant to be a short and sweet exercise to get the brain cells going – not a marathon). These will include the facts of your best or worst day at work and your referen ces to Herzberg’s theory that explain the experience. Visit this webpage at the USQ Library and follow the clicks for information on how to cite sources in essays using the Harvard Referencing system .This will be followed by a one paragraph conclusion that restates the main theme of your paper, summarises the main points raised in the body of your paper and ends with a strong ‘concluding’ sentence This will be followed by a ‘List of references’. This is a list of the full bibliographical details or any source (for example text book or journal article) that you cite in the essay. I expect in this essay you would only list the text as a source. ? ? A good OBM essay also includes theory that has been applied to the case study.I suggest you use the three sentence formula listed below to apply theory to a case study. In each paragraph include: 1. One or two sentences containing a bite size piece of theory 2. Followed by one or two sentences containing a bite size piece of case study 3. Followed by a linking sentence – that explains how exactly the theory is linked to the case study. An example 1. Bite size piece of theory According to Herzberg jobs that afford opportunities for growth can potentially be a source of job satisfaction (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 179) 2. Bite size piece of case study I certainly ound my job at that time challenging in a positive way. I was involved in a short-term, cutting edge project aiming to develop a completely new range of client services. 3. Linking sentence. My involvement in the client services project gave me an excellent opportunity for professional growth. My positive experience of my job at that time was therefore highly consistent with Herzberg’s notion of a job with job satisfaction. The same material presented as a paragraph. According to Herzberg jobs that afford opportunities for growth can potentially be a source of job satisfaction (Robbins et al. 011, p. 179. ) I certain ly found my job at that time challenging in a positive way. I was involved in a short-term, cutting edge project aiming to develop a completely new range of client services. My involvement in the  © University of Southern Queensland Module 5 – Individual level: motivation concepts and applications 7 client services project gave me an excellent opportunity for professional growth. My positive experience of my job at that time was therefore highly consistent with Herzberg’s notion of a job with job satisfaction.You may have to go through a few more drafts of the paragraph to get it saying exactly what you want it to, but that is the basic process. Finally, you may be wondering how to relate bits of theory to bits of case study. You might find a pen and paper tool like this one below useful. In the left hand column you will see the motivators and hygiene factors listed. (This is the theory you are expected to use in this essay). In the right column there is room for you to list the elements of your story that relate to these factors. You do not need to have an entry next to each piece of theory.The idea is that you would look at the completed grid and then decide what the pattern is. Did your job have lots of problems with the motivators? Were there additional problems with the hygiene factors? What was the overall pattern is the case study? This then becomes the theme of your essay. Motivators Achievement Recognition Work itself Responsibility Advancement Growth Case study elements Hygiene factors Company policy and administration Supervision Relationship with supervisor Work conditions Relationship with peers Personal life Relationship with subordinates Status Security SalaryCase study elements  © University of Southern Queensland 8 MGT1000 – Organisational behaviour Summary This module has focussed on motivation as a process that managers need to understand in order to try to create motivating jobs and reward systems in the workplace. You have covered both earlier theories of motivation and contemporary theories. You have also had an opportunity to put pen to paper and attempt an essay in this course. Presentation 5. 1 Ch7_motivation Reference list Gordon, J 1999, Organizational behaviour: a diagnostic approach, 6th edn, Prentice Hall, NJ.Mann, S 2004, ‘People-work: emotion management, stress and coping’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 205–21, viewed 12 December, EBSCOhost database Academic Search Premier, item: AN13121438. McShane, S & Von Glinow, M 2005, Organizational behaviour, 3rd edn, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston. Robbins, SP, Judge, T, Millett, B & Boyle, M 2011, Organisational behaviour, 6th edn, Pearson Education, French’s Forest. Gordon, J 1999, Organizational behaviour: a diagnostic approach, 6th edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.  © University of Southern Queensland

Mrs. Mallards Reflections on Life in Kate Chopin’s “The...

Anyone who receives notice of a loved ones death is never expected to take it lightly. In Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† Mrs. Mallard is informed of her husbands â€Å"death† as gently as possible, and immediately she understands the enormous significance this loss will have on her life. Unlike many widow’s, her feelings of utter devastation do not last. Mrs. Mallard’s sobs of loss turn to cries of joy after she reflects upon her own character and discovers truths about her marriage. As any woman would, Mrs. Mallard initially â€Å"wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment,† (227) at the news of her husband’s death. Her weeping almost seems forced as Mrs. Mallard’s true character is revealed later on. She is described as â€Å"young, with a†¦show more content†¦This personal confession shows that Mrs. Mallard, though she will mourn at first, now is free to â€Å"live for herself,† (228) not for her imposing husband. Before her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard believed she was in a healthy, normal marriage. This death revealed to her how while she cared about her husband, she despised the lack of freedom her marriage had given her. All of the realizations that Mrs. Mallard reaches during her time of reflection shows the readers exactly why she will no longer mourn the death of her husband. The reader might question as to why Mrs. Mallard’s feelings towards her husband’s death change so quickly. Was she previously unaware of the â€Å"subtle and elusive† (227) thoughts that made her believe that this death might be a blessing in disguise? Mrs. Mallard, before her husband’s death, had a romanticized view of her marriage. While she believed she loved Brently and was happy, after his death she became aware of the freedom she would now experience without a controlling husband. The â€Å"powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence† (22 8) would no longer be present. Mrs. Mallard was aware of her yearnings of independence and joy, but would never voice them while locked into her marriage with Brantley. While at first, it may seem as Mrs. Mallard was unaware of these feelings, the death of her husband was just the catalyst that allowed her deepest feelings to be revealed and her dreams of independence to finallyShow MoreRelatedSymbolism as Found in Kate Chopins Story of an Hour Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pagesas found in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Story of an Hour† In Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Story of an Hour† the protagonist, Louise Mallard, is going through a life-changing event that is brought on by the news of the death of her husband, Brently Mallard. During this hour, she is told of her husband’s death, grieves for a short time, discovers that she will now be able to â€Å"live for herself† (16) and is finally able to free herself of the restrictive marriage she has been living in. 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At firstRead MoreEssay on Freedom in Kate Chopins The Story of An Hour1087 Words   |  5 PagesFreedom in Kate Chopins The Story of An Hour In Kate Chopins The Story of An Hour the theme is found within the concept of how someone can be trapped in a repressive, unsatisfying reality because of anothers thoughtless oppression and manipulation. When combined with the contemporary societys beliefs --- presumably the later half of the 19th century for this story -- a further understanding of Chopins thoughts and feelings can be realized. Mrs. Louise Mallard, the victim and messengerRead MoreEssay about Disappointment in Kate Chopins Story of an Hour783 Words   |  4 PagesDisappointment in The Story of an Hour      Ã‚   The Story of an Hour is a short story in which Kate Chopin, the author, presents an often unheard of view of marriage. Published in the late eighteen hundreds, the oppressive nature of marriage in The Story of an Hour may well be a reflection of, though not exclusive to, that era. Mrs. Louise Mallard, Chopins main character, experiences the exhilaration of freedom rather than the desolation of loneliness after she Read MoreAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin811 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of The Story of an Hour In Kate Chopin’s short story, The Story of an Hour, the reader is introduced to three characters and an event that has occurred prior to the beginning of the story. The three characters that the reader is introduced to are: Mrs. Mallard, who is the protagonist of the story, Josphine, who is her sister, and Mr. Richards, who does not play a major role in the story. Throughout the plot of the story, the reader can gain a sense of sympathy for Mrs. Mallard as theyRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin1421 Words   |  6 Pages Essay One â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is arguably known as Kate Chopin’s best short story. Those who have read the story, can agree that Louise Mallard, receives tragic information of her husband, Brently Mallard’s death. Mrs. Mallard then accelerates through a sequence of emotional reactions of â€Å"new spring life† and â€Å"elixir of life† (476-477), but she receives another shock that her husband is actually alive. This shock is so devastating that it is fatal. Chopin’s depiction of open windows and springRead More The Importance of Freedom in Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour†1907 Words   |  8 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† grabs its readers from the start and creates an unexpected twist at the end of the short story. Louise Mallard is given the news that her husband has died in a terrible train accident. To her surprise, he arrives home and â€Å"did not even know there had been one† (Cho pin, 607). Upon the death of Louise who once believes she was a widow only to find that her husband is still alive, the confusion begins. The death of Louise is questioned by many critics as a state