Your Perspective Sucks, But I Respect It

I've read "The Story of an Hour" before. In fact, I read it just last year. However, I never once read the story from a different perspective.

In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," the author reveals the protagonist as a young woman who believes she has just become a widow. After initial shock, her overwhelming joy of freedom was quickly contrasted by her husband's return home and her heart failure. I read the story of an oppressive husband, smothering his poor wife and stifling her rights as an individual.

However, in class, there was quite a debate over who the true victim was: the husband or wife. The battle was evenly matched (boys vs. girls) and quickly became heated. Though I wouldn't say the men of second period changed my mind, I will admit I had a cheesy Veggie Tale-esque learning experience.

We've always been told to respect other people's opinions, but, honestly, I think humans (or maybe just "I") naturally struggle at it. I was raised by a sweet-hearted mother, who fervently preaches open-mindedness, and an egocentric father, whose favorite phrase is "moral superiority". With that strange combination, I wholeheartedly respect other point of views but hardly ever bend my ways. In Poisonwood Bible, I often wanted to skip Rachel's chapters because she frustrated me so much. She was oblivious to her surroundings and ignorant of true beauty and had an annoyingly incorrect vocabulary. However, (here comes the moral of the story) I knew that, had I ignored Rachel's thoughts and feelings, I would have never understood the full truth.

To summarize, in life and in storytelling, you must consider and respect all points of view in order to fully uncover the truth. It may be easier to assume Chopin's protagonist is the victim of a cruel relationship, but, in doing so, we forget to pity the man whom was never really loved.

Luke Skywalker: Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father.
Obi-Wan Kanobe: Your father... was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view.
-Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi