The author Joyce Carol Oates of "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" and author Kate Chopin of “The Story of an Hour” effectively use the “death of the maiden” motif to support a theme of unjustified patriarchy throughout their writing. Both authors use this motif effectively by portraying men as dead, who make their female victims as helpless and vulnerable. The connection that both of these authors make to the "death of the maiden" motif does not become clear until the end of each story. Say no to plagiarism Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't". 't Be Banned'? Get an original essay Oates in “Where…” begins his story by describing Connie as a relatively independent and rebellious young teenager. Connie often sneaks off with her friends and sometimes goes to meet the boys full of "[running] through, breathless with audacity" (Oates 315), During one of these escapades, Connie meets a rather strange man who says to Connie “I'll get you, baby” (Oates 316). . Oates most likely presented Connie this way to portray her as a very innocent and free person, and Connie's contempt for the strange man is another example of her innocence. In "The Story of an Hour", the story begins with Mrs. Mallard's discovery that her husband is dead. She cries immediately, but when she is alone she immediately expresses her greatness of joy at her newfound freedom. At this point in the story, the reader feels shocked by her reaction to her husband's death, only to understand when it is revealed why she is truly happy. She immerses herself in the feelings of her freedom and realizes that “a long procession of years to come would absolutely belong to her” (Chopin 654). Chopin presented Mrs. Mallard in this way to make a special example of the extent of her husband's oppression of Mrs. Mallard and the relief she felt when she was freed from it. Both Connie and Mrs. Mallard are free from men's restrictions at first. of these stories. Connie has not yet been oppressed by men and her youth and rebellion exemplify this. Mrs. Mallard, after being chained in the prison of marriage and oppressed by her husband, is suddenly free upon his death. Both authors describe these women as especially free at the beginning of these stories to demonstrate that Connie and Mrs. Mallard are at their best when not shackled by men. In "Where..." the story continues with Connie in a rather difficult situation. A man, Arnold Friend, unexpectedly arrives at Connie's house. At first Connie is unsure about the man. Arnold Friend is described at the beginning of their conversation as very friendly. His very name suggests friendship along with the writing on his car of a smiling face (Oates 318). However, as Connie and Arnold's conversation goes on and she doesn't immediately go for a ride with him, he starts to fall apart. Arnold transformed from a young, friendly man into someone who “stood there so stiff and relaxed, pretending to be relaxed. . . and had no intention of ever moving again” (Oates 320). Once Connie realizes that his actions and behavior are strange, she finally begins to distrust him. Arnold reacts to Connie's distrust by suddenly asking Connie "we won't leave until you come with us" (Oates 321). Arnold continues to pester and threaten Connie to come with her. Oates slowly reveals Arnold's true self in this way to present Connie as defenseless amidst his lies and threats. Connie keeps repeating useless excuses in response toArnold saying “I am your lover…I will come inside you where all is secret” (Oates 322). Connie remains standing, can only say "Get out of here!" (Oate 322). At the beginning of the story, the reader feels discouraged by Connie's selfish personality. Yet, when Connie starts talking to Arnold and doesn't realize the danger she's in, the reader quickly becomes worried about Connie and her safety. Oates invokes this emotion in the reader to make his argument about patriarchal society more effective. Midway through "The Story of an Hour," Chopin goes into detail about Mrs. Mallard's reaction to her husband's death. She is happy over Brently's death, but Mrs. Mallard remembers that her husband "had never looked upon her except with love" and that she "wept again when she saw the gentle and tender hands clasped in death" (Chopin 654) . Mrs. Mallard is clearly sad over her husband's death, but her feelings about his life now “[belonging] to her absolutely” were stronger (Chopin 654). Mrs. Mallard would no longer have to experience “[the] powerful will bending her own into that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have the right to impose a private will on their fellow man” (Chopin 654). Chopin most likely mentioned that Brently was not cruel to his wife to show that even kind men can hold a cast iron prison over women. During this time in society, Mrs. Mallard could not ask for a divorce and could never leave her husband and their marriage except upon their deaths. Brently, however, could file for divorce at any time. Chopin effectively uses Mrs. Mallard's exaggerated happiness at her freedom to portray the outrageousness with which men impose their powerful will on others and women incapable of relinquishing it. Oates and Chopin describe patriarchy in their writings in very different ways, which is most evident in the middle section. of their stories. Oates presents Connie as a young girl untouched by the overwhelming power of men, and then introduced to it in the form of Arnold Friend. Connie is unable to resist his threats and easily gives in despite her many worries. Connie is rendered helpless despite what seems like every opportunity for her to escape. Chopin portrays patriarchal society in the story of a woman who has already experienced it. Chopin describes the extent to which men's power holds over women by describing Mrs. Mallard's exaggerated reaction to breaking free of it. Both Oates and Chopin use perfect and striking examples of oppression of women. As for the “death of the girl” motif, both stories reach the point where both women and men are defenseless in the face of death. Connie is powerless against Arnold, and Mrs. Mallard was powerless in her marriage before her husband's death. At the end of “Where…” Connie begins to realize the power men can have over her. Arnold repeatedly threatens that he can always get to her and that “this place you are in now – in your father's house – is nothing but a cardboard box that I can tear down at any time” (Oates 325). Connie continues to look for a way out of this situation, but fails. He suddenly realizes that “his beating heart…for the first time in his life that it wasn't anything that was his…this body that wasn't even really his” (Oates 325). The reader feels angry that Connie isn't trying harder to escape. She's safe at home with her phone, but she seems to have no choice but to bend to Arnold's will. Oates does this to exaggerate and draw attention to the overall meaning of oppression that..