The characters in these stories can be seen as weak and fragile, which is a result of their marital problems. In Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," the reader is introduced to the main character only as Mrs. Mallard, as it was synonymous with her husband. We can also deduce the fragility in which others see Louise, while the narrator evokes her affliction: "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was suffering from a heart problem, we took great care to break the news to her as gently as possible. death of her husband. » (Chopin 25). This demonstrates the 19th century view that the woman was the weaker partner in a marriage; the other minor characters around Louise expect her fragility. In Faulkner's story, the protagonist Emily becomes a recluse, stuck in a huge old house that seems out of place because of the control her father has over her. This vision of Emily becoming a recluse is echoed by the townspeople: "We didn't say she was crazy then... We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to hang on. to what had stolen her, as people will (Faulkner 79-80). Therefore, recognizing the weakness that Emily's character experiences because of her