In my opinion, Louise's marriage depressed her and made her character age. Again, I feel sympathy for Louise because of the difficulties she had with herself and with her marriage. Chopin depicts Louise as a prisoner of her husband. This was not strange at the time Chopin wrote this story. Marriages weren't always about being devoted to your spouse. We see this when Louise thinks: “No powerful will would bend her to this blind persistence with which men and women believe they have the right to impose a private will on a neighbor” (Chopin). It was as if neither women nor men had personal freedom. At first, Chopin makes us think that Louise is an old character, but when we continue reading, Chopin tells us differently: “She was young, with a fair and calm face. , whose lines expressed repression and even a certain force” (Chopin). Now the widow sees all her possibilities in a new life and her youth shines through her. Chopin tells us in the quote that Louise's awareness of new possibilities gives her strength. I feel like Chopin is writing from a feminist perspective and so she wants her readers to understand that the death of Louise's husband was a burden on her shoulders. Who would really want to marry someone they don't love? Another positive thing is the fact that she is open to new things and gains new freedom. When Louise goes upstairs after hearing the news, she sees “the open window, a comfortable and spacious armchair” (Chopin). I found this to be symbolic of how Louise was going to live her life now that her husband was gone. His character will be open to new things, comfortable with himself and his life. She has the opportunity to live and be herself instead of living under the domination of a man. I felt like the references to the “new spring life” (Chopin), to the “delicious breath of rain” (Chopin), to “spots of blue sky”. (Chopin), indicates his freedom. Louise is given endless opportunities to become a new person. She saw all these things as if for the first time. This tells me that her marriage kept her ignorant of life and that she is now becoming this open, limitless person. All of this leads you to see Louise as a stronger character.