Does the time period influence the literature , or does literature influence the time period ? The story of an hour An hour's story is a short story by Kate Chopin that was written back on April 19, 1894 . This story focuses on how time elapsed between the moment when the main character Louise Mallard hears about the death of her husband and then learns that he has all along been alive . This is a story that came at a time when the American government had changed its policies . The story of an hour came when the American government had granted women the right to vote . History and literature are very much interlinked ; hence there is a chance that a historical period is likely to define a particular work . For instance , the impact that history has on literature can be seen in the historical events in current plays and novels . For example , in Kate Chopin's story, it is clear that the protagonists are fighting for their right to be free in society. History has influenced an hour's story because it was published after the United States government granted women their right to vote . This is a time when the tides of social change had started to turn . During this time of publishing the story , many women had come out as feminists in favor of women who were being oppressed in society . The event of granting women their right to vote impacted the story of an hour because it led to the author focusing more on women and their oppression in society . This event led to an influence in a wide range of people , and it can be used in an educational sense