Through the short stories "Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes and "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, the authors employ many exceptional techniques to characterize the two main female protagonists. In "Thank You Ma'am", Langston narrates Mrs. Louella Bates Washington Jones with primarily indirect characterization, as opposed to Chopin, who characterizes primarily with direct characterization. Inclusively, Hughes illustrates Mrs. Jones as a strong-willed, unsympathetic, and individualistic woman. However, through all these special qualities, she remains understanding. Mrs. Mallard, however, is presented as disoriented, weak-minded, and the very opposite of emotionally balanced. From the many techniques used by the authors to depict the above-mentioned female protagonists through different facets of characterization, it is clear that both characters are emotionally restrained, independence-focused, and disoriented. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The author explains how Ms. Jones “…simply turned around and kicked his blue-jeaned guard,” then later, Ms. Jones explains, “I was young once and I wanted things I couldn’t get”; making these tone transitions gives Louella an unsympathetic, but understanding, image. Because these two qualities are substantially contradictory, the author characterizes Louella as disoriented. Although a person may reject the qualities of unlikeable and understanding, they are by definition completely opposite characteristics. Similarly, Chopin declares: “Madame. Mallard immediately cried, unable to accept the meaning of her husband's death, then later described how she suddenly understood that she was "free, free, free!" Although some may dispute the static nature of these two characters, these examples prove that they are in fact dynamic characters. Louella's change of heart in terms of Roger's perception and Mrs. Mallard's revelation of her new independence are twists and turns that indicate the character's disoriented mental and/or emotional state and her qualifications to be dynamic characters. Louella's total breakdown to Roger over her past and Mrs. Mallard's sudden emotional breakdown brought on by the discovery of her intact independence highlight both characters' qualities of emotional restraint. Both Hughes and Chopin create this sudden burst of emotional release; this situational irony must be caused by the character's previous bottling of their emotions. Both female characters show how they focus on independence while Mrs. Louella remains restrained throughout the scene where Roger continues to steal her purse, and Mrs. Mallard finds her independence and is traumatized. The way Mrs. Jones handled this situation on her own, without attempting to call for help (which would be the reaction of most women in this situation) proves her independence and strong desire to remain independent. Keep in mind: This is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Through these dimensions of characterization, the authors have highlighted the two female protagonists as being perplexed, rounded, dynamic, focused on independence and emotionally reticent. Although the two different authors describe their particular female protagonist with two types of characterization..