Read the following excerpt from kate chopin's "the story of an hour," in which the protagonist, louise mallard, is contemplating her life after learning of the death of her husband.

no; she was drinking the very elixir of life through that open window. her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. she breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. it was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long.

based on the excerpt, what does the open window come to symbolize for louise?

a.)nature; staring out the window louise reconnect with nature and, in the process, rediscover her family’s identity now that she’s without a husband.

b.)escape; staring out the window is a means of escaping from the monotony and tediousness of life that louise experiences on a regular basis.

c.)independence; staring out the window makes her aware of the life that lies before her, as well as the personal liberty she has within her reach.

d.)sadness; staring out the window evokes a feeling of sadness within her as she views the world moving on, while she is stuck in her house without the comfort of her husband.

e.)opportunity; staring out the window opens her eyes to the economic possibilities life presents, even when confronted with hardships and tragedies.

2. read the excerpt from martin luther king, jr.'s nobel peace prize acceptance speech: i accept this award today with an abiding faith in america and an audacious faith in the future of mankind. i refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. i refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him. i refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. i refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. i refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. i believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. this is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. i believe that even amid today's mortar bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. i believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men. i have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. i believe that what self-centered men have torn down other-centered men can build up. i still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of god and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land. "and the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid." i still believe that we shall overcome! instructions: create an outline for a speech that connects a theme from this excerpt to your own life. in the first part of the outline, organize an explanation of what king's theme means. in the second part of the outline, organize your explanation of how this theme connects to at least one event from your life. the first and second parts of your outline do not need to be of equal length. throughout the outline, be sure to cite or describe specific evidence from the text or from your personal experiences. also, organize ideas appropriately, develop your argument with relevant information, and provide a concluding section. (15 points)