It is undeniable that human life is filled with change. While hope and despair are antonyms, one must exist in order for the other to occur; a transition between the two is inevitable. This simple change in emotions can help give a human face to a fictitious character. Perhaps this is the reason many authors choose to use the inseparable themes of hope and despair in their literary works. Hope, accompanied by despair, is a central theme in the short stories "The Story of An Hour," "Eveline," and "Miss Brill."

The wife of Brently Mallard, a character in "The Story of An Hour," displays hope and despair. As she sits by a window in her room, thinking about her husband's death, an unexpected feeling comes over her. A feeling of freedom overwhelms her. "She said it over and over under her breath: `free...