In "The Story of an Hour," explain the elements you feel the author used that helped shape this story and make it meaningful in any way?

The author used several plays on word that succintly imply the matters at hand.

The first thing we see is her description of the main character's condition as "heart trouble"- what sort of trouble exactly is her heart going through? We later realize it was more than just a muscle not working optimally.

There is also a detachment from points of views in the story. What the reader understands about the main character may not be exactly what is meant to be understood. Only the main character knows, we only get wisps of it through irony such as the release she felt when she heard about the death, when she died of "the joy that kills", and when she allowed us for once to look into her character's inner qualities to realize that she is actually a woman in a personal prison, who feels about to be set free.

There is also symbolism: Nature in the story changes with her emotions: It rains when she is said, it clears up when she is internally rejoicing: Could she also have caused her "heart troubles" herself by staying with a loveless man?

Chopin's maneuver in her narrative is for the main character to tease the reader into wondering what could possibly be happening inside her mind and soul. It is interesting that this story is so short and powerful, and yet still leaves the reader with so many questions on details. That is a way to separate the narrative from the emotional catharsis of the reader, and that shows tremendous skill and talent on Chopin's part.