How do you analyze the plot of "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin from a formalist criticism viewpoint?

When using the formalist viewpoint, it helps to look more at how the story is written, rather than the content or ideas behind it, and how the structure of the writing and the plot itself contributes to the themes, not the other way around.  Some questions to ask yourself about its structure might be, why is this story so short?  Why does Chopin end it on quoted dialogue from the doctor as to the hypothetical reason that Louise died?  Why does Chopin spend so much time describing the beautiful weather and distant song that she sees and hears outside of her window?  Also, leave out historical background, or the author's intent, or any outside influences--just look at the actual text itself.  If you take a look at all of these questions, it will help guide a criticism from a formalist viewpoint.

I'll tackle one of the proposed questions, as a way to get you started.  For example, after Louise hears the news of her husband's death, she goes up to her room and looks out the window where she sees

"the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.  There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window."

Ask yourself--in such a short story, why does Chopin take up over an entire paragraph just describing the scene outside the window?  Could it have relevance to the theme of the story?  Here, Chopin is using symbolism and foreshadowing.  The beautiful scene, the spring air, the leaves being full of new life, the song in the distance, all symbolize and foreshadow her coming sense of freedom and elation at not being bound by the ties of marriage anymore.  It represented Louise's coming emotional state, and spoke of her feeling of happiness and freedom.  Spending that time using foreshadowing contributed directly to the theme of the story itself.

I hope that gives you an idea of how to tackle some of the other elements of the plot.  Good luck!