The internal conflict in this text is Louise Mallard's. She learns at the beginning of the story that her husband has been killed in a train accident, and immediately after hearing this, she retires, alone, to her room. There, she begins to notice all the signs of "new spring life." She hears the "countless sparrows twittering," smells the "delicious breath of rain," sees the "tops of trees [...] all aquiver." It is unexpected that she...
The internal conflict in this text is Louise Mallard's. She learns at the beginning of the story that her husband has been killed in a train accident, and immediately after hearing this, she retires, alone, to her room. There, she begins to notice all the signs of "new spring life." She hears the "countless sparrows twittering," smells the "delicious breath of rain," sees the "tops of trees [...] all aquiver." It is unexpected that she would be so aware of signs of life when she has just learned of this important death. However, Louise begins to reflect on her new freedom, and "She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her." We would likely expect a woman who has just learned of her young husband's death to be quite sad, and, instead, she seems to be, well, happy. However,
She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.
Thus, she is conflicted between her grief -- it will be relatively short-lived, but she will grieve nonetheless -- and her joy at her new freedom as a widow who no longer has to bend her will to suit her husband's. Louise knows that her husband loved her, and she is sad for him, but she relishes the idea of a life that can now be hers alone.
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