I will provide a few words and phrases from each passage that have strong connotations—that is, the suggestions of meaning beyond the primary meaning of a word.
In the first passage, there is some parallelism between Chopin's description of the colors of the house and the condition of the yard. The "dazzling white" of the house complements the "[scrupulous neatness] of the yard." One could also argue that whiteness here, has a racial connotation; it would only be whites of the planter class (a category defined by whiteness) who could afford and claim such property. The green shutters mirror the "flowers and plants" in the yard.
In the second passage, there is, again, some parallelism between Chopin's description of interior and exterior spaces. This is significant because Edna Pontellier—the protagonist—is limited to the domestic sphere, which is constricting. She yearns to understand her true nature and seeks answers in the natural world. "The deep tangle of the garden below" is a phrase that, denotatively, describes plants—probably weeds—that are intertwined, defying the neatness that was described in the first passage. This tangled state is reflective of Edna's own mood and feelings.
She tears apart the handkerchief, a symbol of her dainty femininity and, most surprisingly, pulls off her wedding ring, throws it to the floor, and stomps on it. However, she cannot "crush" it with her "small boot heel" and does not leave the slightest "indenture." Her desire to crush her ring, made of precious metal, is a futile effort, especially when attempted by someone with a "small boot heel." The suggestion here is that she is not powerful enough to destroy the ring or what it symbolizes.
No particular mood is established in the first passage. The author is providing a portrait of the Pontellier home, one that makes it clear that they are wealthy and distinguished even among other wealthy New Orleanian families. The description is impersonal and entirely materialistic. We learn about the family through their objects: their draperies tell us that they are "tasteful" people, while their selection of paintings reveal people of "discrimination."
The second passage is personal and focuses on Edna's internal state, which is unclear to her. Her internal turmoil is reflected in the "tortuous outlines of the flowers and foliage." However, there is still something within her that beckons, not unlike the perfumes from the garden, though she cannot name it. "Voices," call to her, urging her awakening, but she cannot hear them clearly. In other words, there are no clear answers to her questions, which creates restlessness and frustration within her. This frustration is powerfully recreated by the diction, or use of language, in the following passage:
But the voices were not soothing that came to her from the darkness and the sky above and the stars. They jeered and sounded mournful notes without promise, devoid even of hope.
The negativity of "the voices" is evoked by "jeered" (they mock her) and "mournful notes," a phrase that foreshadows the story's tragic ending.
Most of the adjectives in the passages could be seen as metaphoric. In the first passage, there are the following: "dazzling white," "scrupulously neat." In the second passage, the potential metaphoric meaning is richer: "the deep tangle of the garden below," "the mystery and witchery of the night," "tortuous outlines of flowers and foliage," the symbolism of the handkerchief, the "voices," and the wedding band.
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