"In the procession I should feel the crushing feet, the clashing discords, the ruthless hands and stifling breath. I could not hear the rhythm of the march"

This quote from Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour" paints a brilliant picture of the protagonist's feelings of being overwhelmed and oppressed by the world around her. The "crushing feet" and "ruthless hands" represent the physical and psychological pressure she feels from the people and society around her. The "clashing discords" represent the dissonance between her inner desires and the expectations of those around her. The "stifling breath" is a metaphor for the lack of freedom and autonomy she feels in her life. The absence of the "rhythm of the march" suggests that she is unable to discover a sense of consistency and balance in her life. This quote speaks with the protagonist's sensations of being caught and unable to discover a way out of her oppressive situation.