1. "She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms." This sentence establishes Mrs. Mallard's initial grief and the expected emotional response to the news of her husband's death.
2. "There was a delicious breath of rain in the air, and in the street below a peddler was crying his wares." This sentence introduces the contrasting sensations of freedom and life that Mrs. Mallard experiences in the midst of her supposed sorrow.
3. "She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her." This sentence reveals Mrs. Mallard's internal conflict as she grapples with the unexpected feelings of liberation that she experiences.
4. "Free, free, free! The words seemed to sing themselves in her ears as she walked along." This sentence emphasizes the sense of liberation and personal agency that Mrs. Mallard feels, even though it arises from a tragic situation.
5. "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease - of joy that kills." This sentence reveals the tragic irony of the story, where the societal expectation of grief and the limitations of Mrs. Mallard's life ultimately contribute to her death.