Essay on Kate Chopin - 1553 Words

Kate Chopin: A Controversial Feminist nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Kate Chopin was one of the greatest and earliest feminist writers in history, whose works have inspired some and drawn much criticism from others. Chopin, through her writings, had shown her struggle for freedom and individuality. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Katherine (O’Flaherty) Chopin was born February 8, 1851 to a wealthy Irish Catholic Family in St. Louis, Missouri (â€Å"Kate Chopin† 1). Her father, Thomas O’Flaherty, was a founder of the Pacific Railroad, who unfortunately died when a train fell off a collapsed bridge on its inaugural trip in 1855. Only a few years later, Kate’s older brother George was captured by Union soldiers during the Civil War in 1863. He then†¦show more content†¦It was he who suggested that Kate take up writing as a way of expressing herself and her frustration with life. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Kate’s writing career began when she published her first poem, â€Å"If It Might Be,† in 1889. She also published her first two short stories that same year, â€Å"Wiser Than a God,† and, â€Å"A Point at Issue.† In 1890, Kate published her first novel, At Fault (3). The book depicted a young woman who discovered that her fiancà © had divorced his first wife because she was an alcoholic. After struggling with her morals and trying to figure out what to do, she told him to marry his ex-wife because it was the right thing to do. He surprisingly accepted her suggestion and remarried his wife who then continued her alcoholic endeavors. She suffered an accident because of her drinking and the husband and the woman were finally able to continue their relationship without any interference or consequences. At Fault received mixed reviews, and was criticized for dealing too much with female alcoholism and marriage problems. Later in Januar y of 1893, Chopin published one of her most famous short stories, â€Å"Desiree’s Baby.† This story was later included in Bayou Folk, a collection of twenty-three short stories and sketches published in 1894. The stories included in this collection depicted Louisiana life. Upon its publication, critics praised her portrayal of bayouShow MoreRelatedThe Storm by Kate Chopin1332 Words   |  6 Pages The first thing I noticed about Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm,† is that it is utterly dripping with sexual imagery and symbolism. Our heroine, if you will, seems to be a woman with normally restrained passions and a well-defined sense of propriety, who finds herself in a situation that tears down her restraint and reveals the vixen within. I wonder if it was intentional that the name Calixta makes me think of Calypso – the nymph from Greek mythology. If half of the sexual symbolism I found in thisRead MoreThe Storm by Kate Chopin1238 Words   |  5 PagesKate Chopin is writing so many great stories about whatever she sees. Kate has many Wonderful stories such as, (The Storm, Desiree’s Baby, A Pair of Silk Stocking, A Respectable Woman, and The Story of an Hour). There is one story in particular that catches my mind which is â€Å"The Storm†. 0In Kate chopins era, women are seen as nothing more than a wife and have to stay with their husband for life. Chopin shows a dramatic scene between Alcee and Calixta during the time of a storm that is passing byRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1222 Words   |  5 Pages The Awakening By: Kate Chopin Emely Maldonado AP LIT Period 3 Topic 3 Maldonado 1 Displacement The late 1800s and the 1900s was a prison for woman’s individuality. During this time period, stereotypical views of women were commenced by society and men. In the era that the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin was published, the gender roles were graved in stone, men would work to maintain their family and women would adhere to the house-hold duties. Dissatisfaction with theRead MoreThe Storm By Kate Chopin1205 Words   |  5 Pages Do you know that stormy weather that makes you want to get comfortable? In this story, the main character, Calixta, is interrelated with the setting of the story, â€Å"The Storm† by Kate Chopin. In â€Å"The Storm†, setting plays the role as a catalyst that ignites Alcee’s and Calixta’s passion that then runs parallel with the storm. As their relationship builds together, Calixta’s natural desires become fulfilled; which without an outlet on the ability to express our emotions and natural desires, conflicts Read MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1193 Words   |  5 PagesDavian Hart The Awakening By: Kate Chopin AP Literature Topic 3 Hart 1 Over the course of time the male species has always been the gender to attain the more favorable conditions. Numerous cultures heed to the belief that the man is the provider and head of his family. This machismo nature can condition the mind to believe that a man should feel superior to a woman. The continuous cycle of male superiority flows down from father to son subconsciously. Do to this unceasingRead MoreThe Awakening, by Kate Chopin785 Words   |  4 Pages The Awakening is set in 1899, a time when the Industrial Revolution and the womens movement were just beginning , conversely, still overshadowed by the attitudes of society in the 19th century. Kate Chopins idea that a woman’s needs were important was somewhat radical, especially since women were not considered to be independent, and women’s rights were still being fought for. Ednas major conflict is her need for independence and personal fulfillment while still trying to conform to her traditionalRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1334 Words   |  6 PagesImmersion into the frame of mind of Edna Pontellier, in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, is a fascinating experience, one with many conflicting internal and external influences. Like a marionette, Edna acts as a slave to her perceived social constraints in the beginning of The Awakening, a poignant contrast to her emotionally fueled, self-destructive choices towards the end. In the opening chapters of Edna’s story, she is described from an external viewpoint. Readers do not especially see the interworkingRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin915 Words   |  4 PagesMany of Kate Chopin’s writings are trademarked by her unique, deliberate word choices. Chopin uses phrases that do not make sense and seem to contradict themselves to get across a point. In two of her stories, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Awakening,† Chopin’s word usage highlights the idea of self-discovery. â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† share similar themes. â€Å"The Awakening† is the story of a woman in the late 1800s discovering her apathy for her traditional female role as a wifeRead MoreThe Awakening by Kate Chopin1366 Words   |  5 PagesKate Chopin’s novel The Awakening depicts a conflict between a woman’s inner desires and society’s standards. As the plot develops, the protagonist, Edna, has an increasing self-awareness that is termed in the story as an â€Å"awakening.† Once awakened, Edna begins a search to discover and define her self-identity and shed off the one placed on her by society. As Edna becomes impulsive and follows her desires, her self-awareness progresses into emotional and sexual awareness. She begins to realize thatRead MoreKate Chopin s The Storm Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"The famous writer Kate Chopin once said, â€Å"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.† The Awakening, (1899). Kate Chopin was widely recognized as one of the leading writers of her time. She was an American author of short stories and novels. She was born on February 08, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. She died on August 22, 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Written in 1898 but not published until it appeared in The Complete Works of Kate Chopin in 1969, The Storm has