KATE CHOPINA WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME

(1850-1904)

"Perhaps it is better to wake up after all,even to suffer; than to remain a dupe

to illusions all one's life."

Biography of Kate Chopin• was born Kate O'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri in

1850 to Eliza and Thomas O'Flaherty. She was the third of five children, but her sisters died in infancy and her brothers (from her father's first marriage) in their early twenties. She was the only child to live past the age of twenty-five.

• In 1855 Enters St. Louis Academy of the Sacred Heart. Father is killed in train accident.

• 1867 Begins keeping a commonplace book of poems, essays,sketches, criticism, etc.

• 1868 Graduates from Sacred Heart Academy.

• 1869-1870 Attends debutante parties, learns to smoke, and writes her first story, "Emancipation: A Life Fable," a short story about freedom and restriction.

• 1885 The attending doctor, Dr. Kolbenheyer, who is the model for Dr. Mandelet in The Awakening, continues to visit Chopin.

• 1899 The Awakening published by Herbert S. Stone an Company on April 22.

• 1889 Publishes her first poem, "If It Might Be," in America. Writes four stories and publishes each of them.

• 1890-1892 Joins the Wednesday Club, founded by Charlotte Stearns Eliot, T.S Eliot's mother, but resigns two years later. Satire of club women appears in several of her stories, and in The Awakening in the depiction of Mrs. Highcamp's daughter.

• 1891 Writes "Mrs. Mobry's Reason" and "A Shameful Affair," which are published in the New Orleans Times-Democrat .

• 1894 Writes "A Respectable Woman" (Vogue) in January, introducing the character of Gouvernail

• 1897 A Night in Acadia, a second volume of short stories is published by Way and Williams of Chicago.

• 1897-1898 Writes The Awakening.

• 1900 Herbert S. Stone and Company reverses its decision to publish a third collection of short

• 1901 Writes and publishes only one story, "The Wood-Choppers."

• 1902 Publishes her last story, "Polly." • 1904 Dies from a cerebral hemorrhage on

August 22, after collapsing at the World's Fair, two days before.

THE STORM1898

THE STORM’S CHARACTERS

• Calixta; she appears also in Chopin's At the Cadian ball

• Bobinôt, husband of Calixta and father of Bibi. Bobinôt too appears in "At the 'Cadian Ball"

• Bibi, four-year-old son of Calixta and Bobinôt• Alcée Laballière; he and his brothers Didier

and Alphonse appear in several Chopin stories. Like Calixta and Bobinôt, Alcée appears in "At the 'Cadian Ball"

THE STORM’S THEME

• Many focus on themes related to women's search for selfhood, for self-discovery or

identity

THE STORM’S PLOT• Bobinôt and his four-year-old and son, Bibi, are at

Friedheimer's store when a particularly violent storm emerges. The two decide to remain at the store until the storm passes. Bobinôt decides to buy a can of shrimps for his wife, Calixta, while the pair waits for the storm to abate.

• Meanwhile, back at their house, Calixta is occupied with her sewing that, at first, she does not notice the ominous clouds or thunder. Finally, she notices that it is growing darker outside and decides to shut the windows and retrieve Bobinôt's clothes, which are hanging outside. Alcée, one of Calixta's former beaus, rides up on his horse and helps her remove the remaining clothes from the line.

• The storm worsens and Calixta invites Alcée into her home until it abates. Alcée was hesitant to come in and stayed outside until it became apparent that the storm was not going to let up. Calixta gathers up the lengths of cotton sheet she had been sewing while Alcée takes a seat in the rocker. Calixta goes over to the window and observes the intensity of the storm and worries about her husband and son. Alcée attempts to comfort her and reminisces about the passion they once felt for each another. As the storm increases in intensity, so does the passion of the two lovers. Alcée brought out the passion and love they once had for one another. The lover's sexual encounter ends at the same time as the storm. Alcée rides off on his horse

• Bobinôt and Bibi return from the store and Calixta immediately embraces them. Bobinôt presents his gift of the can of shrimps to his wife and she remarks that they will feast that night. Meanwhile, Alcée writes a loving letter to his wife, Clarisse, and encourages her to stay in Biloxi as long as she needs. He notes that their wellbeing is more important than the separation anxiety that he endures. Clarisse is charmed by the letter and is happy in Biloxi because she feels free, as if she were a maiden again. Though she is devoted to her husband, Clarisse she feels that she is able to forego intimacy with him for some time. The story ends with the short line, "So the storm passed and everyone was happy."

THE STORM’S POINT OF VIEW

• The point of view is 3rd person omniscient

THE STORM’S STYLE

• Since Chopin's works contain clear elements of romanticism, transcendentalism, realism, naturalism, existentialsm, and feminism.

• Chopin's style offers opportunities to point out the virtues of conciseness; strong, clear imagery; symbolism; understatement; humor; and irony.

CONCLUSION

• In conclusion, Calixta and Alcee’s willingness to break free from their respective marriages, allowed them to explore without quilt a different perspective of intimate relations. The passion between these two characters is one of the writer’s ways