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Chopin

            Kate Chopin's Symbolic Use of Nature.
             Kate Chopin uses nature and symbolism throughout her three short stories. Her vivid use of nature and its elements allow the reader to get a realistic view of the characters and their setting. By using nature to represent the feelings of her characters, Chopin allows the reader to evoke emotions they might have felt during similar times or situations. A simple example of symbolism would be the use a dark forest in a story. The dark forest could possible represent evil or confusion (1380). Like the example Chopin uses a specific season like spring or naturally occurring thunderstorms to symbolize new life or uncontrollable passion. .
             In the first story the reader encounters Babette and Maman-Nainaine. Quickly the reader learns that Babette is waiting for the figs to ripen before she is allowed to visit her cousins. Figs have little if nothing to do with Babette being able to leave, but instead they symbolize her coming of age. Figs tend to ripen in late spring to early summer. Spring and summer are times of life and growth. So Babette is like a ripening fig that has to grow and mature before its ready. Finally when the figs ripen Maman-Nainaine says, "How early the figs have ripened this year!"(4) Babette's response is "I think they have ripened very late"(4). Babette is trying to say to Maman that she is mature and that she has been for quite some time. On the other hand Maman is telling Babette that she has ripened into a young lady very quickly. Chopin's use of symbolism in this story is easy for most readers to relate to because we have all been in a situation similar to Babette's at one time. Eventually we all ripen as Babette does in .
             "Ripe Figs".
             Chopin's use of spring carries over to "The Story of an Hour". The reader fins the fragile Mrs. Mallard coming to the realization that her husband is dead. For most people this type of tragedy would be the start of a time of sadness; however, the reader quickly sees that this is not so for Mrs.


Essays Related to Chopin

1. Chopin's Secrets

which Chopin relates to this metaphor of nature, signifying the great level of freedom. ... This kind of symbolic and hazy way that the events play out is what makes the story sound so much like it was one of Chopin's own personal fantasies. In "The story of an Hour" it seems like Chopin could have generated the story based on "what would I do if I found out my husband was dead?" ... It is obvious that Chopin was trying to key the reader of these stories in on a couple things, especially seeing as Chopin did not even publish these stories while she was still alive. Chopin had a family of ...

  • Word Count: 695
  • Approx Pages: 3

2. Kate Chopin "The Storm"

Chopin's stories of adultery stirred up the critics in the 19th century because they were stories of sin. Chopin decided to portray women committing adultery, which is sin, and make it seem ok to commit sin. ... Why did Chopin decide to write stories of women committing the act of adultery? ... Or Chopin realizes that adultery is a sin and wants the readers to know that adultery is happening? ... Although critics didn't publish anymore of her works, years later; Chopin's stories make useful arguments discussing what Chopin is really trying to tell the reader or what the reader...

  • Word Count: 523
  • Approx Pages: 2

3. Kate Chopin

Kate O'Flaherty Chopin was raised in St. ... Soon after Chopin moved her family to St. ... No longer Eliza O'Flaherty's daughter or Oscar Chopin's wife, Kate Chopin was forced to find a new role for herself. ... (Chopin 113). ... Louis shunned Chopin for writing it. ...

  • Word Count: 1805
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Kate Chopin

Kat Chopin - Feminist Writer Kate Chopin best know for her short stories, published in contemporary popular magazines, won her fame as a local colorist with a good ear for dialect and as a writer concerned with women's issues (sexuality, equality, independence). ... Kate Chopin was born Katherine O"Flaherty in St. ... Chopin's earliest story "Wiser Than a God" focuses on her desire for female independence. ... In 1882, Chopin's husband, Oscar, dies from swamp fever. ... Chopin's career is cut short when her last novel "The Awakening" is published in 1899. ...

  • Word Count: 649
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Chopin Essay

Chopin's work was groundbreaking and controversial. ... Chopin uses Louise's character to convey society's view of women as being frail creatures. ... Richards feels that he must protect Louise from, "Less tender friends" (Chopin 244). ... Kate Chopin utilizes individual characters to portray societies limitations upon women. Chopin accomplishes a difficult task with "The Story of an Hour"; Chopin depicts Louise's death as liberation and associates no sorrow with the death....

  • Word Count: 580
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Kate Chopin

In "The Story of an Hour- Chopin places Mrs. ... Chopin did not try to bury her viewpoints deep within the story. ... Chopin shows this by comparing Mrs. ... Chopin uses this to "undercut the stereotype of the sorrowful widow, which was especially potent in Chopin's era-(Castillo 86). ... Mallard's death, Chopin shows that Mrs. ...

  • Word Count: 1213
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. KATE CHOPIN OPENING A DOOR

But, no matter what was thrown at Chopin she fought through it. ... Many of Kate Chopin's works deal with women in the 19th century whom , much like Chopin did not hold the rudimentary attitudes that was to be beholden to women. . ... Chopin was born in St. ... Chopin was only a child when her father died. ... Kate Chopin's literary works can best be summed up by Mark Shawltz when he said that Kate Chopin was " ahead of her time." ...

  • Word Count: 1100
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin Kate Chopin, nee Catherine O"Flaherty, was born "[ ]according to her baptismal certificate, on February 8th1850 [ ]" (Toth 3), in St Louis Missouri. ... In 1870, Kate met and married Oscar Chopin, a Creole New Orleans native. ... Kolbenheyer was Kate Chopin's pivotal axis. ... Kate Chopin died on August 22, 1904. The 1960's marked a rebirth or "awakening" for Kate Chopin. ...

  • Word Count: 765
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Kate Chopin: Life and Literary

By mid-1884, Chopin and her family had back to St. ... Chopin's writing became known as unconventional. ... Chopin finished writing The Awakening in January 1898. ... Chopin took these criticisms to heart. ... Chopin refused to apologize for or justify her actions. ...

  • Word Count: 1243
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

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