Kate Chopin Reading Journal

Mikaela Cottrill
English 3 11-1
Chopin Stories Blog

The writings of Kate Chopin can in ways compare to those of the American Romantics. The American Romantics wrote about nature, and the beauty of it. Chopin slightly does this in her story “Lilacs”. At the first smell, or sight, of lilacs the main character, Adrienne, must go back to the convent at which she one time called home. Although not focusing entirely on the lilacs beauty, Chopin uses the flowers as a way remind the girl of her past, and the beauty of it. Chopin also uses phrases to show the beauty of the lilacs, such as “the sweet odor of lilac blossoms”, etc.

One theme I noticed running through the two of Chopin’s stories was that for a short amount of time you can be someone else. Whether it’s for a day, or a year, you can change or act like something you’re not. Take the story “A Pair of Silk Stockings”. In this story a woman, named Mrs. Sommers, finds fifteen dollars, and instead of buying things she needs, spends the money on herself. She has a fun, unrealistic day to herself, spending money on expensive stockings, buying a big lunch, and treating herself to the theater. Although this may not seem like a big deal, it was to Mrs. Sommers, who normally couldn’t afford to treat herself like this. In the story “Lilacs”, Adrienne lives a lavish life in Paris, with a maid and is financially supported. You know that she is being supported by a male, and can come to the conclusion that she is doing “sinful” things with him. Although she does this, Adrienne still travels to the convent every season to enjoy the surroundings of her old life. There is no middle ground for Adrienne, seeing as she cannot perform sinful acts, yet still want to enjoy the convent.

I believe that Chopin’s writings could appeal to anyone, although I think they mostly appeal to women. Her stories seem to focus on issues that women can relate to, not saying men cannot, but it’s more common that a woman could relate. People are able to relate to the feelings of wanting to live as someone else for a day, and women in particular can relate to the feelings of wanting to be out there, but still live under moral constitutions.

As a reader I really liked the stories Chopin wrote. They were both fictional, yet had themes and morals that a reader should know. The story “Lilacs” shows that you cannot live a double life, as many people try to do, without getting caught or having things screwed up. This really stuck out to me because I see people who try to act like something they’re not, or hide certain things, and have it backfire in their face. In the end it only makes things worse, and it was interesting to read how Chopin had Adrienne’s life damaged at the end of the story due to this. In the story “A Pair of Silk Stockings” materialism seems to be another main theme, and I found it fascinating to see how Chopin used simple pleasures to show how fast someone can become materialistic. I feel that Chopin did a good job of using fictional stories as a way to show how real life issues affect us as people.

“They lingered long upon the foot-bridge that spanned the narrow stream which divided the convent grounds from the meadow beyond. It was to Adrienne indescribably sweet to rest there in soft, low converse with this gentle-faced- nun, watching the approach of evening. The gurgle of the running water beneath them; the lowing of cattle approaching in the distance, were the only sounds that broke upon the stillness, until the clear tones of the angelus bell pealed out from the convent tower.”
What drew me to the writings of Kate Chopin was the way she is able to be descriptive, but not confuse me. The majority of the time I hate reading authors from past times, because when they try to be descriptive I get confused, and want to just forget about it. Sometimes that is caused due to language differences or words not used anymore. Chopin is able to be very descriptive, yet I still understand what she is talking about it. This helps me with the story, because I am able to get the picture she is trying to create, and still follow the storyline.