Who Runs the World? Girls! Author Kate Chopin’s numerous short stories about the oppression of women in a patriarchal society launched her into the spotlight of the feminist movement. Chopin’s short stories dawned light onto the subject of women’s equality in a society dominated by men. In “The Awakening” and “Desiree’s Baby”, Kate Chopin portrays the oppression of women in the 1800’s and their expected social norms in an attempt to spark action and awareness for the new generation of young independent women. Kate Chopin,was born Katherine O 'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri on February 8, 1850. Her domineering father passing in 1855 deepened Chopin developed a connection with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, three strong, independent
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Chopin used this literary movement to dive deep into the character 's thoughts, actions, internal characterization, and motives to do what they do. She was interested in the perspective, point of view, craft, use of imagery, multiple perspectives just as much as the story itself. “The Awakening”, one of Chopin’s most famous works, is considered “a realistic novel about the sexual and artistic awakening of a young mother” (The Awakening, Chopin). “The Awakening” closely examines the protagonist 's inner thoughts and motives, following the writing style of Realism. The stories Chopin wrote follow the transformation inside of oppressed women as they struggle to break from societal …show more content…
“A majority of Chopin’s fictions are set in worlds where stability and permanence is a precarious state: change is always threatened-by the vagaries of impassive fate” (Wolff 1). Armand, the father of the child shuns Desiree for her mixed, or impure blood and declares she must leave. It is found that Armand ancestors are the one’s with mixed blood. Desiree’s mother leaves her questions unanswered in their letters and implores she come home. Armand believes that she is withholding the truth and that “means that the child is not white; it means that you are not white” (“Desiree’s Baby”, Chopin). He forces her to leave to the bayou with her mother where she vanishes and is presumed dead. Upon her departure Armand finds a box that does not hold the truth to who has the mixed blood. This identity crisis forces a completely happy marriage into crumbles of despair. Society persuaded his logic thinking that something wrong with the baby was the women’s fault alone. Armand must live with the guilt of mistreating and wrongfully accusing Desiree for their babies mixed blood. Identity is a present theme in all of Chopin’s stories, whether it’s one’s internal voice or their lineage identity defines everyone. Identity defines who somebody is and in an oppressive society like the 1800’s women had no identity. Chopin’s short stories gave insight and perspective into women’s discovery of their identity and its
Chopin used this literary movement to dive deep into the character 's thoughts, actions, internal characterization, and motives to do what they do. She was interested in the perspective, point of view, craft, use of imagery, multiple perspectives just as much as the story itself. “The Awakening”, one of Chopin’s most famous works, is considered “a realistic novel about the sexual and artistic awakening of a young mother” (The Awakening, Chopin). “The Awakening” closely examines the protagonist 's inner thoughts and motives, following the writing style of Realism. The stories Chopin wrote follow the transformation inside of oppressed women as they struggle to break from societal …show more content…
“A majority of Chopin’s fictions are set in worlds where stability and permanence is a precarious state: change is always threatened-by the vagaries of impassive fate” (Wolff 1). Armand, the father of the child shuns Desiree for her mixed, or impure blood and declares she must leave. It is found that Armand ancestors are the one’s with mixed blood. Desiree’s mother leaves her questions unanswered in their letters and implores she come home. Armand believes that she is withholding the truth and that “means that the child is not white; it means that you are not white” (“Desiree’s Baby”, Chopin). He forces her to leave to the bayou with her mother where she vanishes and is presumed dead. Upon her departure Armand finds a box that does not hold the truth to who has the mixed blood. This identity crisis forces a completely happy marriage into crumbles of despair. Society persuaded his logic thinking that something wrong with the baby was the women’s fault alone. Armand must live with the guilt of mistreating and wrongfully accusing Desiree for their babies mixed blood. Identity is a present theme in all of Chopin’s stories, whether it’s one’s internal voice or their lineage identity defines everyone. Identity defines who somebody is and in an oppressive society like the 1800’s women had no identity. Chopin’s short stories gave insight and perspective into women’s discovery of their identity and its