Kate Chopin Identity

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To understand Kate Chopin’s identity and true meaning behind her work, you must first look at where she came from. She was born in 1850 in Missouri and was the only child of five to live past the age of twenty. When she was 5, her father died and Kate lived with her Mother, Grandmother, and her great-grandmother, all of whom were widows. As a child she went to a Catholic boarding school that was run by nuns. Kate grew up around several smart, independent, single women. To further the analysis of Kate Chopin, we are going to look at two of her most famous works, the novel, “The Awakening” and her short-story, “Story of an Hour”. Kate Chopin has interested me ever since I studied “The Awakening”. Her work was always very controversial because of her characters and the ideas they pose to a nineteenth century society. Even though Chopin’s work always has to do with the issues of females, I have always found it interesting because I am always surrounded by very masculine and male dominance or equal relationship and it is intriguing to me to see the other side of it and really learn how females lived in her contemporary times. I strongly believe in the idea of that it does not matter your race, ethnicity, or gender, everyone can be what they want to be if they work hard, females should not be held back because of their sex, and obviously, Kate Chopin agrees with me. First we are going to analyze Chopin’s novel, “The Awakening”. The novel is set in the late nineteenth century in New Orleans and Grand Isle, an island off the coast of New Orleans. When The Awakening was first published, it sparked much controversy in early 1900’s social life. At this time, women did not hold power and could not have a say in affairs such as sex, money, power, or duties. However, The Awakening suggests a much different idea; that a woman can control her life. The main
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