Presented By: Kristie Kovalenko

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www.ustream.tv/channel/kate-chopin

Website dedicated to Kate Chopin: Sponsored by the Kate Chopin

International Society

www.katechopin.org

BORN “KATHERINE O’FLAHERTY”

FEBRUARY 8, 1850 – AUGUST 22, 1904

Born in St. Louis, Missouri Came from a wealthy family Was married at 19 to Oscar Chopin Lived in New Orleans Husband died in 1883 Kate and her children moved back to St.

Louis 1884

• Influenced by the women in her family– Father died when she was 4 years old

• Her great-grandmother was probably her biggest influence as a child

• Her writings were influenced by French writers

• Her philosophical perspective and fictional method when she wrote was influenced by Emile Zola and Guy de Maupassant

1885-1904 wrote 3 novels, more than 150 stories and sketches, poetry, reviews, and criticism.

1885 – started her literary career 1890- published 1st Novel, At Fault1892 - "At the 'Cadian Ball"1894- Bayou Folk1897- a second collection of stories, “A

Night in Acadie”1898 – “The Storm, A Sequel to the

‘Cadian Ball”1899 – “The Awakening”

- What she wrote about

- Negatively criticized

- “At the Cadian Ball”- “The Storm, A Sequel to the Cadian Ball”

It’s a kind of fiction that came to prominence in the USA in the late 19th century, and was devoted to capturing the unique customs, manners, speech, folklore, and other qualities of a particular regional community.

Calixta: An Acadian or Cajun. She’s described as a “little Spanish Vixen” sexy, full figured, voice like a rich contralto song , passionate Spaniard whom every man lust after. Ends up marrying Bobinot

Alcée : The wealthy man of Calixta’s past. Alcée and his wife Clarisse are Creoles, descendants of French settlers in Louisiana. Creoles are wealthy in Kate Chopin’s stories. Ends up marrying Clarisse

Clarisse: Dainty as a lily; hardy as a sunflower; slim, tall, graceful, like one of the reeds that grew in the marsh. Cold and kind and cruel by turn, and everything that was aggravating to Alcée.

Bobinot: Fascinated and lusts after Calixta. Big, brown, good natured, but dull looking and clumsy.

“At the Cadian Ball”

Wrote in 1898, but was not published until 1969 as part of Per Seyersted’s edition of The Complete Works of Kate Chopin.

Why? Possibly because the end of the story did not leave anyone feeling guilty or unhappy.

Calixta: a housewife married to Bobinôt , full figured women, afraid of storms, blue eyes, yellow hair.

Alcée : The wealthy man of Calixta’s past. Bobinôt: This is Calixta husband. He is a calm and patient

man, who cares deeply for his wife. Bibi: Calixta’s and Bobinôt’s four year old son, who is wise.

“The Storm, a Sequel to the Cadian Ball”

“The Storm” is the trigger and background

music that leads to Calixta and Alcée passionate affair.

When “The Storm” passes and so do the lives of Calixta and Alcée.

How does Kate Chopin Illustrate Regions in her stories?Represents the French cultures by giving many characters in her stories French

Names such as Alcée and BobinotFrench is spoken throughout the storyRepresents the region a little when she wrote “That was the year Alcée Laballière

put nine hundred acres in rice. It was putting a good deal of money into the ground, but the returns promised to be glorious.” Rice is a common crop in New Orleans

Illustrated region by mentioning towns in Louisiana that mostly the locals would know, such as when she writes If such a thing had happened to Alphonse, the Laballière planting cotton up in Natchitoches, he would have raved and stormed like a second cyclone, and made his surroundings unbearable for a day or two.

Who was the trickster in “At the Cadian Ball”Clarisse, at the end of the story Kate Chopin gave her so much power over Alcee.

She wasn’t supposed to go to the Cadian Ball, but she did. She used her wits and took Alcee from Calixta before he made a so called mistake.

What issue did Kate Chopin write about that was not a regional issue?

Adultery and Human Nature

Kate was merely writing about her observations and critiquing

southern values. She mostly presented her stories from a critical and oppositional view.

Kate once said of Maupassant “Here was a man who had escaped from tradition and authority , and who had entered into himself and looked out upon, life through his own being and with his own eyes and who in a direct and simple way,

told us what he saw”. This is thought to be of how Kate would describe herself and explain why it was so easy for her to write about a culture she could familiarize herself

with, but not be a part of totally.

What issue did Kate Chopin write about that was not a regional issue?

Adultery and Human Nature

No. I actually read “The Storm” before reading “At the Cadian Ball.” Kate Chopin might have intended for “The Storm” to be read with “At the Cadian Ball”, but Chopin never published “The Storm”. “The Storm” was not published until 1969, nearly six five years later. Kate Chopin uses the same main characters in both of her stories and because she wrote “The Storm” it makes “At the Cadian Ball” a lot more interesting to read.