Kate Chopin

After our exam, and before diving into our next unit, we will look at an important American author: Kate Chopin.

Photoportrait of writer Kate Chopin. Photographer not credited. Made available for use through Times-Picayune

From americanliterature.com: "Kate Chopin...is considered one of the first feminist authors of the 20th century. She was following a rather conventional path as a housewife until an unfortunate tragedy -- the death of her husband -- altered the course of her life. She wrote a number of short stories but is best known for her novel The Awakening(1899), a hauntingly prescient tale of a woman unfulfilled by the mundane yet highly celebrated "feminine role," and her painful realization that the constraints by virtue of her sex blocked her ability to seek a more fulfilling life."

We will read two stories from Kate Chopin: "Story of an Hour" and "The Storm." Both of these stories explore the role of women in society at the turn of the 20th Century, particularly in terms of marriage. Our main objective is to practice looking at and taking notes on literature, as well as analyzing literary elements. Take a look at this literature-note taking guide.