Lauren Carbone 11-2

English III

Mr. Fiorini

March 1, 2008

 

Kate Chopin Reading Journal

 

The writing of Kate Chopin, Lilacs, had both its similarities and differences in comparison to that of the American romantics we have read. In contrast, her pieces of writing show us a more realistic atmosphere opposed to the fantasy depicted in romanticism.  She speaks of a real life situation, such as that in the story lilacs, while the romantics portray a more out of the ordinary scenario. On the other hand, one thing Kate Chopin and the other American romanticism authors shared in common was the usage of nature in their story. In the romantics writing, it seemed as if nature was often used as symbolism or a way to express ones outlook on life. In Chopin’s story she uses lilacs as a way to show the past of Adrianne Farival. Chopin was also extremely descriptive with statements regarding nature such as” the notes of birds, just as we hear them now, and the humming of insects”.

 The story, for me, was a bit difficult to understand, so a theme is extremely unclear for me to decipher. However, this story did propose a question for me pertaining to the significance lilacs had in the symbolic meaning of the story. I found the lilacs to represent the two different lifestyles Adrianne was living. Whenever lilacs would come about Adrianne would make a presence at the convent. Lilacs blooming could show the new beginning for her at the convent. When the lilacs would fade away she would leave. The lilacs dying could symbolize the end of one lifestyle and the start of a new one.  This was a way for me to take the story to a new level and explore all the possibilities Kate Chopin was trying to get across to her readers.

 I believe the writings of Kate Chopin were not generally directed to a specific audience, however her work seemed to have a more feministic appeal to it. In Chopin’s stories Lilacs and A Pair of Silk Stockings, both were revolved around the story of a woman who seemed to have more than one lifestyle. Due to the large role women and society play in her stories I find that females would take greater interest in her work opposed to a male.

 As a reader, there were certain characteristics of Chopin’s writing I enjoyed and others I wasn’t exactly fond of. I didn’t particularly like how unclear the reason why Adrienne had left the convent was. I found it difficult to understand and wasn’t exactly sure of the “reading between the lines” that was suppose to be done to uncover the reason for Adrienne’s banishment. On the other hand, I did like the general idea of the lilacs in the story and the possible symbolic meaning they could have had. In general this isn’t my own personal reading style but there were aspects of it I did enjoy such as the double life idea she had used in her story Lilacs.

 “The play was over, the music ceased, the crowd filed out. It was like a dream ended. People scattered in all directions. Mrs. Sommers went to the corner and waited for the cable car.A man with keen eyes, who sat opposite to her, seemed to like the study of her small, pale face. It puzzled him to decipher what he saw there. In truth, he saw nothing – unless he were wizard enough to detect a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever.” The previous passage ending A Pair of Silk Stockings, was what made me want to read more on Kate Chopin’s work because of the way she ended leaving the idea of change and how all people are capable of it. I also liked her descriptiveness, which gave me a mental picture to build upon as the story progressed.