The Culture of Kate Chopin in the South - Research Paper Example

The culture of Kate Chopin in the South Introduction One thing comes to mind when the Kate Chopin is mentioned, her association with the culture of the south. Kate Chopin was born in Louisiana, a southern state in the United States of America. She is famed for her eloquence in writing stories that were well received by several people across the world. Having lived in Louisiana, she put into the paper her observations and feelings about the cultures and the general lifestyles of the people in Louisiana. In the 1890s, a few years before her demise, she was well known among the American people, even though it is been quite a long period of time since Kate passed her stories are still used today to study the history of Louisiana. In her literally works, Kate described and addressed quite a number of issues. This research paper will explore these issues discussed by Kate in her novels more specifically into the living style of the people of Louisiana, adultery, and money (Ostmann 12). Kate Chopin’s Culture Louisiana is a current day state located in the southern part of the United States of America. Population statistics show that it is among the top 30 most extensive cities and one of the most populous. Actually, it is ranked as the 25th in the most populous states in the U.S.A.. The same sources state that Louisiana is the only state with political subdivisions also referred to as local governments, an equivalent of counties in other states. Louisiana is a remarkable place for Kate Chopin for this is her birth place. Slavery and racism were exceedingly rampant. Most urban areas of Louisiana were multilingual as they were inhabited by the French, Indians and African people with extraordinarily diverse cultures. After the civil wars, a new constitution was drafted and implemented in Louisiana. This constitution outlined various laws that abolished acts of slavery and racism. However, all did not go well in Louisiana as wars erupted later. The Coushatta massacre, a result of a dispute between the members of the white league and colleagues of Marshall Twitchell, caused a lot of bloodshed and lots of people lost their lives. Kate Chopin views about the civil wars are not exactly known, but she comments on the destructive impact of racism, especially in areas that were swallowed up in miscegenation and that race stopped being anything but arbitrary. It is also crucial to state that the home of Kate Chopin was destroyed by fire in 2008. (Ostmann 132) Kate Chopin’s documentary, A Re-Awakening, which was produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and later premiered on the same station in mid 1999. She explains what it takes to be a woman, the dilemmas that women of the 20th century overcame in their daily lives. The Awakening novel explores everything and merely leaves out the unsparing truth of the women's lives that can be described as submerged. Her stories are mostly set in her native state, Louisiana after the aftermath of the war. The scenery presented in her stories perfectly paints a clear picture about the culture and ways of life that were common to all natives. The Louisiana Creoles were the people whose originates could be traced to the colonial settlers in Louisiana. Most of the Creoles were either of Spanish or French descent. This term Creoles was used to refer to these French and Spanish descents to as the ones who were born in the colony, as opposed to the ones born in the old world. Charles Gayarre and Alcee Fortier, who were both Creole Scholars, raised an alarm about the use of this word. Its use to refer to people exclusively from the European community was highly asserted by the two scholars. This was an ultimate response to the racial climate imposed by the dominant Anglo-Saxon society that was slowly changing. Kate Chopin goes ahead to explain the intensity and richness of the Louisiana Creole culture. The French Creoles were famed for their interest to import books, wine and clothing. Their style to celebrate music and art eventually became a central cultural part of the Louisiana lifestyle. (Ostmann 433) In her story, The Storm, she explores different themes including women sexuality and adultery. Kate was brave for she explored and wrote about issues that were not subject to open discussion during times of her life. The storm was published in the 1890s, in the story, she uses the relationship between Calixta and Alcee to advance the theme of women sexuality and adultery. The reading and writing dictionary (2010), defines adultery as an act that can be described as cheating on your partner, having sexual intercourse with other persons other than your partner, or simply put, philandering. In the modern day world, adultery can be discussed openly as it is one of the ways that the spread of HIV can be prevented or reduced. Back to the storm, Kate describes Calixta as one woman who was afraid of the storm; on the contrary, Alcee was calm. This calmness relaxes her. This whole relationship reminds Alcee of the passion that is eluding it, and the bruise she had put into the relationship by having extra marital affairs (Koloski 212). Louisiana, where this relationship is based, most of the people are Catholics. Just as today’s Catholics, adultery was markedly condemned. It was and still is a sin. In Kate’s own words, even then the Catholics considered adultery a very  sin that anybody who participated in would go to hell. The adulterers would only be forgiven in case they repented before meeting their death. Unlike today where adultery has many other grave consequences besides being a sin in the eyes of the Catholics, adultery is not shown to have any other effects apart from breaking marriages, causing pregnancies and being a grave sin. No diseases are mentioned. This relationship is as a symbol that Kate uses to symbolize the ways of life of the Louisiana people. Adultery was just as rampant as racism and slavery were before the legislation of a ne w constitution after the civil wars. Kate Chopin also brings the way married women are viewed by their male partners into light. In the same story, Alcee’s beauty vie of Calixta is decidedly different as compared to that of her husband. Alcee sees Calixta as a youthful woman who is uncommonly beautiful, a real woman even after giving birth to a child. The storm later passed! (Seyersterd 112) Morality, religion, slavery and racism were part of the ways of life that Kate Chopin brought into the limelight, from the development of the white league, the Creoles and slavery all showed the superiority and inferiority of blacks in Louisiana. Actually, in almost all her works, Kate describes the ways of life in Louisiana; At the Canadian ball and the storm describe the ways of life for women, love and sexuality. Women felt that their freedom was curtailed in their marriages. Religion is purely displayed when Kate talks of Calixta’s neighbors who were mainly Catholics. This symbolizes that they had a belief in God. The same Catholics viewed adultery as a grave sin that all who were involved in it would only go to hell unless they repented. This further shows that the Catholics believed in heaven and hell, the perceived residences of God and Satan even in modern day Christianity. Kate gives an example of a woman who feels overjoyed when her husband dies. In the same story, at the Canadian Ball, the same woman develops a remorse feeling of rejection and sudden withdrawal of her freedom when her dead husband ‘returns’ (Beer 212). Kate Chopin does not discuss much about money and its use except in a few stories like ‘A Pair of Silk Stockings’. Initially, even before the civil war, social classes had emerged between the rich in the poor. The people in Louisiana who dealt in the slave trade were particularly richer than the other natives of Louisiana. Kate uses the story ‘A pair of Silk Stockings’ to symbolize the value of money in the Louisiana society. Within the story, Little Mrs. Sommer’s finds herself with unexpected 15 dollars. This statement clearly displays the fact that poverty was rife in Louisiana and money was hardy to come by. In Mrs. Sommers’ view, the money is so much, and she suddenly develops a feeling of importance within herself. The feeling of importance explains why social classes emerge even today. The rich are considered more valuable than the poor in the society, just as Sommers feels powerful when she gets the money.(Koloski 234). Conclusion Kate Chopin clearly gives emotional and touching views about Louisiana to the whole world and to the lovers of written literature. From the civil war, to the constitutional reforms and abolishment of the slave trade to the differences in the superiority of the whites and blacks, she tells tellingly about the ways of life in this southern state of the United States of America. She addresses the plight of women, their freedom, love, sexuality and adultery. She further explores the effects of money in the Louisiana society and its impact in their lives. In summary, Kate Chopin gives a perfect view of Louisiana without leaving any stone unturned. Works Cited Beer, Janet. “The Cambridge Companion to Kate Chopin.” Cambridge, England: Cambridge UP, 2008. Koloski, Bernard. “The Awakenings: The Story of the Kate Chopin Revival.” Louisiana State University Press. Baton Rouge, LA, 2009 Ostman, Heather. “Kate Chopin in the Twenty-First Century: New Critical Essays.” Newcastle upon Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars, 2008 Seyersted, Per. “The Complete Works of Kate Chopin.” Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 2006. Read More