Born in 1850 to an Irish-French family in St. Louis, she grew up in a household of women.

As she grew up, learning her familys culture and history, her passion for writing developed. It was further ignited by the encouragement of her friend, Dr. Frederick Kolbenheyer, in order to satisfy her, simple, separate person. With this intact, she found influences in her surroundings and challenged the society with controversial topics that were socially unacceptable. She had an admiration of Guy de Maupassants writing techniques and stories. She describes his works as life, not fiction and praised the use of self-exploration for story writing as well as utilizing the old fashioned mechanism, which were essential to the art of story-making. Based on his techniques, she surpassed him by developing a technique that was marked as her own, as Wikepedia stated that she had an ability to perceive life and put it down on paper creatively. Lifestyle was also a major contribution to her stories. The Story of an Hour was influenced by her great-great-grandmother, who had been the first woman in St. Louis to receive a legal separation from her husband and had gone on to raise her five children and run a shipping business alone. It was also influenced by the freedom that her husband, Oscar Chopin, had given her, as she was able to smoke, ride streetcars, walk around the town or publish articles in newspaper challenging the state of womanhood. This freedom was seldom for women in the nineteenth century, as women were unable to voice their opinions on controversial topics, such as their relationships, etc. because during this period, a man virtually owned his wife and children as he did his material possession. Therefore, women could only focus on their husbands prosperity or failures. With this story, Kate Chopin challenged the society with this issue where the protagonist, Louise Mallard, had the ability to voice her situation, which was freedom- something that many women of this century could empathize. In the Desirees Baby, published in January 4, 1893 is regarded as one of Kate Chopins famous story, focuses on her experience with the Creoles of Louisiana. Slavery was predominant, as the plantation life was a reality. As a result, miscegenation was common and the issue of racism developed. With this story,

she exemplifies the way in which racism can affect the relationship of individuals, and challenges whether it is based on love or physical attraction without knowledge. The Storm, along with other stories published in her 1899 infamous book, The Awakening, expresses the private needs of women that were rejected in this period. The behavior of women were expected to be considered proper and being able to fulfill societys standards of virtue The Story of an hour The Story of an Hour portrays the idea that women alone in the nineteenth century were more tolerable than the emotional confinement of most marriages. Most married individuals would fantasize about the death of a spouse in order to regain a sense of freedom, something that Mrs. Mallard had not realized until later in the story. As a result, she initially wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, after which she began to awake. This feeling she wanted to reject was overbearing, seeing that the joy of being her own person approaching her as if it were an outside force about to possess her. The critique explained that this feeling was from the freedom from cultural restraints as she was not oppressed by that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. This means that individuals, regardless of their emotions, are to do their duty within their marriage. Both partners in the marriage are trapped this created an imagery of love in the public the notion that was the norm in the 1800s. The intrusion of partners thoughts something that they would prefer to keep private is something that individuals subconsciously do. As a result, they indirectly are controlling them (like prized possession), telling them how to feel. This intrusion is what she is freed from, and is now able to feel that self

determination- there was a feverish triumph in her eyes and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. This was short lived, as her husband returned. She was a subject of and subject to masculine discourse her status as his wife was reestablished. The marriage was also imagery, as she was just like a nineteenth century married woman, whom was subjected to the patriarchs powerful will bending hers. As a result, her happiness was disregarded, as the lines on her face bespoke repression. The shift in the enlightment was apparent in her surroundings This liberation was private first, where she abandoned herself in a room of her own where she spoke for the first time albeit under her breath. This is due to her status as a widow, and this new found joy cannot be shown to the public, the charade of being his wife, i.e. her sister and Richard, as she knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death However that feeling was overpowering, but was short-lived due to there was etc. which was short lived due to the masculine discourse the return of her husband and her untimely death upon seeing him cemented that during this time, men dictate the circumstances of the life of women. The critique also commented that the marriage was unfaithful. She bore no children for him and as became more ill, and weak, she would be useful, as she could not keep the house in order to produce strong sons. This freedom she found was of no value to this era, as her existence dependend on a lack of self, since woman was meant to live for theirs. This question if her husband would love her even if she grew old. The society expected her to be upset and more ill due to her husbands fatality but that was not the case. Out of an emotional reaction, she wept but without a deep comprehension about its impact on her life. The Storm

This embodies a sensuous and artistic woman, who moves towards independence from a stifling marriage into adultery - this complex characterization of her sexuality was bold for its time and was shocking to most of the literacy community. She views the relationship with Alcee as anything but an interlude in her life because she did not find bobinot as someone to fulfil her desire eventhough by the standards of society he was considered to be an appropriate husband. Calixta and Clarisse are in a relationship with men that they do not desire for, eventhough bobinot and alcee are smitten for them. The sudden passion of calixta and alcee is inextricably tied to the symbolism of the storm itself the cyclone is a natural phenomenon outside of the usual expectations of the weather and the lovers physical intimacy falls outside the constraints of an ordered and constrictive society. Calixtas feelings for bobinot was questionable, as does shows tenderness towards him but did s he loved him? they had separate sleeping arrangements. The passion between Calixta and alcee is debatable, as this questions whether they demonstrsted love or is it just the reawakening of the lust between them that was forgotten. She adjusted herself to the normal routines of her life, with her husband, further fueling the debate on whether she loved alcee who she could find that sexual fulfillment with him. The initial reaction to her husbands safe return is an example Both characters refuse to acknowledge their encounter to their counterparts, but lived their lives as what they should live with their roles in the married life. Calixta was unable to fulfil societys standards of virtue. Desirees Baby

Chopin describes society in which everyone knows his/ her place. Just as masters have absolute power over the bodies and souls of their slaves, men had a similar power over their women. Desirees emotion was directly dependent on Armands mood During this period to have a hint of African ancestry places a person outside the white society. Chopin subverts the assumption that a person may be defined or classified by race or heredity. This was evident when Madame Valmonde and her husband found a baby who called him Dada. It was also present with la blanche, who was a light skinned slave who armand spends most of his time. This questions whether or not her children were his as well as posing a challenge in his married life with Desiree. Comparing La blanches child with hers, she found out that they had African origins.