“The Story of an Hour” and “Regret” by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin had many experiences with different influences in her lifetime. Kate had lost her male role models in her youth and was raised by very prominent women. In her schooling, taught by the nuns, Kate enjoyed reading and writing. When Kate married she kept a diary that included content that was not discussed in that era of time. Early on she became a widow with six young children having to nurture alone. The depression she faced from the misfortunes she had in her youth and the marriage, had led her family doctor to encourage the writing as a way to express her emotions. In her writings, it was believed to be a reality to her creativeness in her own personal views of life. Kate had accomplished being known as a nationally acclaimed writer. Criticism from mainly the men had pushed her to stay creative and prestigious in her writing. The poems and short stories that Kate Chopin has shared have given meaning of all the good, the bad, and unspeakable moments of her perception of her life lived.

"The Story of an Hour" is a story about a woman who found out that her husband has just died. Her immediate reaction was to cry and grieve over the loss of her husband; and she did this while her friend supported her. However, as time went on, she started to think more about what it meant that her husband was gone and she had a 'light bulb moment'.

As a writer, Kate wrote what she felt, how she thought through things, and how she wanted them expressed. She also has stated that her writings were certainly not everything she actually thinks about. Emily Toth describes Kate's private papers, “A pioneer in her own time shows the portrayal of women's desires of independence and control of their own sexuality.” Her first novel was privately published by herself. The content of women with alcoholism and affairs received many negative reviews. In this time frame, a social status was to be obtained by women. The admiration and support was growing in the social groups of woman, a voice they did not have. Her fame was growing before her time.

Throughout her life, Kate Chopin, author of “The Awakening” and other short stories such as "A Pair of Silk Stockings," "Désirée's Baby," and "The Story of ...