Hometown Influence upon Chopin's Stories

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This essay explores the influence of St. Louis society upon Kate Chopin's works, such as At Fault, "Athenaise," and "Miss McEnders." Since Chopin's literature portrays rural life and culture in Louisiana, she is generally viewed as a local color novelist. However, it is proposed that her stories reflected the social changes of her native city, St. Louis, which she encountered upon her return from Louisiana in 1884. Undergoing rapid economic growth and urban development, St. Louis saw the rise of metropolitan journalism and feminism. Chopin's career as a novelist began in St. Louis during 1889, and her writings incorporated progressive ideas from the journalists and New Women of her social clique. Yet, she was critical of the city's amateur philosophers, as well as the journalists with regard to their moral conservatism.
2010-03-31