Literary Analysis Essay of Kate Chopin’s ‘Regret’
Kate Chopin’s ‘Regret’ examines the disappointment of a woman who thought she had made a good decision not to be married and only to find out the significance and value to her identity later on. Focusing on the story of Mamzelle Aurelle, the story is told from an omniscient standpoint highlights the conflict that exists with the protagonist and herself. Through the use of foreshadowing and symbolisms, Chopin is able to appeal to readers and demonstrate the strength and fulfillment associated with motherhood. The ending of course is a sad one, demonstrating the disappointment of having a belief system that she cannot change and remorseful due to the time wasted on finding things that are significant.
One of the themes that readers would discover is the idea of regret. As the title suggests, it shows the feelings of Mamzelle Aurelle after she declined to be married and have children. Though this thought never crossed her mind in the past, it all began to manifest when she came to handle the children of her neighbor Odile. Though at first she found the responsibility too tasking, her interaction with the children slowly changed her and made her realize the value of motherhood and the fulfillment created by having children (Collins 1). Of course, he learned this too late as he again sat alone in her house having little company apart from her servants and her dog Ponto. Arguably, Chopin presents regret to Mamzelle particularly in her inability to recognize the significance of having children and the sadness that she cannot do anything about it because of her age.
Another theme worth exploring is how Chopin empowers mothers in the story. Since her story focuses on a woman who had never aspired to be married and has always assumed a masculine role in the household, the change created by interacting with children demonstrates the strengths that mothers have. Like the case of Mamzelle, she realized that amidst her willingness to not be married and have children, her maternal instincts prevailed and showed her another side of her personality that is willing to come out (KateChopin.org 1). Arguably, Chopin reinforces the side of mothers and the sense of fulfillment that they gain compared to those who chose the different path. For Mamzelle, it was tragic for her come into realizations at the latter stage of her life and readers can clearly associate the ‘regret’ she feels due to this reality she cannot change.
Chopin also utilizes symbolisms in the story. Arguably, the material objects in the story reflect the overall personality of the protagonist and the changes happening within piece demonstrates the shift in this mindset. In particular, the use of the old blue army overcoat, top boots and the gun all define Mamzelle as the masculine figure in the household (Chopin 1). Since he does not have a husband or children to take care of, she had always assumed this role. However, upon the entry of the children, Chopin symbolisms gradually changed. Given the affection and presence of children made Mamzelle recognize her maternal instincts and demonstrates a more feminine role. A good example to show this is her use of the sewing basket and white apron. Evidently, this part remains to be significant because it complemented the development of Mamzelle character and made her realize what she was missing in life.
Overall, Kate Chopin’s approach to storytelling in the ‘Regret’ enables readers to see the transformation of Mamzelle’s character. By actually immersing an unmarried woman to the realities of caring for children, it opened her eyes to the life she was missing. Though she annoyed at first, these eventually changed as she saw meaning and contentment with having someone to actually care about. However, it also remains to be tragic as the protagonist realizes a bit too late and actually feels the ‘regret’ of not having lived the life she always wanted in the first place.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. ‘Regret’ American Literature.n.d. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
Collins, Kristin. ‘Short Story Reviews Regret by Kate Chopin’ Humanities 360. 4 Jun. 2011. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
KateChopin.org.Kate Chopin: Regret. n.d. Web. Accessed 25 August 2014.
This is a sample Literary Analysis Essay of Kate Chopin’s ‘Regret’ from SureEssays.com - your leading essay and research paper writer!
Nicely posted
ReplyDelete