Kate Chopins Regret :: Chopin Regret Essays

Kate Chopins Regret   The Question How would you characterize Mamzelle Aurelie found on Chopins description of her? Make reference to specific details in the story. How does her inner self that we see at the end of the story bank force with what we see at the beginning?   Kate Chopins story, Regret, is ab out an unmarried, middle-aged woman who is absolutely given the responsibility of caring for a neighbors small children. In the story, Chopin shows us a strong and independent person whose rough, male exterior hides a lonely and tender-hearted woman.   Chopin begins the story with a portrait of Mamzelle Aurelie. We know that she is at least(prenominal) middle-aged because she has hair that was changing from brown to gray (461). And she has a rugged, masculine appearance. She wears a mans hat and overcoat and even topboots on occasion.   She not single looks strong but is strong and capable in her every solar day life. She has a determined eye s he lives quite alone except for her dog, Ponto she runs a farm and supervises her workers, and she had a gun with which she shot chicken- hawks (461).   However, the arrival of the neighbors children bring out a different aspect of her character. At first she tries to deal with the children to the highest degree as if they were another variety of farm animal. Thus, when they arrive, she determined a line of action which should be identical with a line of duty, which from her point of mountain means feeding them. But she soon discovers that little children are not little pigs (462). Caring for the children requires that she awaken the feminine and maternal aspects of her nature that had been dormant. wherefore she brings out her white aprons and got down her sewing-basket to mend the childrens clothes. She washes their feet before bed, tells them stories and even lets the youngest stay with her.