In her writings Kate Chopin (1851 – 1904) creates a variety of woman figures: the stereotypical woman, the mother woman, the artist, or the sensual woman. Some of them seem distant, not caring very much about their relationships, others seem to be flirting all the time, and with a different man on each page, there seems to be no in between. So who are the flirty woman? When taking a closer look one can see that there are differences between social classes and ethnic background of these women. And in her two short stories “At the 'Cadian Ball” and “The Storm” and in her novel “The Awakening” Kate Chopin ascribes sexuality to women of color.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Definition of a woman of color
2. Analysis of Calixta in "At the 'Cadian Ball"
3. Analysis of Calixta in "The Storm"
4. Analysis of Mariequita in "The Awakening"
5. Conclusion and Comparison
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how Kate Chopin ascribes sexuality to female characters identified as women of color in her literary works, specifically exploring how their social standing and ethnic backgrounds influence their portrayal as sensual figures.
- Analysis of racial and social markers in the description of female characters.
- Examination of the short stories "At the 'Cadian Ball" and "The Storm" regarding the character Calixta.
- Investigation of the character Mariequita within the novel "The Awakening".
- Comparison of how these characters navigate and express their sexuality compared to traditional beauty ideals of the era.
- Discussion on the consequences of overt sexuality for women of lower social classes.
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis of Calixta in "At the 'Cadian Ball"
Already in the beginning of the first short story the reader gets an idea of how Calixta looks like through Bobinôt fantasizing about her. She is already described as a “Spanish vixen”, that means a young, beautiful girl with Hispanic background. While Bobinôt is struggling to decide whether to go or not to go to the 'Cadian ball, his thoughts drift to Calixta, who will be at the ball. He remembers her in detail:
Her eyes, – Bobinôt thought of her eyes, and weakened, – the bluest, the drowsiest, most tantalizing that ever looked into a man's; he thought of her flaxen hair that kinked worse than a mulatto's close to her head; that broad, smiling mouth and tiptilted nose, that full figure; that voice like a rich contralto song, with cadences in it that must have been taught by Satan, for there was no one else to teach her tricks on that 'Cadian prairie.4
First of all, her eyes are described: they are blue, blue like the ocean, like the sky, infinite and calming, so deep or so high that one can get lost in them, like in Calixta's eyes. They tantalize Bobinôt, just like the ocean as Jacques Yves Cousteau once said: “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever”. Whoever looks into Calixta's eyes will be captivated by her, men who once looked into her eyes will be desire her forever. They are also “drowsy”, sleepy, probably only half opened, which is considered a sensual expression. Bobinôt continues to describe her hair as kinky, which on the one hand gives some information about her origin, as mentioned before, but on the other hand kinky is also used to characterize something or someone as attractive, or as provocative so the language used here is in a flirtatious style.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the study and establishes a working definition of "women of color" based on dictionary entries and historical context relevant to Chopin's work.
2. Analysis of Calixta in "At the 'Cadian Ball": This section examines the initial characterization of Calixta through the eyes of Bobinôt, focusing on physical descriptors that signify both her ethnicity and her overt sensuality.
3. Analysis of Calixta in "The Storm": The chapter explores the evolution of Calixta's character in the sequel, analyzing how her physical desires are reawakened and the subsequent loss of her identity as a person in favor of being perceived as an object of lust.
4. Analysis of Mariequita in "The Awakening": This part focuses on the character of Mariequita in Chopin's novel, highlighting how her lower-class status and flirtatious nature set her apart from other characters.
5. Conclusion and Comparison: The final chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that women of color in Chopin's works operate with more sexual freedom than white women, though they risk being reduced to mere sex objects by their environment.
Keywords
Kate Chopin, Sexuality, Women of Color, The Awakening, At the 'Cadian Ball, The Storm, Calixta, Mariequita, Gender Roles, Social Class, Flirtation, Literature, Femininity, Racial Stereotypes, Desire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the representation of sexuality among women of color in selected works by Kate Chopin, specifically looking at the intersection of ethnicity, social class, and gendered behavior.
Which literary works are central to the analysis?
The analysis primarily focuses on the short stories "At the 'Cadian Ball" and "The Storm", as well as the novel "The Awakening".
What is the primary objective of the research?
The goal is to determine how and why Chopin attributes specific sexual characteristics to her characters of color and what this reveals about the societal perceptions of the time.
What methodology does the author use?
The author employs a close reading and textual analysis of the primary sources, supported by dictionary definitions and literary interpretations of character descriptions.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the physical descriptions of the characters, the symbolic meaning of their actions, and how their interactions with men reflect their distinct social and ethnic positions.
Which terms best characterize this work?
Key concepts include sexual discourse, social mobility, racial markers, fertility, and the dichotomy between personal agency and objectification.
How is Calixta's hair used as a narrative device?
The author notes that descriptions of Calixta's "kinky" hair serve both as a marker of her ethnic descent and as a provocative detail intended to emphasize her exotic and alluring nature.
Why does the author differentiate between Mariequita's behavior and that of other characters?
Mariequita is contrasted with other female characters because she shows no fear of social judgment and openly uses her body language to express interest in men, making her character uniquely accessible and transparent to the reader.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2016, Sexuality of women of color in Kate Chopin's writings, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/354405
