A Pair Of Silk Stockings Critical Analysis

Kate Chopin, a famous author from the American Realism period, writes the reality of the financial pressures that surrounded the women of the 19th century. She writes the story of Mrs. Sommers, a poor mother of many children, and her struggles finding freedom in the judgemental society she lives in. Mrs. Sommers was wealthy, but recently entered a life of poverty due to harsh times. When faced with financial decisions of her family 's wants and needs, Mrs. Sommers hastily spends all the money she has on herself rather than her children who need new clothes. The setting of this story is a large city with department stores and many attractions which play into Mrs. Sommers’ temptations later on in the story. Kate Chopin’s short story, “A Pair of Silk Stockings” shares the hardships of a poor 19th century woman who defies her traditional society of modest spending and selflessness by buying expensive materials for herself after collecting a, what seems to her, large sum of money and

Kate Chopin writes in her short story “A Pair of Silk Stockings” the rejection women faced in the way of pleasing themselves to leisures, spending money foolishly, and not putting their family and others first. Mrs. Sommers allows herself to do all of these “crimes” and blows all of her money. With this, she finds the joy of financial freedom again and wishes it will never cease. She first plans to spend the money on her kids as she is supposed to, then she unconsciously decides to spend all of the money indulging in life’s delicacies, and lastly she sees the effect the foolish spending has on her appearance to others and self esteem. With this, she finds the joy of financial freedom again and wishes it will never cease. Other poor women in the setting and time of this story did not experience this as Mrs. Sommers did. Kate Chopin allows us a glimpse into the life and desires of these women in her short story “A Pair of Silk