Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was born Katherine O'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1850. She didn't begin her writing career until after 1882, the year in which her husband, Oscar Chopin died (Toth). She spent several years publishing short stories, based on the Creole and Cajun cultures of Louisiana, where she and Oscar had lived. Her first novel, At Fault, was published in 1890. It was her second novel The Awakening that caused the backlash of the press because of Chopin's depiction of a woman with a developing sense of independence, and sexual discovery (Toth). This novel has since become her masterpiece and legacy, and what she is remembered for. She died in 1904, long before her genius was truly recognized or appreciated.

Kate Chopin's writing style is descriptive, and yet simplistic. Her tendency to focus on women has become a thread through which all her stories are woven. Her feminist...
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