The Character of Mrs. Sommers in Chopin’s A Pair of Silk...

The Character of Mrs. Sommers in Chopin’s A Pair of Silk Stockings The attempt to escaping reality proves to be a timeless act in A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin. The wishful Mrs. Sommers surprisingly finds herself with a sum of money unusually large for her circumstances and in her relishing and spending it reveals herself to be truly a woman of good intentions but who is weak for the intensity of the moment. Chopin has developed a character in Mrs. Sommers who plays out the fantasy of all people, rich or poor: to be someone they are not and for a day live someone elses life. Mrs. Sommers demonstrates characteristics of a prized knight such as chivalry and frugality yet confirms her mere humanity by†¦show more content†¦As her life was, she had no free time to spend with them because the needs of the present absorbed her very faculty(194). She even forgets to eat because of her preoccupation with taking care of her children! So, in her mind, the act of purchasing nice clothes for her children benefited her almost more than them. Mr s. Sommers indeed is a chivalrous woman toward her household. In todays society the quality of being frugal may be looked upon not as an asset but as a drawback to a persons personality, but Mrs. Sommers shows frugality to be a beaming attribute. Her way of being conservative in her spending not only tells that she has a well developed sense of economy but also that she understands her circumstance is not one which she can freely purchase as she pleases. In relishing the thought of spending such a sum of money, as she has now been given the opportunity, Mrs. Sommers does not rush out to splurge her new found wealth as so many people have been known to do. Instead she attempts to spread it out making it work in the most sufficient way possible. Her thriftiness reveals that she looks to the future and is not just caught up in her present situation. She is a levelheaded woman with responsibilities and concerns. Even when she meets her first possible purchase at the silk stocking counter she thinks over the bargain she will receive and makes her decision very carefully. Although her spending isShow MoreRelatedDesirees Baby Literary Analysis1989 Words   |  8 PagesKate Chopin’s stories Desirees Baby, The Story of an Hour, At the Cadian Ball, and A Pair of Silk Stockings, were written in the 19th century in times when women had no rights, and had to portray an image of a loving wife. They were considered selfish if they thought otherwise, and their job was to make their husbands happy at all times. This was the century of a turning point for women, in which they had desires test their limits imposed on their sex. Critics of her stories list the analysisRead MoreAnalysis Of Cather s A Pair Of Silk Stockings 1489 Words   |  6 Pagesearlier society put on women’s shoulders. 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