Kate Chopin :: essays research papers fc

Kate Chopin gives a great deal of thought in her literature to issues that she views as important. She was encouraged not to become a "useless" wife; she was also involved in the idea of becoming an independent woman (LeBlanc 1). Kate Chopin is a well-known American writer. Kate Chopin was born on February 8, 1851, in St. Louis, Missouri. At the age of 53, on August 22, 1904, she died due to cerebral hemorrhage (Hoffman 1-2). Kate is the daughter of Eliza Faris O’Flaherty and Thomas O’Flaherty. Her father was a well-established merchant, who took part in many business investments. He is one of the founders of the Pacific Railroad, and was on the train when it crashed into the Gasconade River, in 1885. Her mother Eliza, was a member of a very elite social group, in their French-Creole community. After Kate’s father passed away, her mother became much more religious, and develops a closer relationship with Kate. Kate also has an older half-brother, George O’Flaherty. He was a Confederate solider in the Civil War, and in 1863 was captured by the Union forces, and dies of typhoid fever while in prison. Kate spent her childhood in St. Louis Missouri (Hoffman 1). Kate Chopin was only married once, and it was to Oscar Chopin, a prosperous cotton farmer. The two were married one June 9, 1870, after a yearlong courtship. Kate and Oscar had six children, five boys and one girl. Jean was born in 1871, Oscar Jr. in 1873, George in 1874, Frederick in 1876, Felix in 1878 and Lelia in 1879(Hoffman 1-2). When his cotton business failed they moved to Cloutierville, a small town in Louisiana. They were married for 12 Â ½ years. In 1882 Oscar died of Malaria, and Kate raised the children on her own. Two years after Oscar died Kate and her children moved in with her mother. Less than a year later her mother died and she was on her own again. Kate received a formal education at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis. She enjoys music, re ading, writing, French and German. She became fluent in both languages. Later in her life she continues her education by studying biology and anthropology. Kate Chopin is known to be an extremely smart woman. (Toth 116) In addition to writing the only other career Kate Chopin has, is being a housewife.