The document discusses three works by Kate Chopin that demonstrate the feminine struggle against domestic expectations of marriage and motherhood. It summarizes the plots and conflicts faced by the main female characters in "A Pair of Silk Stockings", "The Story of an Hour", and The Awakening, all of whom desire independence and self-realization over lives focused solely on their families and husbands. The document concludes that Chopin's overarching theme in these works was women's search for their own identities separate from their domestic roles.

1. Chopin and the Cage of Marriage and Motherhood Haley Hawkins

2. Chopin demonstrates the feminine struggle against the domestic cage in the follow stories. “A Pair of Silk stockings” “The Story of an Hour” The Awakening

3. “A Pair of Silk Stockings” Mrs. Sommers’ life revolves around her children, and she never does anything for herself. Mrs. Sommers’ comes to a time she has to decide between slavery and freedom.

4. Mrs. Sommers’ conflict She finds her self with an unexpected fifteen dollars. She decided to spend the money on herself. She knows she should have spent the money on her children, but she was selfish and spent all of it on herself.

5. Result of Mrs. Sommers’ Now that she spent the money on herself, she knows how it feels to be independent. She longs for this comfortable lifestyle instead of a life focused on other people’s wants and needs.

6. “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard was married unhappily to a good man until her husband was killed in a railroad disaster. She no longer had to live for her husband. This did not mean that she did not love her husband. She just loved her freedom more than she loved her husband.

7. Conflict with Mrs. Mallard Her husband death meant that Mrs. Mallard was free! Now Mrs. Mallard wished for a long life when the previous day she had wished for life to be short. She could live for herself absolutely.

8. Outcome of Mrs. Mallard Mrs. Mallard’s husband in the end of the story enters the house. Mrs. Mallard dies of heartbreak from losing her new– found freedom.

9. The Awakening Edna is not the mother—type of women that society expects. Edna did not hate her husband, but the marriage was not one made in heaven. She is a woman that wants to live for herself and make her on decisions.

10. Edna’s Conflict Edna gets a chance to live for herself. She does not want to go back to her family. She has an affair with a man named Alcee, and she falls in love with a young man named Robert.

11. Edna’s Outcome Since Edna cannot live the life she chooses, she would rather die than go back to her life as a mother. Edna Swims out to the ocean and drowns herself.

12. Kate Chopin’s Main theme Chopin developed the theme of the search for identity by creating complex, interesting fictional women and placing them in life like situations. Mrs. Sommers, Mrs. Mallard, and Edna Pontellier all reach this moment of self– discovery.