Short Story #315: Regret by Kate Chopin

Title:  Regret 

Author:  Kate Chopin

Book cover to The Awakening and Selected Stories of Kate Chopin, by Kate Chopin and edited by Barbara H. Solomon; Signet Classics, 1976. Summary

Mamzelle Aurile has lived a long life without marrying, being content and happy by herself.  She is described as manly and content.  One morning, her neighbor brings her four children over to the house and begs that she watches them because her mother was ill and her husband away.  Aurile agrees but is not entirely sure how to care for the children.  She finds it chaotic and confusing as she learns about the little quirks and idiosyncrasies of the children.  Over the two weeks, she establishes some means of caring for them properly.  They were contributing to the work around the house and getting what they needed.  However, their mother arrives and the children rush over to greet her and they eventually leave.  In their wake, Auzille takes a seat at the table and begins to cry with loud manly sobs, while her dog licks her hand.

Reflection

I initially like the presentation of Aurile but also worried about the "regret."  Regretting not have a life-partner would have been agreeable but her sadness about not having children was less appealing for me.  

Short Story #315 out of 365
Rating: 2 (out of 5 stars)
Date Read:  11/01/2014
Source:  The Awakening and Selected Stories of Kate Chopin, by Kate Chopin and edited by Barbara H. Solomon; Signet Classics, 1976.  The story can also be found at this website for free.

For a full listing of all the short stories in this series, check out the category 365 Short Stories a year.



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