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A Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin
MAIN INTRODUCTION
DETAILED SUMMARY OF THE STORY "A RESPECTABLE WOMAN" BY KATE CHOPIN | CLASS 12 ENGLISH GUIDE
SHORT SUMMARY
TEACHERS' GUIDE
▪︎ Story presents the identity of a married woman and her self-dignity of being a wife.
▪︎ Story is about the main character Mrs. Baroda and her inner conflict.
▪︎ The story follows the elements of a traditional plot: exposition, rising action, climax and resolution.
▪︎ Setting: Mr. Gaston Baroda's sugar plantation in Louisiana during the 1880s or early 1890s
▪︎ Three main characters: Mr. Gaston Baroda, Mrs. Baroda and a visitor named Gouvernail.
▪︎ Story begins with Mrs. Baroda's unhappy mood
▪︎ She learned that her husband's friend Gouvernail was planning to visit them on their sugar plantation.
▪︎ Mrs. Baroda didn't like her husband's idea because she had planned to take a rest and converse with her husband Gaston Baroda after their busy winter.
▪︎ Mrs. Baroda knew that Gouvernail and her husband had been friends in college. She had heard various things about him through her husband. She had been told that he was now a journalist.
▪︎ She pictured him unconsciously in her mind. She supposed him to be tall, slim, cynical; with eyeglasses, and his hands in his pockets.
▪︎ When Gouvernail arrived, Mrs. Baroda kept on looking at him. She found him quite different from her expectations.
▪︎ He was slim but neither tall nor cynical. At first sight, she found herself attracted to him. She started liking him.
▪︎ She became quite confused about why she liked a person like Gouvernail. She found Gouvernail quite different from what her husband Gaston had described him to her.
▪︎ She found the lack of all the positive traits within him. He wasn't a frank and chatty man like her husband. He didn't seem brilliant. But he seemed quiet and courteous in response to their welcome and hospitality.
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▪︎ Mrs. Baroda wanted to see him frank and chatty like her. But he behaved quite simply towards them, which wasn't liked by Mrs. Baroda. He made no particular attempt to impress her through his acts. He seemed quite different and didn't have frankness like other guests.
▪︎ She found him simple and silent. He didn't seem interested in fishing or hunting.
▪︎ His personality puzzled her. But she found him lovable and inoffensive. She left him alone with her husband at first. To overcome his reserved nature, she began to accompany him on walks.
▪︎ She became tired of Gouvernail. She asked her husband about his departure. Both of them argued about him. Mrs. Baroda preferred him to see something more interesting and demanding. Mr. Baroda was surprised to hear her words.
▪︎ She desired to go to the city in the morning and stay with her aunt Octavie.
▪︎ Last night at the plantation, she was confused in the evening. Gouvernail saw her and sat next to her. He didn't even think about her reaction.
▪︎ He murmured about the night. His silence disappeared, and he became talkative for the first time.
▪︎ His tones attracted her a lot. She wanted to reach out her hand in the darkness and touch him with the sensitive tips of her fingers on his face or lips. She wanted to be closer to him and whisper against his cheek. But she controlled herself because her self-dignity as "a respectable woman" prevented her from doing so. Finally, she left, and Gouvernail remained alone behind.
▪︎ She desired to reveal her great mistake to her husband. But later on, she decided to handle the situation herself by being sensible.
▪︎ She moved to the city and returned after Gouvernail's departure. Her husband told her that Gouvernail didn't deserve her dislike. She kissed her husband and told him that she had overcome everything and that she would now treat him more nicely.
▪︎ Here, at the end of the story, there is no certainty; we don't know if she will choose her feelings or overcome them. In that way, Kate Chopin makes us question whether being respectable means living according to social norms or living our lives without regret.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin
"A Respectable Woman" Exercise
Answer:
I don't feel good if someone lives in my house as a guest for a long time. I feel disturbed most of the time when I find guests in my house. Due to the presence of guests, I have to change the way I live.
b. Have you ever changed your opinion about a person after meeting her/him?
Answer:
Yes, I have done this many times in my life before. I have recently changed my opinion about a person called Ramlal. I expected him to be a decent and courteous guy, but after meeting him, I realised that he was the worst person I have ever met. He is a man who keeps on using abusive words in every second of his talk.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
Answer the following questions
a. Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm?
Answer:
Mrs. Baroda was unhappy with the information about Gouvernail's visit to their farm because she had planned to take unbroken rest and converse privately with her husband, Mr. Gaston Baroda, after their joyous winter as well as their mild separation during their stay in New Orleans.
b. How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s expectation?
Answer:
Mrs. Baroda had never met Gouvernail in her life before due to various reasons. She had learned various things about him through her husband. Before meeting him, she pictured him unconsciously as slim, tall and cynical with eyeglasses and hands in his pockets. She didn't like him while picturing him. But when she met him, she found him different from her expectations. She found him slim, neither tall nor cynical. At first sight, she found herself attracted to him. But Gouvernail's personality puzzled her later on. She found him different from other guests as well as less friendly, which made her feel tired. Gouvernail never attempted to impress her or responded to her acts.
c. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband?
Answer:
Mrs. Baroda compares Gouvernail with her husband in the following manner:
▪︎ Mrs. Baroda finds her husband as a social, frank and friendly guy, whereas Gouvernail as a guy of a reserved nature.
▪︎ Her husband seems like a man with words, whereas Gouvernail seems less talkative.
▪ She finds a lack of brilliancy and positive traits in Gouvernail more than in her husband.
▪︎ Gouvernail seems much simpler and more courteous than her husband's frank hospitality.
▪︎ Gouvernail doesn't seem interested in fishing and hunting whereas her husband is.
d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits?
Answer:
Mrs. Baroda became quite tired of finding her guests uninterested. She didn't even find any reaction in him when she showed her rude manner of leaving him alone with her husband at first. She tried to change Gouvernail's solitary habits because she wanted him to be more demanding and interesting. For that, she started accompanying him on his idle walks up to the mills and along the batture (an alluvial land by a riverside, especially in lowland areas).
e. How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail’s character?
Answer:
Gaston disagrees with his wife on Gouvernail's character by saying that Gouvernail doesn't expect commotion over his presence. According to him, Gouvernail needs a break from his busy life, which is full of work. Against his wife's opinions, he supports Gouvernail's character, saying that he has all the positive traits like friendliness, frankness, talkativeness and social nature.
f. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story?
Answer:
Gaston is surprised by his wife's expression towards the end of the story because his wife's expression is quite puzzling enough for him to understand. She states that she has overcome everything and that she will be nice to him on his next visit. Her strange statement in a delightful tone makes Gaston feel surprised.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT
a. What is the cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind? What role does Mrs. Baroda ‘being a respectable woman’ play in the story?
Answer:
The cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda's mind is her attraction towards her husband's friend, Gouvernail. She finds herself attracted to him at first sight. She is puzzled by her act of liking a person like Gouvernail. Mrs. Baroda's 'being a respectable woman' plays a vital role in controlling her desires and preventing her from doing immoral acts. Her self-dignity as a respectable woman and wife makes her aware of her social reputation and even the limitations of social norms and values.
b. Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.
Answer:
Gouvernail is one of the major characters in the short story "A Respectable Woman" by Kate Chopin. He has played the role of a visitor who has come to spend one or two weeks at Mr. Gatson Baroda's sugar plantation in Louisiana. He was a friend of Mr. Gaston during their school days. He is a slim guy with average height. He has visited Barodas' plantation to spend his time and take a rest from his tiresome, busy life. He presents himself quite simply and courteously in response to Baroda's welcome and hospitality. He spends his time on the plantation in a very reserved manner. He doesn't pay much attention to Mrs. Baroda. He likes to live a peaceful life without any disturbance. He is not interested in fishing and hunting. Mrs. Baroda doesn't find him interesting. For her, he doesn't seem clever, brilliant, or a man of ideas, as described by her husband, Mr. Gaston earlier. Gouvernail has been accompanied by her to change him. Gouvernail is seen breaking his silence at the end of the story while sitting on a bench just beside her. He remains at Baroda's house as a simple guest, and his reserved nature creates a bit of tension between Mr. Gaston and Mrs. Baroda.
On the other hand, Mr. Gatson Baroda seems quite sociable, frank and friendly. He is quite a caring husband. He loves and trusts his wife so much. He addresses his wife, Mrs. Baroda, using lovely names such as 'chereamie' and'ma belle'. He is a wealthy sugar planter and often has positive thoughts. He doesn't feel good to hear his wife disliking opinions about Gouvernail. He tries his best to persuade his wife about Gouvernail. He is a brilliant man with a hobby of fishing and hunting. He nicely treats his guests and provides them with good hospitality. Thus, both Mr. Gaston and Gouvernail are seen quite differently in the story.
c. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband?
Answer:
Mrs. Baroda doesn't disclose her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband because she wants to handle the situation herself by being sensible. She feels disturbed and puzzled due to Gouvernail's reserved nature. She is troubled by her inner conflict. She wants to reveal her great folly from last night to her husband at first. But later on, she wants to tackle her problem herself. As a respectable woman or wife, she thinks that being human, some battles of life should be handled alone.
d. The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. After reading these three sentences, how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda’s attitude towards Gouvernail?
Answer:
Kate Chopin's writings always direct her readers towards brilliant and ambiguous (unclear) conclusions. She often created twists in her creations. The last three sentences of Mrs. Baroda create a kind of confusion for all the readers. After reading her statements, I think she will treat Gouvernail more nicely the next time, being a respectable woman or a wife. She will surely overcome the folly of her first experience. She will present herself as a perfect host without expecting such desires as before.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE CONTEXT
a. The entry of an outsider into a family has been a recurring subject in both literature and films. Narrate a story real or imaginative where an outsider’s arrival destroys the intimate relationship between the husband and the wife and causes break up in the marital relationship without the direct fault of anyone. Anton Chekhov’s story ‘About Love’ is a story on this subject.
Answer:
The story "About Love" was written by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. "About Love" is a story about love affairs. Here in this story, the third love story somewhat reflects the same ideas as seen in Kate Chopin's "A Respectable Woman."
The third story presents the love story of the major character, Alyohin and Anna, the wife of Dimitry Luganovich.
When Alyohin is elected honorary justice of the peace, he has to go to town for work. There, he meets another judge named Dimitry Luganovich. Once he goes to the house of Luganovich to have dinner, There, he meets Anna Luganovich, the wife of Dimitry Luganovich. The beauty, youth and intelligence of Anna attract him. Alyohin’s mind is disturbed by Anna’s memory. He starts meeting with her. They pass the time together for hours. They share gifts. They go to the theatre and also share their joys and sorrows. Alyohin falls in love with her, but his morals and thoughts stop him from expressing his love openly. As a result, Anna suffers from mental fatigue. Both of them suffer a lot due to middle-class morals. But later on, Alyohin sees the illusion that Anna enjoys her life and doesn’t pay attention to him. Due to their relationship, Anna suffers from mental fatigue. Finally, the Luganovich family has to move. Alyohin goes to say goodbye to Anna inside the train. When their eyes meet for the last time, both cry and hug each other. Alyohin kisses Anna and expresses his deep love. Finally, both separate from each other because Anna is leaving for Creamea for her treatment.
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Answer:
Marriage is a sacred relationship between two people. It is a union of two or more people that creates a family tie and carries legal, social or religious rights and responsibilities. Before marriage, we need to think about and know about the person with whom we are going to get married. It is a lifelong relationship; that's why we have to choose the perfect life partner.
If I get pressure from my family members to get married, I would like to have the following qualities in my future wife:
1. Lovable and caring:
My future wife must be lovable and caring. She must be lovable and caring for all my family members.
2. Well-mannered:
She must be well-mannered. She should be polite and well-mannered to all.
3. Beautiful:
She must be beautiful, not only from her physical appearance but also from her heart. She should be outstanding in performing her role in the family.
4. Responsible and respectable:
She must be a responsible and respectable wife. She must know her responsibilities towards family and spend her life being a respectable wife.
5. Educated:
She must be highly qualified and know how to educate others. She must have the quality to make others realise the importance of education in life.
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