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30 pages 1 hour read

Kate Chopin

At the ’Cadian Ball

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1892

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Background

Authorial Context: Kate Chopin

Almost all of Chopin’s novels and short stories are set in Louisiana, where the author lived with her husband prior to his death. By all accounts, including Chopin’s, the marriage was a happy one. The couple had six children, five boys and one girl. Prior to marriage, Chopin grew up in Missouri in a bilingual (French and English) household in which her family owned slaves. Chopin’s family supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. She attended St. Louis Academy of the Sacred Heart as well as the Academy of the Visitation.

Chopin spent significant time with clever and tactful women, including her mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, close female friends, and the nuns at school. She is known for drawing on her experiences with these warm and nurturing women and for depicting similar characteristics in her female heroines. Additionally, her experiences as a mother and a socialite, and the expectations that come with these roles, seep into her stories.

Chopin moved to St. Louis after the death of her husband and a brief affair with a neighboring farmer. She was well regarded by close friends who admired her quick wit, charming though often quiet demeanor, and ability to express her well-developed opinions eloquently. Bayou Folk, Chopin’s first published book, received praise and positive reviews in a variety of literary newspapers and magazines. However, when Chopin published more sexually explicit content a few years later, including “The Storm” (the sequel to “At the ’Cadian Ball”) and her novel The Awakening, her work was criticized as unhealthy and sordid.

Chopin was essentially blacklisted by most publishers at the turn of the century, and the author died suddenly in 1904 from a brain hemorrhage. Decades later, in the 1960s, literary scholars revisited Chopin’s work and credited her as a leading feminist voice of her generation.

Socio-Historical Context: Gender Roles in 1890s America

The 1890s were a restrictive, though transitional, time for women in American history. Particularly for socialites like Chopin and a number of her female characters, high expectations were placed upon appearance. Ladies were expected to present themselves with a high level of decorum, elegance, and grace.

Most women were expected to court and marry their husbands by their late teens, begin having children, and tend to all needs of the home and family. Few other options existed, but a few universities would admit women to study and prepare for professions like nursing, teaching, and other careers deemed appropriate for the “more delicate” sex.

With that said, the 1890s saw great strides for women’s rights with the creation of the National American Woman Suffrage Association led by Susan B. Anthony. Much of Chopin’s work depicted women embracing their passions, creativity, and sexuality, showing the negative experiences of women who were confined by the traditional, imprisoning roles of wife and mother. As Chopin discovered, the stronger her feminist voice became, the more negative feedback she and her publishers faced.

Regional Context: Acadiana, or French Louisiana

Set in the Acadiana region of Louisiana in the 1890s, “At the ’Cadian Ball” takes place in a farming community a few hours’ train ride outside of New Orleans. This area, also referred to as Cajun Country, is home to people who identify as Cajuns (Canadian exiles of French heritage) or Créoles (descendants of colonial Louisiana—French, Spanish, West African, and Native American heritage).

The region was highly influenced by French culture and customs in the late 19th century; most people from this region speak a heavily accented French-English blend, and the dialect and customs of the various social groups and ethnicities of the region are reflected in Chopin’s work. Chopin was originally considered a “local colorist” before focusing on bolder statements about women and sexuality. Her stories depict the food (e.g., crawfish, jambalaya, pampano en papillote) music (e.g., fiddle tunes, rhythmic music, blues), and customs/traditions of the southern Louisiana people.

The ball itself is an example of Chopin’s use of regionalism, accurately portraying the customs and expectations of the rural people who attended such functions. People in attendance are considered guests and expected to behave as such, but they are also expected to buy their own lemonade, coffee, and gumbo. A room is set aside to accommodate sleeping babies and children of the partygoers. Gunshots from the three fiddlers indicate the end of the ball, as was customary. The party only ends at daybreak. The details of the ball described by Chopin provide a depiction of the unique customs of the region.

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