Analyzing Kate Chopin's 'The Locket'

Allison Hiers
Mr. Ellis
English 1101
November 23, 2014
Analysis of “The Locket”: Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin was born on February 8, 1851, in St. Louis, Missouri, in to a socially prominent family with roots in French past. In 1855, her father died in a train wreck; thereafter Kate lived in a house of many widows- her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother (Wyatt). Kate spent the Civil War in St. Louis, a city where residents supported both the Union and the Confederacy and where her family had slaves in the house. Her half brother enlisted in the Confederate army, and was captured by Union forces, and died of typhoid fever ("Biography”). This is what most likely led her to write The Locket. Kate Chopin’s “The Locket” is one of her more disheartening
stories, but the plot comes back and twists into something that is not anticipated and reveals a more contented ending. Chopin takes the theme of the long-lasting impact of war on the lives of everyone in its path. She gives us a sense of mystery, sadness, and hope. This analysis will reveal feelings of true love, hidden symbols, and the impact of unfortunate events on young people’s lives.
The first part of the story is set at the front of the Civil War and in a community of French speaking settlers. A young woman gives her true love, a solider, her locket before he goes to fight in the war. The soldier, Edmond, sits around a fire with four of his fellow troops and they ask him about his locket. He then begins to think of the day the fair Octavie gave him the locket. The next morning a battle breaks out and after the battle a priest goes to praise the dead. He finds a young man with his face to the sky with a gold locket around his neck. The Priest manages to send a letter to Octavie with the locket inside. Edmonds family and Octavie can only be led to think he is dead. She feels as if there is no reason to live without her love and that she will grow old and lonley. It turns out in the end, that the locket had been stolen by the fourth solider at the camp fire, and it was he that was found dead after the battle. All of the horror and destruction in part one contrast perfectely with the spring setting in part two. They are tied together because of the relationship between Edmond and Octavie. Edmond feels the connection when he reflects the memory of “ Her sweet face, appealing, pathetic, tormented by the pain of parting, appeared before him as vividly as life”(“The Locket Part 1”). Edmond who fights in all the chaos of the unexpected battle still manages to hold on to a memory of Octavie’s love. Even though Octavie lives in a world fill of growth far away from the war, She rembers him by mourning his death and dressing in black. She is held in this dispear because of the locket that reminds her of Edmond. Chopin writes of a wisebird that watches the battle between the north and the south.
It seems she is trying to bring another view from an outside perspective. Regardless of which side wins the war the birds life will still be the same. Perhaps she is referring to herself. She didn’t care which side won during the civil war because her life would not have a significant change. She just wanted the war to end so all of the destruction and death would end. This perspective might also be a reflection of Edmond and Octavie’s feelings. Edmond most likely did not want to leave the women he loved to face a chance of
dieing. The war leads to premature aging among those who should be young and optimistic.
Chopin portrays this when she leads us to consider that Edmond is dead and when Octavie goes into mourning. Edmond, Octavie, and the thief who stole the locket are all very young and in the prime of life. Edmond and Octavie are separated because of the war and the young thief is killed in battle. War causes the young confront death, while the older men in the story, such as the priest and Judge Pillar, preserve life. Whether it is by praying for people’s souls or by trying to revive life in the young, as does the judge for Octavie. Chopin indicated that the war almost succeeded in taking away their youth, but she concludes by suggesting that Edmonds return from the war is capable of renewing their lives. In The Locket, Chopin showed us how one significant tragedy can affect people’s lives. She gave us the insight into the trauma of the Civil War not only for the soldiers, but for women who remained at home. Though her writing career began more than two decades after the Civil War ended, her writing was greatly influenced by the aftermath of the war ( MacLean). She was the first woman writer in her country to accept passion as a genuine subject for serious, outspoken fiction. She revolted against belief and authority. Which was not common for a women in her time
period.

Works Cited
"Biography, Kate Chopin, The Awakening, The Storm, Stories." KateChopinorg. The
Kate Chopin International Society. n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Chopin, Kate. "The Locket - Kate Chopin (1851-1904)." About.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2014

MacLean, Maggie. "Civil War Women." Civil War Women. n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Wyatt, Neal. "Biography of Kate Chopin." Biography of Kate Chopin. 1 Jan. 1995.
Web. 30 Nov. 2014