The Locket by Kate Chopin (1899)
The Locket is a short story by Kate Chopin, first published in 1897. It tells the story of a young woman, Louise Mallard, who is informed of her husband's death in a train accident. Initially, she is overcome with grief, but soon realizes that his death has freed her from a loveless marriage. She is filled with joy and a newfound sense of freedom, until she finds a locket that her husband had been wearing at the time of his death. The locket contains a photograph of her husband and his former lover, and Louise is filled with sadness and regret. She realizes that her husband had been unfaithful to her, and that her newfound freedom is now tainted with sorrow. In the end, Louise is left with a bittersweet understanding of her husband's death and her newfound freedom.
By Kate Chopin · First published 1899 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 2 chapters · 2,146 words
First lines
One night in autumn a few men were gathered about a fire on the slope of a hill. They belonged to a small detachment of Confederate forces and were awaiting orders to march. Their gray uniforms were worn beyond the point of shabbiness. One of the men was heating something in a tin cup over the embers. Two were lying at full length a little distance away, while a fourth was trying to decipher a letter and had drawn close to the light. He had unfastened his collar and a good bit of his flannel shirt front.
"What's that you got around your neck, Ned?" asked one of the men lying in the obscurity.
What this Textopian page supports
The Locket is listed on Textopian as a short story by Kate Chopin, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Kate Chopin
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
- Length: 2,146 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 66 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Locket by Kate Chopin
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Locket?
- How does this short story by Kate Chopin fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realistic Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Lantern In Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich
- The Plumed Serpent by D. H. Lawrence
- Look We Have Come Through by D. H. Lawrence
- You Cant Go Home Again by Thomas Wolfe
- A White Bird Flying by Bess Streeter Aldrich
- Twilight In Italy by D. H. Lawrence
Genres
- Realistic Fiction — The Locket is a realistic fiction novel that follows the story of a young woman, Cora, and her struggles with love, family, and identity.
- Romance — The Locket is a romantic story that follows Cora's journey to find true love and happiness.
- Historical Fiction — The Locket is set in the late 19th century and explores the social and cultural norms of the time period.
- Women's Fiction — The Locket is a story about a woman's journey to find her identity and place in the world, making it a classic example of women's fiction.
Tags
Realistic Fiction · appeared · aunt · black · close · day · dead · drew · earth · edmond · eyes · fair