Exercises and Summary of A Respectable Woman || Compulsory English Grade 12 || Literature || Short Stories
Short Story
A Respectable Woman
-Kate Chopin
About the Author:
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Kate Chopin (original name Katherine O'
Flaherty (1851-1904)
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She is an American feminist novelist and
short story writer,
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She was born and brought up in St. Louis
and lived in New Orleans after she got married to Oscar Chopin,
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Her famous novels are At Fault (1890) and
The Awakening (1890)
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She wrote more than 100 short stories
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Her famous short stories are: Disiree's
Baby, Madame Celestine's Divorce and A Respectable Woman etc.
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She uses sensual connotative languages in
her writings,
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Her The Awakening was condemned for
sexual frankness,
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She was praised for depicting modern
sensibility,
About the Story:
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A Respectable Woman is taken from her
collection "The Awakening and Other Short Stories (2005),
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The whole story revolves round the
central character Mrs. Baroda who is married to a sugar planter Mr. Gaston
Baroda. She experiences tormented feelings when her husband's friend Gouvernail
visits the married couple on their plantation,
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There is a conflict in the minds of Mrs.
Baroda when she meets her husband's friend Gouvernail,
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Mrs. Baroda's attraction to
her husband's friend is the main cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda's
mind. Mrs. Baroda appears to be bound by society's perception of what makes a
respectable woman.
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Though she is attracted to Mr.
Gouvernail, she is able to resist her urges to touch and kiss Gouvernail due to
her belief that she is a respectable woman and restricted to society's opinion
of what a respectable woman may be.
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The mood of the story is calm,
understated, and enigmatic
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The title of the short story
indicates the plot is going to concern a woman, yet it does not tell us
anything about the action. Still, the attribute 'respectable' makes us think
about reputation and public image.
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As a respectable woman Mrs. Baroda knows
social etiquette, she is polite, and reasonable woman. She also knows who she
is and accept her own limitations but have a thankful and an appreciative mind,
heart, and soul.
Characters:
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Mrs. Baroda
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Gouvernail: journalist, a college friend
of Mrs. Baroda’s husband. His name in French means a rudder, a tiller, with the
implication that he is someone who knows the direction, who understands where
things are headed.
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Gaston Baroda: Mrs. Baroda’s husband
Setting:
Gaston Baroda's sugar plantation in
Louisiana, in the 1880s or early 1890s,
summary
Mrs. Baroda feels
annoyed when she hears that her husband is bringing a guest, Mr. Gouvernail (G)
on their plantation for a week or two as she was looking for an unbroken rest
and private chat with her husband after they had spent some time working on the
plantation in New Orleans. She has heard about him quite a lot but she has not
met him yet. She only knows that Mr. G are her husband are best friends since
college days and now he works as a journalist.
She has made an unconscious image of him that he is a cynical, tall and
slim guy. He wears eye glasses and always carries his hands in his pocket. She
doesn't like him. But when the slim with an average height Gouvernail visits
them, she likes him. She finds him without eyeglasses and even he doesn't carry
his hands in his pockets.
Although she
finds him without brilliant and promising traits as her husband talked about
him, she likes him knowing no reasons. He seems courteous to her and her
husband Mr. Gaston's welcome and hospitality. But he doesn’t show any direct
indication to impress Mrs. Gaston. He sits upon the wide portico smoking his
cigar and listening to Mr. Gaston attentively when he talks about his
experience as a sugar planter. He doesn't like fishing and killing birds.
Baroda is
stunned by Gouvernail's loveable and inoffensive personality. But she is
puzzled and piqued because he is reserved type of person. She remains aloof
living him and her husband alone together because she figures out that he takes
no notice of her act. Then she decides to socialize him accompanying him in his
idle walks. She tries to break his reserve apart in which he has enveloped
himself.
She asks
her husband when his friend leaves the plantation because she is bored with
him. Her husband puzzles why she is irritated with him though he gives no
trouble to her. She replies that he is not like other people. Gaston is afraid
of the commotion she has made about his friend. She disagrees with this. She
further says that he is not a clever person. In defense Mrs. Gaston says that
he is so because of his work load. Mr. Gouvernail is not funny and interesting
so she doesn't like him stay any longer. She says that she wants to go to the
city in the morning and stays with her aunt until he leaves.
That night,
she goes out and sits alone at the edge of the gravel walk. She doesn't know
why she wants to leave the house the following morning. Meanwhile she finds
someone approaching towards her. She is confirmed that the person is Gouvernail
because of a red point of lighted cigar. She pretends to be unnoticed by him,
but he recognizes her because of her white gown. He goes close to her and sits
beside her finding out that there will be no objection from her. He hands her a fabric scarf on behalf of
Gaston. She accepts it. Then her murmurs about the night. She doesn’t say
anything. A moment later, his silence breaks and talks to her first time. He
talks about his friendship with Gaston and his desire for peace. She is drawn
closer to him. She wants to touch to him with her sensuous finger and kiss on
his lips. If she was not a respectable
woman she would do so. She grows a strong feeling toward him however she
controls herself and leaves him alone.
Mrs. Baroda
is greatly tempted that night as she almost talks about her silliness to her
husband. Being a respectable woman, she becomes sensitive to the magnitude of
the turbulence cause by her intimacy to Mr. Gouvernail. She accepts the event
as a kind of battle in human life and must be fought alone. The following
morning, she leaves the house and doesn't return back until Gouvernail has
left.
In the
summer, Gaston again wishes to bring Gouvernail on the plantation, but Mrs.
Baroda strongly denies it. But by the end of the year, Mrs. Baroda herself
proposes her husband to bring him back. Her husband is surprised and happy with
his wife. She also promises to make him feel happy this time.
Glossary
tete-a-tete (n. French): private
conversation between two people, usually in an intimate setting
cynical (adj.): concerned only
with one's own interests
portico (n.): porch leading to the
entrance of a building
Corinthian (adj.): having the
characteristics of Corinth in ancient Greece
velvety (adj.): having a smooth,
soft appearance, feel, or taste
piqued (adj.): irritated
batture (n.): an alluvial land by a
riverside, especially in low land area
Mabelle (adj.): French word,
equivalent to my beautiful in English
unconciliated (adj.): uncompromised,
not agreeing
cravat (n.): a short, wide strip of
fabric worn by men round the neck inside an open necked shirt
whiff (n.): a brief and faint
smell
temptation (n.): a desire of
something wrong or unwise
strenuous (adj.): requiring or
using great effort or exertion
Understanding the text:
a. Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information
about Gouvernail's visit to their farm?
Ans:- Mrs.
Baroda became unhappy when she knew that Gouvernail was visiting them on the
plantation. She was looking forward an unbroken rest and undisturbed private
conversation (tete-a-tete) with her husband after they had worked a lot in
their plantation in New Orleans for a long time. Another reason for her
unhappiness was that she had made an uncertain image of him-totally a stranger.
b. How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda's
expectation?
Ans:- Mrs.
Baroda had imagined an unconscious image of Mr. Gouvernail. She had imagined
him to be a cynical, tall, and slim guy with eyeglasses and carrying his hands
in his pocket. But actually, Gouvernail was totally different from her
imagination. He was a man of moderate height with slim body. He did not wear
glasses and he had no habit of carrying his hands in his pockets. He was
courteous and well-mannered person. He remained reserved all the time. In
reality he was totally different from her airy picture of him.
c. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her
husband?
Ans:- Mrs. Baroda compares Gouvernail with her husband in
their behaviors. She finds Gouvernail quite reserved, unsociable,
uninteresting, unfriendly and he was not funny either as her husband possessed
all these traits. In short, he is not as interesting as her husband is.
d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change
Gouvernail's character?
Ans:- The
loveable and unoffensive traits of Gouvernail made Mrs. Baroda like him. But
now his personality puzzled her more than her first meeting to him. She found
him more complex and stranger. He even did not notice anything of her act. By
finding him reserved, she attempted to change his behavior. For that she
accompanied him on his idle walk around the plantation. She tried to penetrated
his reserve manner in which he was enveloped himself.
e. How does Gaston disagree with his wife's
expression towards the end of the story?
Ans:- Mrs.
Baroda finds Mr., Gouvernail frightfully. He remains quite reserved, lonely,
and he talks a little. He is not familiar to her, as a result he wants him
leave the house. But Gaston doesn't agree with his wife's opinion on
Gouvernail. He is not a troublesome guy. He is very good and respectable person
having outstanding and brilliant traits. The present behaviors of Mr.
Gouvernail is due to his work stress.
f. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife's expression
towards the end of the story?
Ans:- At the end of the story, Mrs. Baroda's remarks on Mr.
Gouvernail surprises Mr. Gaston. In the past, Mrs. Baroda left home because of
Mr. Gouvernail's behaviors. She didn't return back home until he had gone. Even
she expressed her strong dissatisfaction when Mr. Gaston wanted to invite him
again in the summer. But by the end of the year, Mrs. Baroda expressed her
interest to call Mr. Gouvernail again. Mr. Gaston was surprised and delighted
with suggestion from his wife. She said that she had overcome her dislike to
Mr. Gouvernail and promised to be very nice to him. This is why Gaston is
surprised with his wife's expression towards the end of the story.
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?
Ans:- 'A
Respect Woman' is an interesting story written by an American feminist writer
Kate Chopin. The whole story revolves round the central character Mrs. Baroda,
a wife to Mrs. Gaston Baroda, a sugar planter in New Orleans. The story is
about the mental conflict of Mrs. Baroda after she first meets Mr. Gouvernail
on her plantation during the winter. She likes him however she has created an
unusual image of him before. She finds him loveable and inoffensive. Without
knowing any reason, she is attracted to him. Her infatuation to him is the main
reason of mental conflict because she is a respectable woman and her liking to
him is unacceptable. She controls her impulse when she wants to touch and kiss
him while they are sitting along at night. Her inner virtue, social norms and
position in the society prevent her to do so. She suppresses her affections to
him though he loves him. If she had not been a respectable woman, she would
have expressed her love to him. Even she aims to revel her infatuation to Mr.
Gouvernail to her husband. She also controls this impulse owing to her moral
and social standards. The sense of being respectable woman prevent her going
out of track. This role has played a vital role for preventing her to be a
cheater to her husband and immoral person in the society.
b. Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it
with Gaston.
Ans:- Gouvernail
is another important character and the main reason of the conflict in the mind
of Mrs. Baroda. He is also presented to test a chastity of Mrs. Baroda in the
story. His character is presented in two points of views. He is a journalist
now and wants to spend a peaceful time because of his work load. According to
Mr. Gaston, he possesses brilliant and promising traits. But from the point of
view of Mrs. Baroda he lacks all these traits. He is introvert type of person
enveloped himself in his reserved nature. He doesn't talk much and even doesn't
pay any attention to Mrs. Baroda's act. He is not interesting, sociable, frank
and funny like Mr. Gaston.
c. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose her feelings
towards Gouvernail to her husband?
Ans:- After
her meeting with Gouvernail at that night she almost spoke about her intense
feeling to Mr. Gouvernail to her husband. But she controls herself realizing
herself being a respectable and sensible woman. She controls her temptation
thinking that such unusual situations might occur in human's life and must be
fought by herself. If she had confessed her love towards Gouvernail, she would
have broken an image of respectable and loyal image of her. Sometimes
distractions might occur in our lives and if we flow with such distractions, we
might ruin our lives. If she had not controlled herself, she would have spoilt
her happy married life. She doesn't disclose her feeling toward Gouvernail to
her husband to sustain an image of married woman and to prevent her to regret
in the future.
d. The last three sentences of the story bring a kind
of twist. After reading these sentences, how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda's
attitude towards Gouvernail?
Ans:- Mrs.
Baroda is a strong woman who overcomes sensual temptation towards a man being
loyal to her husband. She is determined to maintain an image of respectable
woman in the society by renouncing her strong feeling to Mr. Gouvernail. Married
people are attracted to their opposite sexes except their spouses. Our passions
and emotions sometimes distract us but we have to restrain such extra marital
affairs. Mrs. Baroda has done same thing. She becomes obsessed with Mrs.
Gouvernail and even she wants to touch and kiss him when she finds him alone at
night. Though it is said that everything is fair in love and war, she finds it
unfair. Her inner virtue prevents her to be immoral in the eyes of the society
and her husband merely to quench her thrust of love. She kicks her chance to
hug and kiss Gouvernail by leaving him alone. Even she doesn't return back home
until he has gone. She doesn't like to meet him again until she overcomes her
desire to Gouvernail. She wishes to invite him again after she totally
overcomes her desire. The last three lines brings a kind of twist as she gives
up her infatuation to Mr. Gouvernail and expresses her desire to be nice to him
instead of falling in love to him.
Reference beyond the text
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 un marital relationship
without direct fault of anyone. Anton's Chekhov's story 'About Love' is a story
on this subject.
Ans:- Ramnath
Adhikari and Sushila Neupane married together 10 years ago, and has been living
together in a suburb area in Kathmandu district. Mr. Ramnath is over 40 and has
earned a good reputation in the society working as a Lawyer for more than 15 years.
He is a senior lawyer in Kathmandu district court. Sushila is a beautiful woman
of just 30 years old. They have two children- one 8 years old son and another 5
years old daughter. Though there is a wide gap between their ages, they have
been living happily. Mr. Ramnath is a busy guy and he is busy all the time in
different cases. He trusts his wife fully and leaves her freely. Mrs. Adhikari
is young, beautiful, kind and intelligent. The ways she talks, her behavior, talkative
nature, her voice, fashionable dress up can impress anyone. It seems that she
is living a harmonious life with her husband. One day her husband brings his
intimate friend Arjun Singh at his house. Both of them work in the same court. He
is attractive, intelligent, good mannered and 10 years younger than Mr.
Ramnath. He stays there for a night and becomes so familiar with the family. Mrs.
Adhikari welcomes him heartily. He visits the family time and again as Mr. Adhikari
finds him very good person. His wife becomes close to him and invites Mr. Arjun
frequently. Mrs. Adhikari starts liking him and wishes him to stay at their
house always. She always talks about him with her husband. Mr. Adhikari notices
his wife becoming so happy when there is Mr. Arjun as their guest. For the sake
of his wife's happiness, he invites his friend frequently. Mr. Adhikari fully
trusts his friend and his wife and sometimes keeps himself busy leaving them
alone. Mr. Arjun and Mrs. Adhikari cheat Mr. Adhikari and indulge into sexual
activities. In an absence of Mr. Sing, Mrs. Adhikari suffers a lot. Mr.
Adhikari finds his friend and his wife cheating him. Both of them quarrel each
other regarding his wife's extra marital affair with his friend. Finally, they
end up their relationship with a break up. In this way the happy married life
of Mr. and Mrs. Adhikari is ruined because of the arrival of Mr. Singh at their
house.
b. Mrs. Baroda makes an expectation about Gouvernail
even before meeting him. Suppose you are a mature girl/boy and your family
member are giving you pressure for getting married. Write in about 200 words
describing what qualities you would like to get in your future husband/wife.
Marriage is not like a play of a child. It is a
serious concern in anyone's life. Leaving one or two, almost all people get
married when they become mature. The family members, relatives, society forces
a matured boy or girl to be married on time. I have just completed my study and
recently found a job in private sector. My parents are forcing me to get
married. But I am not ready to get married because my one mistake in choosing
my life partner I might suffer throughout my whole life. They talked about
several good girls from many good families but I have my own picture of my would-be
wife.
My life partner must be like my ideal wife. She must
be cultured, loyal to me and my parents, affectionate and caring. No matter she
is from rich or poor family, she must be my good friend as well. She must
suffer my happiness and sadness. She mustn't be an arrogant and a troublesome
girl. As I am sure that I respect her, she must respect me. She must enjoy my
happiness and sufferings. She must have a sense of humor, respectful and caring
to my parents, and a good teacher to my future children. She has to keep our
house neat and clean and welcome our guest.
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