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Which one of these is closest to Kate Chopin's view on female sexuality as it is expressed in the story?

A) Female sexuality is portrayed as repressed and condemned.
B) Female sexuality is celebrated as a source of empowerment.
C) Female sexuality is irrelevant to the narrative and not explored.
D) Female sexuality is presented as a source of shame and guilt.

User Maress
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Kate Chopin's works, particularly 'The Storm' and 'The Awakening,' celebrate female sexuality as a source of empowerment, challenging societal norms and advocating for women's liberation and self-expression.

Step-by-step explanation:

Kate Chopin's view on female sexuality, as expressed in her stories, especially in The Storm and The Awakening, indicates that female sexuality is celebrated as a source of empowerment. In The Storm, Chopin portrays the protagonist Calixta's extramarital affair as a transformative awakening and a natural self-realization of womanhood. It's a clear deviation from societal norms, and through this act, she discovers freedom and passion.

Rather than depicting it as shameful, Chopin employs the affair as a vehicle for Calixta's expression of self and underscores the disconnect between women's bodies and their sociopolitical lives. Likewise, The Awakening tackles women's sexual desires and the struggles with the traditional roles expected of them with unprecedented frankness for its time. Chopin's work assisted in the destigmatization of labels used to shame women, thus advocating for women's liberation.

User RedShadow
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