Essay “A pair of silk stockings”

In this short story “A pair of silk stockings” written by Kate Chopin, we are introduced to the main character Little Mrs. Sommers. We follow the story of Little Mrs. Sommers, how she unexpectedly gets her hands on an amount of money and how this changes her and her life.
The theme of this story seems to be concerning the conflict between “women and society”, this is evident in the description of how the neighbours consider Mrs. Sommers in society as well as the scene where Mrs. Sommers enters the fine restaurant and creates no reaction as she might have feared and been used to.
How man’s weakness for materialism can lead to selfishness and loss of responsibility is highlighted in the way Mrs. Sommers gets obsessed with the feeling of needing more and nothing ever being enough.

Mrs. Sommers is described as a very unselfish woman who declared her life to her family. Until she came in possession of fifteen dollars, she was a woman who used to bargain about everything and spend all of her energy on her children and their well-being.

Mrs. Sommers decides to go out to spend the money in a proper and responsible way. She wants to buy her children nice shoes and clothes.
However during the “shopping travel” something happens inside Mrs. Sommers.
She gets caught in the feeling of wealthy: “…gave her a feeling of importance such as she had not enjoyed for years.” (L3,P1)
The text tells us that Mrs. Sommers might have had a greater standard of living in the past, which she is reminded in this short period of time and this makes her loose her normal way of being reasonable: “…she had actually forgotten to eat any luncheon at all.” (L3,P2)
As soon as Mrs. Sommers is tempted by the silk stockings, it seems as if she leans back and gets swept away in a spoilt, dreaming, and materialistic world.
She buys the stockings and actually feels a bit a shamed about her old belongings, not finding them presentable enough, which evident her change of awareness.
When Mrs. Sommers has deselected the bargain counter and heads up to the ladies’ waiting room, she actually manifests, by going to the upper floor that she in mentality, has moved to a higher rank in society. From being a very innocent, controlled and easy-living single mother, she now seems to be a self satisfying carefree woman, whom doesn’t waist her time neither feeling guilty nor bad conscience: “..She was not thinking at all.” (L23,P2)
The change inside Mrs. Sommers is again evident after this amusement scene, as she enters the shoe department. “She was fastidious…”(L6,P3) “..She was not too easily to pleased.” (L7,P3)
From being a quiet and calm character, she now appears staging herself as noble, though self-centred and arrogant.
She begins to spend freely on the objects that she wants and treats her self nicely buying something she has not enjoyed for a long time. Now, money is not an issue on her mind, "she did not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price so long as she got what she desired." (L11-12, P3)
Even though Mrs. Sommers is aware that all of her fortune could be spend reasonably and wisely, she chooses to buy symmetrical gloves and high-priced magazines, which gives her a feeling of the past filled with long-lost pleasant things.
Mrs. Sommers walks out into the society with her improved character, well-aware of her appearance “..had given her a feeling of assurance, a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude.” (L25-26, P3)
This shows the human struggle and desire for prosperity and wealth.
Mrs. Sommers has fallen in the trap of materialism, which is a widespread tendency, in the period around the 19th century, when the evolution, industrialisation and education developed and grew, as well as today, where people in general seem to seek for external recognition and wealth.
Therefor the theme of the story, which Kate Chopin has chosen to describe through the polite and limited life of Mrs. Sommers is very apposite across time and place.
When Mrs. Sommers chooses to go to a fine restaurant in order to still her craving for food this is very unlike her normal way of committing herself.
In this restaurant everything seems spotless and shining. The impulse and irony is obvious in the scenario. Mrs. Sommers actually feared not fitting in and having created disturbances entering the restaurant unlike the actual situation. The feeling inside of her shows her conflict between her former character and the woman she wishes to appear as and act like.
At the same time she neither wants to be greedy and consuming nor stingy and bargaining, to substantiate this conflict, the writer describes how Mrs. Sommers wants to think of herself as not wanting a profusion, however she orders lots of different courses served with wine and coffee.
When Mrs. Sommers pays for her dinner and even leaves the waiter an extra coin, and he bows for her as if she was of royal blood it refers to the progress in society, which she heedlessly has thrown herself into.
Afterwards Mrs. Sommers enters a theater to watch a play. A lot of the people are at the theater primarily to enjoy the play, but Mrs. Sommers absorbs the entire experience, to keep her disconnected from her actual reality.
Finishing the play, Mrs. Sommers waits for a cable car to take her home, and the man sitting opposite to her studies her expression with interest. Bemused, he sees nothing and does not discern her desire for the cable car to keep going forever and never stop.
Although the purchases made by Mrs. Sommers will remain with her until they wear out, almost all of the freedom that she enjoyed will disappear once she leaves the cable car, and she will be left again with nothing but memories and unfulfilled desires.

Mrs. Sommers lives during this story through an enormous change of qualities in life and the sudden purchase of money brings her back to her former way of living, which she enjoyed and appreciated. These feelings are normally kept hidden in her subconscious, taking care of her children and making sure they are fed and wearing more or less descent clothes. This may result in Mrs. Sommers forgetting her own needs and suppressing her feelings.
Mrs. Sommers is the kind of character that has a powerful and hidden desire for a moment of luxury inside of her. Mrs. Sommers does not condemn herself for indulging herself and providing a day of respite from her difficult life.
This story is about a very unusual day in the life of an extraordinarily virtuous woman who, having otherwise sacrificed life and limb for her family for years, had enough self respect and self esteem left to take advantage of a fleeting fortuitous circumstance and temporarily break out of the box of her usually studious and exemplary way of life, not even feeling guilty.
Her dynamic character plays out the fantasy of all people, rich or poor: to be someone they are not, and for a day, live someone else's lifestyle even though it is temporary and unrealistic