A Pair of Silk Stockings – Kate Chopin

遊んで学ぼう

問題に答えてエネルギーを集めたら、釣りや探検を楽しもう。アカウント不要。

教育者の方へ： A Pair of Silk Stockings – Kate Chopin（English、Literature）向けのすぐ使えるレッスンスライド, 復習ノート — レッスンで使うか、学習者がライブゲームとして遊ぶインタラクティブなクラス活動としてトピックを実施できます。

レッスンノート

Overview and Publication

A Pair of Silk Stockings is an 1897 short story by Kate Chopin.
It was first published in Vogue magazine.
Chopin chose Vogue because it was considered fearless and truthful for the 1890s in its depiction of women and their lives.
The story is a brief, focused narrative that follows Mrs. Sommers over the course of a single day.

Plot Summary

Mrs. Sommers unexpectedly comes into fifteen dollars and spends days planning how to use it for her children's clothing.
While shopping, she rests at a counter and encounters a pile of silk stockings, which she finds soothing and luxurious to touch.
She buys a black pair for one dollar and ninety-eight cents, then exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones in a ladies' waiting-room.
She then buys boots, fitted kid gloves, and two high-priced magazines.
She eats a meal at a restaurant, then attends a matinee play.
After the play, she boards a cable car, wishing it would never stop.

Character of Mrs. Sommers

She is described as little, which suggests more than physical stature—it reflects her reduced social standing.
Before marriage, she had known better days and was accustomed to pleasant things.
She is practical and selfless, absorbed by the needs of the present and her children's welfare.
She is skilled at finding bargains and is persistent in pursuing them.
On the day of the story, she is exhausted and has forgotten to eat lunch, which weakens her self-resolve.
Her physical exhaustion mirrors the weakening of her self resolve.

The Silk Stockings as Symbol

The silk stockings are described as soft, sheeny luxurious things that glide serpent-like through her fingers.
Allen Stein argues that the serpentine silk stockings represent the empty consumerism Mrs. Sommers uses to escape her life.
Barbara Ewell concurs, calling the story a small masterpiece.
The stockings are the first step in her temporary escape from her ordinary life.

Themes

The power of money to enhance self-esteem and confidence is central to the narrative (Ewell).
Selflessness vs. self-indulgence: Mrs. Sommers has maintained selflessness until the stockings tempt her.
Transience: her experience of luxury and confidence is brief and must end, like the matinee.
Social class and identity: her appearance in the restaurant creates no surprise, and she feels a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude.
Escape and longing: her wish that the cable car would never stop reveals a poignant wish, a powerful longing.

Style and Language

Chopin uses sensory detail—touch, sight, taste—to convey the luxury of the stockings and the restaurant meal.
The phrase mechanical impulse that directed her actions and freed her of responsibility shows Mrs. Sommers acting without conscious thought.
This phrase prefigures Edna Pontellier in Chopin's later novel The Awakening.
The narrative voice is detached and ironic, observing Mrs. Sommers's actions without overt judgment.
The story is structured around a single afternoon, giving it a concentrated, almost dramatic unity.

Context and Critical Reception

The story was published in 1897, a time when women's lives and choices were heavily constrained.
Chopin's boldest stories, including The Story of an Hour, were published in Vogue.
Scholar Emily Toth observes that Vogue gave Chopin the false impression that American reviewers would accept her scandalous novel The Awakening.
Critic Barbara Ewell calls the story a small masterpiece and identifies the power of money as its core.
Allen Stein interprets the stockings as symbols of empty consumerism.

Key Quotations

fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives — Mrs. Sommers's vision of her children.
needs of the present absorbed her every faculty — her selfless focus before the stockings.
soft, sheeny luxurious things — description of the silk stockings.
serpent-like — the stockings glide through her fingers.
mechanical impulse that directed her actions and freed her of responsibility — her state when she changes stockings.
a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever — the story's final line.

Exam Preparation

For Paper 1 Section B (Prose), you will answer one essay question on the whole text.
Questions require knowledge of the whole text, including direct quotations (AO1).
You must show understanding of characters, relationships, themes and settings (AO2).
Analyse how Chopin uses language, structure and form to create meanings and effects (AO3).
Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to the question and whole text (AO4).
This is an open text exam: you may take your copy of the text with highlighting, underlining or brief handwritten notes, but no sticky notes or separate paper.

スライド

Step through every slide for this topic — plus flashcards and revision notes — with a free account.

登録 — 無料ログイン

練習問題

無料プレビュー — 57問中8問。すべて見るには登録を。

1.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', how much money does Mrs. Sommers unexpectedly come into at the start of the story?
Easy
- AFifteen dollars
- BFive dollars
- CTwo dollars and fifty cents
- DOne dollar and ninety-eight cents
2.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what does Mrs. Sommers initially plan to spend the money on?
Medium
- AA pair of silk stockings and matching boots for herself
- BClothing and new stockings for her children
- CA meal at the restaurant at the corner
- DMagazines and theatre tickets for the family
3.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following does Mrs. Sommers buy or pay for during her afternoon out? (select all that apply)
Medium
- ASilk stockings
- BFitted kid gloves
- CHigh-priced magazines
- DA new gown for Mag
- EA matinee theatre ticket
4.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Mrs. Sommers buys the silk stockings before she buys the boots.
Easy
True or false?
5.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', arrange these events in the order they occur in the story.
Medium
- Mrs. Sommers rests at a counter and discovers a pile of silk stockings
- Mrs. Sommers exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones in the ladies' waiting-room
- Mrs. Sommers lunches at the restaurant at the corner
- Mrs. Sommers enters the theatre for the matinee
6.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what is the reduced price of the silk stockings that Mrs. Sommers buys?
Medium
- AOne dollar and ninety-eight cents
- BTwo dollars and fifty cents
- CFifteen dollars
- DFive dollars
7.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', match each item or place to what Mrs. Sommers does there or with it.
Medium
- Silk stockings
- Restaurant at the corner
- Matinee poster
- Glove counter
- She feels the soft, sheeny luxurious things and buys a black pair
- She eats blue-points, a chop, a crème-frappée and drinks Rhine wine
- She is tempted to enter the theatre
- A young creature draws a long-wristed kid over her hand
8.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which detail shows that Mrs. Sommers has abandoned her earlier plan to shop for bargains?
Medium
- AShe tells the clerk she does not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price
- BShe counts the money out to the waiter and leaves an extra coin on his tray
- CShe buys two high-priced magazines
- DShe talks with the gaudy woman next to her about the play

もっと問題

9.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best describes Mrs. Sommers's state of mind when she first touches the silk stockings?
Medium
- AShe is immediately calculating how much she can save on them
- BShe is soothed and pleasurably absorbed, and forgets her original shopping purpose
- CShe is angry that the stockings are not her usual size
- DShe is determined to buy them for her daughter Janie
10.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Mrs. Sommers has eaten a large lunch before she begins her shopping.
Easy
True or false?
11.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', match each item to the reason Mrs. Sommers buys it.
Medium
- silk stockings
- kid gloves
- high-priced magazines
- boots
- because they were 'bargains' so cheap she had never expected them to be fitted to the hand
- because she had been accustomed to read such things in the days when she had been accustomed to other pleasant things
- because she was entranced by their smoothness and bought them on impulse without thinking
- because she wanted an excellent and stylish fit and did not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price
12.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following does Mrs. Sommers do at the restaurant? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AShe removes her gloves very leisurely and lays them beside her.
- BShe picks up a magazine and glances through it, cutting the pages with a blunt edge of her knife.
- CShe orders a profusion of dishes because she is very hungry.
- DShe leaves an extra coin on the waiter's tray.
- EShe asks the waiter to bring her children a meal.
13.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', arrange these moments from the story in the order they occur.
Medium
- She buys the silk stockings.
- She exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones.
- She is fitted for boots.
- She buys fitted kid gloves.
- She buys two high-priced magazines.
14.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following are true of Mrs. Sommers's original plans for the fifteen dollars? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AShe plans to add a dollar or two to the price usually paid for Janie's shoes.
- BShe plans to buy percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and Mag.
- CShe plans to buy two pairs of stockings apiece for the children.
- DShe plans to buy caps for the boys and sailor-hats for the girls.
- EShe plans to spend the money on a matinee ticket for herself.
15.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', match each place to what happens there.
Medium
- the counter where she rests her hand
- the ladies' waiting-room
- the shoe department
- the theatre
- she exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones
- she is fitted for polished, pointed-tipped boots
- she laughs at the comedy and weeps over the tragedy
- her hand encounters something very soothing and pleasant to touch
16.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', arrange these events from Mrs. Sommers's day in the order they occur.
Medium
- She sits on a revolving stool before a comparatively deserted counter.
- She selects a black pair of silk stockings.
- She crosses over to the shoe department.
- She enters a restaurant at the corner.
- She enters the theatre for a matinee.
17.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following details show that Mrs. Sommers has abandoned her earlier plan to shop for bargains? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AShe does not move in the direction of the bargain counter after buying the stockings.
- BShe tells the clerk she does not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price so long as she gets what she desired.
- CShe buys two high-priced magazines.
- DShe counts the money out to the waiter and leaves an extra coin on his tray.
- EShe waits for her change and her parcel.
18.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which word does the narrator use to describe the impulse that directs Mrs. Sommers's actions after she buys the stockings?
Medium
- Amechanical
- Bmaternal
- Cmalicious
- Dmelancholy
19.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what does the phrase 'a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever' mainly reveal about Mrs. Sommers at the end of the story?
Medium
- AShe dreads returning to her old life of self-sacrifice.
- BShe is afraid of travelling alone at night.
- CShe wants to move to a new city permanently.
- DShe regrets having spent all fifteen dollars.
20.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best explains why the silk stockings, rather than the planned children's clothes, trigger Mrs. Sommers's change?
Hard
- AThey appeal to her senses and to a self she had suppressed since marriage.
- BThey are cheaper than any of the children's clothes she had planned.
- CThey are a gift she intends to give to her daughter Mag.
- DThey remind her of a promise she made to her husband.
21.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following does the story suggest about Mrs. Sommers's 'better days' before her marriage? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AShe had once been accustomed to pleasant things such as high-priced magazines.
- BShe had known a higher social standing than she has now.
- CShe had always been poor and had never owned fine things.
- DShe had worked as a shop assistant before marrying.
- EThe neighbours are aware of her former position.
22.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following are effects of Mrs. Sommers's new clothes and gloves? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AThey give her a feeling of assurance.
- BThey make her feel she belongs to the well-dressed multitude.
- CThey make her feel guilty and ashamed in public.
- DThey change the way she carries herself as she walks.
- EThey make the waiter treat her rudely.
23.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Mrs. Sommers feels no guilt while spending the money on herself.
Easy
True or false?
24.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Chopin presents Mrs. Sommers's day of luxury as a permanent escape from her ordinary life.
Medium
True or false?
25.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', match each character or group to the role they play in the story.
Medium
- Mrs. Sommers
- Janie and Mag
- The neighbours
- The gaudy woman
- Talks of the 'better days' Mrs. Sommers once knew
- Shares her box of candy during the play
- The central character who spends the fifteen dollars on herself
- Children for whom new clothes and shoes were planned
26.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', arrange these stages of Mrs. Sommers's changing state of mind in the order the story presents them.
Medium
- She plans a careful, selfless use of the money for her children.
- She feels faint and tired and rests at a counter.
- She touches the silk stockings and is tempted.
- She abandons herself to impulse and buys for herself.
- She longs on the cable car for the day never to end.
27.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best explains why Mrs. Sommers does not move in the direction of the bargain counter after buying the stockings?
Medium
- AShe has already bought everything on her list.
- BShe has abandoned herself to a mechanical impulse that directs her actions and frees her of responsibility.
- CShe is afraid of meeting her neighbours in the shop.
- DShe has forgotten where the bargain counter is.
28.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best describes the effect of the man with keen eyes on our understanding of the ending?
Medium
- AHe recognises Mrs. Sommers as a wealthy woman from before her marriage.
- BHe is a wizard who can read her thoughts.
- CHis puzzled study of her face draws attention to the poignant wish and powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere but go on and on with her forever.
- DHe offers to pay for her cable car fare.
29.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best explains the contrast between Mrs. Sommers's shoes and stockings that puzzles the shoe clerk?
Medium
- AHer shoes are new and her stockings are old.
- BHer stockings are silk and her shoes are old, so he cannot reconcile them.
- CHer shoes are too large and her stockings are too small.
- DHer shoes and stockings are both bargains.
30.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following details show that Mrs. Sommers is no longer shopping for bargains? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AShe does not move in the direction of the bargain counter.
- BShe tells the shoe clerk she does not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price.
- CShe buys two high-priced magazines.
- DShe counts the money out to the waiter and leaves an extra coin on his tray.
- EShe buys a pair of black stockings on sale.
31.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following are true of Mrs. Sommers's experience at the restaurant? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AShe has never entered its doors before.
- BShe orders a profusion of dishes.
- CShe removes her gloves very leisurely and lays them beside her.
- DShe cuts the pages of a magazine with a blunt edge of her knife.
- EThe waiter ignores her.
32.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Mrs. Sommers had actually forgotten to eat any luncheon at all before her shopping trip.
Easy
True or false?
33.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', Mrs. Sommers is pleased when the shoe clerk cannot reconcile her shoes with her stockings.
Easy
True or false?
34.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', match each item to the amount of money connected with it in the story.
Medium
- The unexpected money Mrs. Sommers comes into
- The reduced price of the silk stockings
- The original price of the silk stockings
- The bill Mrs. Sommers hands the girl at the stocking counter
- fifteen dollars
- one dollar and ninety-eight cents
- two dollars and fifty cents
- five dollars
35.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', arrange these purchases and actions in the order Mrs. Sommers does them.
Medium
- She buys the silk stockings.
- She exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones in the ladies' waiting-room.
- She is fitted for boots at the shoe department.
- She is fitted with kid gloves at the glove counter.
- She buys two high-priced magazines.
- She dines at the restaurant.
36.Mrs. Sommers plans to buy new stockings for the children, two pairs apiece.
Easy
True or false?
37.Which of the following best describes Mrs. Sommers's state of mind as she exchanges her cotton stockings for the silk ones?
Medium
- AShe is carefully weighing the pros and cons of her decision.
- BShe is not thinking at all and seems to be taking a rest from reasoning.
- CShe is worried about what her neighbours will say.
- DShe is planning to return the stockings the next day.
38.Mrs. Sommers strives to explain the motive of her action to her own satisfaction.
Easy
True or false?
39.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', which of the following best describes the effect of the simile 'glide serpent-like through her fingers' when Mrs. Sommers handles the silk stockings?
Medium
- AIt makes the stockings seem luxurious but also subtly dangerous and tempting, hinting at the seductive pull of indulgence.
- BIt suggests the stockings are cheap and slippery, so Mrs. Sommers finds them hard to hold on to.
- CIt shows that Mrs. Sommers is frightened of the stockings and wants to put them down.
- DIt emphasises how cold and unpleasant the stockings feel against her skin.
40.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what is the effect of the short sentence 'She was not thinking at all.' after Mrs. Sommers changes into the silk stockings?
Medium
- AIt shows she has stopped reasoning and is acting on impulse, marking a break from her usual careful planning.
- BIt shows she has forgotten where she is and cannot remember her own name.
- CIt shows she is angry with the shop staff for not helping her.
- DIt shows she has decided to return the stockings and go home.
41.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what is the name of Mrs. Sommers's daughter for whom she plans to add a dollar or two to the usual price of shoes?
Medium
42.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about Mrs. Sommers's spending.
Easy
Mrs. Sommers buys ____ high-priced magazines such as she had been accustomed to read in the days when she had been accustomed to other pleasant things.
43.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about Mrs. Sommers's sense of herself.
Medium
The narrator says that Mrs. Sommers's stockings, boots and well-fitting gloves had given her a feeling of ____, a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude.
44.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about the story's ending.
Medium
At the end, Mrs. Sommers waits for the cable car and the narrator describes her longing that it would never ____ anywhere, but go on and on with her forever.
45.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what adjective does the narrator use to describe the wish Mrs. Sommers feels on the cable car?
Medium
46.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what colour stockings does Mrs. Sommers select?
Medium
47.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what size stockings does Mrs. Sommers ask for?
Medium
48.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what kind of gloves does Mrs. Sommers buy when she is fitted at the glove counter?
Medium
49.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what does Mrs. Sommers buy in the window of a stall a few paces down the street?
Medium
50.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about the money at the beginning.
Medium
Little Mrs. Sommers one day found herself the unexpected possessor of ____ dollars, which stuffed and bulged her worn old ____.
51.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about Mrs. Sommers's plans for the children.
Medium
A dollar or two should be added to the price usually paid for ____'s shoes, and she would buy percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and ____.
52.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', complete the sentence about the stockings on the counter.
Medium
She looked down to see that her hand lay upon a pile of ____ stockings, and a placard announced they had been reduced in price from two dollars and fifty cents to one dollar and ____ cents.
53.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', explain how the story's ending conveys Mrs. Sommers's feelings after her day out. Refer closely to the text in your answer.
Hard
54.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', explore how Chopin presents Mrs. Sommers's change from selfless mother to self-indulgent individual. Refer closely to the text in your answer.
Hard
55.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', what does the story suggest about the relationship between money and self-esteem? Refer closely to the text in your answer.
Hard
56.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', explain how Chopin uses the silk stockings to show the power of temptation over Mrs. Sommers. Refer closely to the text in your answer.
Hard
57.In Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', how does Chopin present the relationship between money and self-esteem in the story? Refer closely to the text in your answer.
Hard

復習ノート

## A Pair of Silk Stockings – Kate Chopin (1897) **Context:** Short story first published in *Vogue*. Chopin wrote for *Vogue* because it was, for the 1890s, "fearless and truthful" about women's lives; many of her boldest stories appeared there, including "The Story of an Hour". **Plot in brief** - Mrs. Sommers unexpectedly gains **fifteen dollars**. She plans carefully: new shoes for Janie, percale for shirt waists, a gown for Mag, stockings, caps and sailor-hats — her children "fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives". - The neighbours recall her "better days" before marriage; she never indulges in such retrospection — "the needs of the present absorbed her every faculty". - Tired and hungry (she forgot lunch), she rests at a counter and touches a pile of **silk stockings**, reduced from $2.50 to $1.98. She buys a black pair. - "Not thinking at all", she abandons her plans and spends the day on herself: changes into the stockings, buys fitted boots and kid gloves, expensive magazines, lunch at a smart restaurant, then a matinee. - On the cable car home she has "a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever". **Characters** - **Mrs. Sommers** — thrifty, self-sacrificing mother; called "little", which signals more than physical stature. Her exhaustion mirrors her weakening self-resolve. - **The neighbours** — aware of her former social standing and how marriage has reduced her. - **The gaudy woman** at the theatre — shares candy and tears with her. **Themes** - **Money and self-esteem**: Barbara Ewell argues "the power of money to enhance self-esteem and confidence is the core" of the story. - **Consumerism as escape**: Allen Stein reads the serpentine silk stockings as representing the empty consumerism Mrs. Sommers uses to escape her life. - **Transience**: her confidence and happiness are brief, like the matinee — "a dream ended". - **Selflessness vs. impulse**: she succumbs to the "mechanical impulse that directed her actions and freed her of responsibility" — words that prefigure Edna Pontellier in *The Awakening*. **Style and structure** - Third-person narration close to Mrs. Sommers' consciousness; the day moves from bargain counter to restaurant to theatre to cable car. - Sensory, luxurious detail ("soft, sheeny luxurious things"; silk gliding "serpent-like" through her fingers) contrasts with her shabby shopping-bag. - Ewell calls the story "a small masterpiece". **Exam reminders (Paper 1, Prose)** - Answer **one** essay question; you must show knowledge of the **whole text**. - Open text: highlight/underline and brief handwritten notes only — no sticky notes or loose paper. - All four AOs are tested holistically: AO1 knowledge, AO2 understanding, AO3 analysis of language/structure/form, AO4 informed personal response. Each is weighted 25%.

windfall: An unexpected gain of money; here, the fifteen dollars Mrs. Sommers suddenly possesses.
porte-monnaie: A small purse or money-bag; Mrs. Sommers' worn old one is stuffed and bulging with the fifteen dollars.
better days: The phrase neighbours use for the higher social standing Mrs. Sommers enjoyed before her marriage.
mechanical impulse: The force that directs Mrs. Sommers' actions after she finds the stockings, freeing her of responsibility; it prefigures Edna Pontellier in The Awakening.
consumerism: In Allen Stein's reading, the empty consumerism the silk stockings represent, which Mrs. Sommers uses to try to escape her life.
transience: The brief, passing nature of Mrs. Sommers' happiness and confidence; her experience, like the matinee, is ultimately transient.
matinee: An afternoon theatre performance; Mrs. Sommers attends one and weeps over the tragedy.
cable car: The transport Mrs. Sommers takes home, where she longs for it never to stop.
AO1: Show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (drama, poetry and prose), supported by reference to the text.
AO2: Understand the meanings of literary texts and their contexts and explore texts beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes.
AO3: Analyse ways in which writers use language, structure and form to create meanings and achieve effects.
AO4: Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts.

フラッシュカード

Who wrote 'A Pair of Silk Stockings'?

Kate Chopin.

When was 'A Pair of Silk Stockings' first published?

1897.

In which magazine was 'A Pair of Silk Stockings' first published?

Vogue.

How much money does Mrs. Sommers unexpectedly acquire?

Fifteen dollars.

What is the name of Mrs. Sommers's daughter mentioned in the story?

Janie.

What does Mrs. Sommers initially plan to buy with the money?

Clothing for her children, including shoes, fabric for shirt waists, gowns, stockings, caps, and hats.

What does Mrs. Sommers purchase instead of the planned items for her children?

A pair of silk stockings, boots, fitted kid gloves, magazines, a meal at a restaurant, and a theatre ticket.

What physical state is Mrs. Sommers in when she rests at the counter?

She is faint and tired, having forgotten to eat lunch.

What does Mrs. Sommers do with her old cotton stockings after buying the silk ones?

She exchanges them for the silk stockings and thrusts the cotton ones into her bag.

How does Mrs. Sommers feel about the silk stockings when she first touches them?

She finds them soothing and pleasant to touch, and is entranced by their smoothness.

What does Mrs. Sommers do at the restaurant?

She orders a meal including blue-points, a chop, a sweet, wine, and coffee, and reads a magazine.

What does Mrs. Sommers do at the theatre?

She watches a play, laughs at the comedy, weeps over the tragedy, and shares chocolates with a woman next to her.

What is Mrs. Sommers's final wish on the cable car?

She wishes the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever.

What does the phrase 'mechanical impulse' refer to in the story?

It describes Mrs. Sommers's state when she abandons her plans and acts without thinking, freeing herself of responsibility.

How does Chopin describe Mrs. Sommers's appearance after her purchases?

Her stockings, boots, and gloves give her a feeling of assurance and a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude.

What does the story suggest about Mrs. Sommers's past?

She had known 'better days' before her marriage, when she was accustomed to other pleasant things.

What is the significance of the title 'A Pair of Silk Stockings'?

The silk stockings symbolize luxury and temptation that lead Mrs. Sommers to momentarily escape her life of selflessness.

How does the story end for Mrs. Sommers?

She returns home on the cable car, longing for the day never to end.

What does the story reveal about Mrs. Sommers's social standing?

The neighbors are aware of her reduced social standing since her marriage.

What does Mrs. Sommers buy at the shoe department?

She buys stylish boots that fit well.

What does Mrs. Sommers buy at the glove counter?

She buys fitted kid gloves.

What does Mrs. Sommers buy at the stall?

She buys two high-priced magazines.

What does Mrs. Sommers do with the magazines at the restaurant?

She reads them while waiting for her meal.

What is the name of the story's author's later novel that shares themes with this story?

The Awakening.

What does the story suggest about the transience of Mrs. Sommers's happiness?

Her experience is ultimately transient, like the matinee she attends, and must end as she returns home.

Unlock all 57 questions, flashcards & more

無料アカウントを作って、このトピックのすべての問題・スライド・フラッシュカード・復習ノートを見よう。

登録 — 無料ログイン

過去問

このトピックの過去問練習は近日公開。

近日公開