Introduction
Kate Chopin is a well-known writer whose works are infused with meaningful messages, requiring readers to focus on the motifs and details of the work. Among the stories written by Chopin is “Lilacs,” which follows the life of Adrienne Farival, a French performer, who keeps returning to the convent where she spent her adolescence each year as she smells “the scent of the lilac blossoms” (Chopin 244).
The work attracted the attention of many scholars, including Khoshnood, Campfield, Ostman, and Pierse. The writers focused on the deeper meaning of “Lilacs,” emphasizing the contrasting themes of matriarchy and patriarchy, younger and older generations, and life in the metropolis and countryside. These motifs show two worlds in the heroine’s lives and never-ending societal issues. Thus, the major themes in the short story “Lilacs” help Kate Chopin concentrate on the underlying conflict between the old and new orders.
Matriarchy and Patriarchy
The first theme present in Chopin’s work is matriarchy and patriarchy. Khoshnood and colleagues (1145), in their article “Kate Chopin’s Early Fiction as a Prologue to the Emergence of the New Woman,” argued that to be a true woman in Chopin’s patriarchal time, it was expected that one must demonstrate piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity.
The first characteristic, holiness, is founded on the principle that one should align one’s life’s purpose with religion and adhere to Biblical principles. Yet, the author emphasizes that “Paris had engulfed her,” and Adrienne chose to perform rather than dedicate her life to being a nun (Chopin 250). Furthermore, her life in Paris was not limited to a lavish lifestyle, and the young woman attracted the company of young men as well (Chopin 250). These small details indicate that the main heroine lacked purity.
Submissiveness implies that a woman must obey authority, which, as seen in Adrienne’s leaving the church, cannot be applied to her. Finally, domesticity relies on the woman performing the household chores, and instead, the “picturesque disorder” in Adrienne’s residence proves that she also lacks this feature (Chopin 250). Therefore, to what extent does the church expect one to forfeit their aspirations and moments of joy? The world of patriarchy, found in the principles of a true woman, illustrates the constraints faced by all women, especially nuns.
Nevertheless, Chopin draws a parallel between the patriarchal order and matriarchal forces. According to Campfield’s article “Caged Birds and Subjugated Authority” (7), the metaphor of the spring bird is used to emphasize the conflict and show the power of matriarchy. The metaphor of the natural bird applies to the life of Adrienne, who becomes a stage performer despite the church’s teachings and societal principles.
The author initially mentions how the young woman feels invigorated outside the church, being “clad all in brown; like one of the birds that come with the spring” (Chopin 244). This perception is intensified as soon as Sister Agathe mentions that “If [Adrienne] should once fail to come, it would be like the spring coming without the sunshine or the song of birds” (Chopin 247). In general, spring is associated with the rebirth of nature, which is typically connected to the female aspect (Campfield 8). As a result, it becomes evident that as soon as the heroine comes to the church, she brings her matriarchal authority and defies the conformity and obedience that permeates the patriarchal church.
Thus, the first theme the readers are exposed to is one of the conflicts between matriarchy and patriarchy. On the one hand, the convent imposes stringent rules on the young women, making them conform to societal expectations and lose a sense of identity. On the other hand, Adrienne is the epitome of matriarchy, inspiring women to embrace their aspirations and not be afraid to dream and love.
Paris and Countryside
Another evident theme in Chopin’s “Lilacs” is the one of Paris and its opposing environment, the countryside. In the article “Paris as ‘Other,’” Pierse (84) argues that the author draws a parallel between the “exotic world” of Paris and the monastery to show the change in the heroine. The story relies on the monastery’s atmosphere, showing its greenery and routine activities. Here, the reader sees the poultry yard with the new broods of chickens (Chopin 246).
Moreover, Sister Agathe mentions the vegetable garden that barely has undergone any changes, except for the cabbages planted in the new location (Chopin 246). The author emphasizes how “it made Sister Agathe laugh to think Adrienne should have noticed such a trifle” (Chopin 246). This demonstrates how little has changed at the convent and how minor adjustments are barely noticeable. It can also symbolize the patriarchal order that thrives at the monastery and rejects significant changes. As a result, the story’s atmosphere is enhanced by the nearly timeless feeling that permeates this location.
After this, Chopin focuses on the opposite environment. Life in Paris is the opposite of the countryside, where the women are used to seeing “immaculately white” walls (Chopin 249). In the big city, Adrienne recalls, “the boulevard, its noises, its passing throng, vanished from before my senses as completely as if they had been spirited away” (Chopin 147). Additionally, while the heroine could see the sunlight, it always came from the “old white stone wall” (Chopin 147). At the same time, the metropolis symbolizes the lavish lifestyle filled with freedom to which Adrienne is accustomed. Here, the heroine listens to her favorite music, surrounds herself with companions, and buys “puzzling and astonishing-looking garments” (Chopin 250).
Nevertheless, even in a metropolis, the young woman seeks opportunities to enjoy the details that remind her of adolescence. Adrienne still hears “notes of birds,” “humming of insects,” and can “smell lilac blossoms” (Chopin 250). As a result, one can see that although Adrienne changed locations, the humble life of the monastery still attracts her until she has to choose in the end.
Overall, the contrast between the places is an integral part of understanding the opposing orders’ views and the heroine’s growth. Arienne’s annual trips to the monastery and rejection by Mother Superior are essential to help the woman stop being torn between the two worlds. The author shows the conflicting ideologies by illustrating the differences between the fast-paced and free-thinking metropolis and the conforming monastery. The main heroine’s role here is to show that she has no place in the convent and that her views differ from those of the monastery’s inhabitants.
Younger and Older Generation
Lastly, the theme that permeates the story is the opposition between the younger and older generations. According to Ostman and her book “Kate Chopin and Catholicism” (113), the younger generation in the story is shown through “the optimism and openness to joy,” while the older generation “wedges judgment and condemnation, ending the opportunities for love.” For example, Adrienne is a young woman who prefers to live in a way that makes her happy, fulfilling her dreams and treating herself to lavish gifts.
The heroine even presents to the girls who lived with her in the convent, offering altar cloth of delicate artistry, a necklace with gems, and a silver crucifix with an ivory Christ figure (Chopin 245). Adrienne is a woman who can afford a “breakfast of a hundred francs” and new garments (Chopin 253). This shows that although there is a choice to choose a simpler life with humility, the younger generation would prefer to enjoy their lives.
In contrast, Mother Superior represents the older generation oppressing the lavish lifestyle. In the story, the character is seen as “large, uncompromising, unbending” (Chopin 245). It is reasonable to assume that the Mother Superior views Adrienne as a danger and a possible cause of misconduct to the pious and submissive sisters, especially Sister Agathe, who has shown Adrienne such adoration (Khoshnood et al. 1144).
Therefore, Mother Superior’s goal is to remove every sign and reminder of Adrienne’s existence and memories from the convent. It is symbolized by the Mother Superior’s notice of expulsion, the return of her yearly presents, and the action of the lay sister in taking the lilacs from the monastery entrance (Khoshnood et al. 1144). This way, the older generation, in the face of Mother Superior, shows that the change will be tolerated and that no deviance is acceptable.
At the same time, as was mentioned before, the main heroine is torn between the two words of the new order and the old order’s words. However, the young woman’s visit to the convent and rejection in the end show the growth and separation of the character and the young generation. Adrienne is eventually obliged to choose a single path because of Mother Superior’s ideology, representing determination that her two courses are contradictory (Khoshnood et al. 1145). Therefore, the patriarchal older generation and matriarchal younger generations are conflicting.
Conclusion
Hence, the main themes in Kate Chopin’s short story “Lilacs” help focus on the underlying struggle between the old and new rules. The battle between matriarchy and patriarchy is the primary theme to which the audience is introduced. On the one hand, the convent places strict regulations on young women, forcing them to conform to social standards and causing them to lose their sense of identity. On the other hand, Adrienne embodies matriarchy and encourages women to embrace their dreams and not be scared of expressing themselves and falling in love. Chopin’s “Lilacs” also encompasses a theme about Paris and its opposite surroundings, the countryside.
The countryside may represent the patriarchal order that prevails at the monastery and is resistant to significant alteration. The city represents Adrienne’s comfortable, opulent lifestyle characterized by freedom. Finally, the conflict between the younger and elder generations is another recurrent subject in the narrative. The optimism and readiness to experience the delight of the younger generation in the novel contrast with the judgment and harsh criticism of the older generation, which hinders chances to find love.
Works Cited
Campfield, Megan. “Caged Birds and Subjugated Authority: A Study of the Thematic and Historic Significance of Bird Imagery Within the Works of Fanny Fern, Kate Chopin, and Susan Glaspell.” UW-L Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 8, 2009, pp. 1-14. Web.
Chopin, K. Lilacs and Other Stories. Dover Publications, 2012.
Khoshnood, Ali, Rosli Talif, and Pedram Lalbakhsh. “Kate Chopin’s Early Fiction as a Prologue to the Emergence of the New Woman.” Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, vol. 21, no. 3, 2013, pp.1133 – 1147. Web.
Ostman, H. Kate Chopin and Catholicism. Springer Nature, 2012.
Pierse, Mary S. “Paris as ‘Other’: George Moore, Kate Chopin and French Literary Escape Routes.” ABEI Journal: The Brazilian Journal of Irish Studies, vol. 8, 2006, pp.79-87. Web.