Overview of A Pair Of Silk Stockings Essay

In Kate Chopins short story, A Pair of Silk Stockings the protagonist, a caring mother, is the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars. She planned on spending it on her children, but temptation causes her to give into her desires. The story shows that, sometimes people give into temptation to fulfill desires and forget about their responsibilities.

The story begins with Mrs. Sommers becoming the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars and deciding what to do with the money. The question of investment was one that occupied her greatly, because she did not wish to act hastily to do anything she might afterward regret. Mrs. Sommers finally decides to, buy so and so many yards of percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and MagMag should have another gownshe would get caps for the boys and sailor-hats for the girls.

But Mrs. Sommers is impulsive. Little did she know that silk stockings were going to transform her and cause her to escape her reality for a day. In the store, her hands were resting on a pile of silk stockings and she went on feeling soft, sheeny luxurious things - with both hands now, holding them up to see them glisten, and feel them glide serpent-like through her fingers. After purchasing the silk stockings, she was gladly satisfied because, she felt like lying back in the cushioned chair and reveling for a while in the luxury of it. Eventually, that purchase lead to another as she, crossed straight over to the shoe department and took a seat to be fitted.

After Mrs. Sommers buys new shoes she has a choice to make; she can either go back to her original plan or continue to indulge in her temptations. Soon enough, she gave into her temptation again, the impulse that was guiding her would not suffer her to entertain any such thought, to make her change back to her original plan. There was a store down the street had books and magazines piled up on the window then, Mrs. Sommers bought two high-priced magazines such as she had been accustomed to read in the days when she had been accustomed to other pleasant things. She went to a restaurant that, soft stepping waiters serving people of fashion, could only enter. When she was done with her luncheon, there was still money in her purse and her next temptation presented itself in the shape of a matinee poster. When she goes to the theatre, it was safe to say there was no one present who bore quite the attitude which Mrs. Sommers did to her surroundingsshe laughed at the comedy and wept she and the gaudy woman next to her wept over the tragedy. She was having fun but when the day had come to an end, it was like a dream ended. Then Mrs. Sommers went to the corner and waited for the cable car to take her back home. She then remembered about her reality and wished the cable car driver would detected her, powerful longing that the cable car would never stop, but go on and on with her forever.

Mrs. Sommers was changed for a day. She gave into her temptations and indulged in her desires. She impulsively abandoned her obligations for a taste of her better days, which showed that sometimes people indulge in their desires to satisfy their temptation and forget about their responsibilities.