Reviews
"'Regret' is a wonderful story that really builds and changes the main character. This story shows how a seemingly heartless person can grow to care for people against all odds. 'Regret' is a beautifully written story that is one of my favorites. I would suggest this story to anyone." -Stephanie Landas (December 2, 2012).
"Regret" is a great story for anyone who wanting to read about the hardships that come along with children. However, this story teaches us that we will love to learn our children. We might think they are a problem at the beginning, but once we get to understand them, we love them. The story demonstrates the great strength a lady gains whenever she bears children. This story gave hope that people can really love children even if they are not theirs, but learn to love them as if they were hers. A mother's love of children is one of the strongest relationships out there. The story gave off a miserable mood when she had to give back the children to the real mother. After she learned to love them, she was torn apart to not love them anymore. This story truly grabs our attention and makes us almost endure the feeling of love for children.
Critics also enjoy Kate Chopin's symbols and irony displayed in her story.
Luna.moonstar.com praises Chopin’s way of writing. She admires her uses of symbols throughout the story: “The contrasting symbols of the story show the changes that have occurred in Mamzell Aur'elie's life. Thus, the symbols of her masculine, independent life, the old blue army overcoat, the topboots, and the gun, are replaced by symbols of her new domestic, maternal role, the white apron and the sewing-basket. Chopin deliberately understates the affection which Mamzell Aur'elie develops for the children when she writes that after two weeks Mamzell Aur'elie "no longer complained" ( 463) of their presence.”
Jennifer Willhite of suite101.com realizes Chopin’s way of describing Aurelie maternal extincts that every lady gains. She enjoys her use of them, even with the contradicting way of how Aurelie carries herself: “Her maternal instincts re-emerge. She finds herself sewing and wearing an apron for the first time in years. Aurelie reads to one of the children at bedtime and rocks the other one to sleep…At the end of two weeks, when Odile returns for her children Aurelie's newly found routine is abruptly halted. The chatter and laughter that she had grown accustomed to ceases. Odile's return is just as unexpected and unannounced as her arrival. Aurelie is extremely agitated by Odile's arrival and intentions of taking the children home.”
Luna.moonstar.com praises Chopin’s way of writing. She admires her uses of symbols throughout the story: “The contrasting symbols of the story show the changes that have occurred in Mamzell Aur'elie's life. Thus, the symbols of her masculine, independent life, the old blue army overcoat, the topboots, and the gun, are replaced by symbols of her new domestic, maternal role, the white apron and the sewing-basket. Chopin deliberately understates the affection which Mamzell Aur'elie develops for the children when she writes that after two weeks Mamzell Aur'elie "no longer complained" ( 463) of their presence.”
Jennifer Willhite of suite101.com realizes Chopin’s way of describing Aurelie maternal extincts that every lady gains. She enjoys her use of them, even with the contradicting way of how Aurelie carries herself: “Her maternal instincts re-emerge. She finds herself sewing and wearing an apron for the first time in years. Aurelie reads to one of the children at bedtime and rocks the other one to sleep…At the end of two weeks, when Odile returns for her children Aurelie's newly found routine is abruptly halted. The chatter and laughter that she had grown accustomed to ceases. Odile's return is just as unexpected and unannounced as her arrival. Aurelie is extremely agitated by Odile's arrival and intentions of taking the children home.”