Regret
by Kate Chopin | Grades 9-12
In "Regret" by Kate Chopin, we follow the story of Mamzelle Aurélie, a fiercely independent, middle-aged woman who has never married nor had children. Living a solitary life on her farm, her world is suddenly disrupted when she agrees to care for her neighbor’s four young children for two weeks. Through the chaos and tenderness of this unexpected responsibility, Aurélie discovers a profound sense of maternal love and connection she had never experienced before. By the end of the story, her return to solitude leaves her with a deep sense of loss and introspection, highlighting the complexities of human emotion and the nature of unfulfilled desires.