Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was an American author of short stories and novels. Disheartened following the death of both her husband and mother, she was advised by her doctor to try writing with striking results. Her work reflected unexpected and unexamined elements of Victorian society and was often criticized as inappropriate or immoral. Her most distinguished novel The Awakening was controversial in its time but has gone on to great acclaim. Chopin's fame and recognition have largely been posthumous but she is now seen as a key figure in American fiction.