ne that was fairly unconventional. Oscar respected Kate as a unique and curious woman and allowed her enormous freedom in her endeavors (39). Yet, Kate ha

being the wife of a Creole cotton broker and take care for their six children (Skaggs 3). Like Kate's father, Oscar also died a sudden death in 1883. The tremendous grief she felt for his loss seemed to stay with her through most of her life and was a great influence on her writing (Seyersted 46).

insatiable reader, she needed to provide for her large family, and she was encouraged by her family doctor to pursue her passion of writing as a relief from her loss

Her writing resembled the local color movement's characteristics in that she focused on characters from her part of the country and portrayed them through the social and physical settings in which they lived

It ended her career as a writer permanently

That voice gave an important view of the female role in society and contributed to the beginning of the later feminist movements.

"unless one’s inner person is integral with one’s outer roles and relationships, a fully satisfying life cannot be achieved