Brief Summary Of 'The Locket' By Kate Chopin

The Locket is a fascinating love story by Kate Chopin. The story took place on an autumn day filled with danger and grief during the Civil War. The main character of the story Edmond received a letter from his beloved Octavie. While reminiscing about his loved one he thought about the last day he seen his lover. He held on to the locket that she placed on his neck as a good luck charm to keep him safe. The ending was not surprising but rather predictable based on Edmond dreaming that a serpent was coiling at his neck, woken abruptly in the heat of battle, and Judge Pillier asking Octavie if she believed that miracles can happen.

Edmond and Octavie never wanted to be apart. The locket was given to Edmond from Octavie to keep him safe

and out of harm ways. The locket was sentimental to Edmond and he would have protected it with his life. Therefore, when Edmond “dreamt of a serpent coiling around his throat and when he strove to grasp it the slimy thing glided away from his clutch” (Kate Choplin), he did not have time to deal or think about what his dream meant because of the chaos going on around him..

One of the soldiers asked another solider name Nick to wake him up “Nick was bellowing in his face.

There was what appeared to be a scramble and a rush rather than any regulated movement” (Kate Choplin). Edmond never checked his neck after being woken up so abruptly. Due to the intense fighting he was forced to deal with the conflict that was taking place right then.

When Octavie was informed of Edmond death she became so distraught and heartbroken. As she prepared to say her final goodbye and reached the final resting place for Edmond the judge asks her “do you not think that on a day like this, miracles might happen” (Kate Choplin)? Edmond appeared and rushed to her to bring about solidarity. Octavie had to be thinking that she was seeing a ghost. He explained that he thought he had lost the locket in the heat of the battle but realized that it was stolen. Therefore, he did not know he was declared dead.

At that point, I knew my assumption was correct and it was a mistaken identity and her beloved Edmond was alive. However, I was not prepared to learn that the locket was stolen rather than lost in combat. Based on Edmond dream, being arouse so abruptly, and the judge asking Octavie if she believed that miracles might happen the ending became very predictable to me. Edmond was the main character on the locket novel. Usually, the main character does not get

killed.