Language

Style of language

In the short story “The Kiss”, Kate Chopin uses formal language which mirrors the style of the 19th century, when the text was published. The author uses complex sentences and descriptive words, like in the following example: “Brantain slowly arose; so did the girl arise, but quickly, and the newcomer stood between them, a little amusement and some defiance struggling with the confusion in his face” (ll. 22-24).

The author also introduces dialogue, which highlights some of the main characters’ features. For example, when Nathalie speaks, her words show that she is dishonest and manip...