Setting

Physical setting

In the short story “The Kiss” by Kate Chopin, the events take place in three different locations. In the first scene, the events take place in Nathalie’s home. Nathalie and Brantain sit in a poorly-lit room, which is described at the beginning: 

It was still quite light out of doors, but inside with the curtains drawn and the smouldering fire sending out a dim, uncertain glow, the room was full of deep shadows. Brantain sat in one of these shadows; it had overtaken him and he did not mind. (ll. 1-4)

Here, the room has a symbolic value. The shadows symbolize the uncertainty of Nathalie and Brantain’s ...