Question

2. What meaning do the chrysanthemums contribute to the story? Consider the significance of the figs and to whom Babette is conveying the message about the flowers. The story- Ripe Figs By Kate Chopin 1893

Answer 1

Answer:

Just like the figs, the chrysanthemums contribute to the story with the meaning that everything has a right time to happen, and that patience is necessary and important.

Explanation:

"Ripe Figs" is a short story by Kate Chopin. Babette is young and hasty. She wishes to go visit her cousins, but her godmother tells her no. Maman-Nainaine tells Babette she can only go when the figs are ripe.

To Babette, the figs seem to take forever to ripe. When she finally brings them over to her godmother, Maman-Nainaine is surprised to see how early they have ripened. Maman is mature, wiser, more patient than Babette. And she uses nature to convey a very important lesson: that everything has a right time to happen. We must learn to be patient and wait for that time.

At the very end, she tells Babette she can go visit her cousins. Then she asks Babette to tell her aunt that Maman herself will come and visit when the chysanthemums are in bloom. As we can see, to Maman, nature dictates the proper time - be it with figs or with chrysanthemums. Maman trusts nature - nature is patient and perfect.