The Night Came Slowly Story Analysis with Summary

This article will tell you the short story entitled “The Night Came Slowly” with story analysis, summary, characters, and theme in English. Bear with us as we go along with this fascinating story and learn something from it.

The Night Came Slowly Story Analysis With Summary
The Night Came Slowly Story Analysis With Summary

The Night Came Slowly

I am losing my interest in human beings; in the significance of their lives and their actions. Some one has said it is better to study one man than ten books. I want neither books nor men; they make me suffer. Can one of them talk to me like the night – the Summer night? Like the stars or the caressing wind?

The night came slowly, softly, as I lay out there under the maple tree. It came creeping, creeping stealthily out of the valley, thinking I did not notice. And the outlines of trees and foliage nearby blended in one black mass and the night came stealing out from them, too, and from the east and west, until the only light was in the sky, filtering through the maple leaves and a star looking down through every cranny.

The night is solemn and it means mystery.

Human shapes flitted by like intangible things. Some stole up like little mice to peep at me. I did not mind. My whole being was abandoned to the soothing and penetrating charm of the night.

The katydids began their slumber song: they are at it yet. How wise they are. They do not chatter like people. They tell me only: “sleep, sleep, sleep.” The wind rippled the maple leaves like little warm love thrills.

Why do fools cumber the Earth! It was a man’s voice that broke the necromancer’s spell. A man came to-day with his “Bible Class.” He is detestable with his red cheeks and bold eyes and coarse manner and speech. What does he know of Christ? Shall I ask a young fool who was born yesterday and will die tomorrow to tell me things of Christ? I would rather ask the stars: they have seen him.

The Short story entitled, “The Night Came Slowly by Kate Chopin,” is from americanliterature.com

Story Analysis

The summary and analysis of Kate Chopin‘s short story “The Night Came Slowly” help you figure out what the story is really about. Allow us to indulge ourselves by delving into the great story analysis of the story.

TitleThe Night Came Slowly
AuthorKate Chopin
Publication DateDecember 20, 1896
SettingThe setting of the story is under the maple tree.
ThemeThe themes of the story are surrealism, metaphor, and religion.
GenreThe story The Night Came Slowly’s genre is short story.
Moral LessonThe moral of the story is that the night has a lot of power. This is a lesson that everyone should learn. The night hangs over the Earth, and even though the night is beautiful and mysterious, it doesn’t go away.
CharactersThe characters in “The Night Came Slowly are the narrator and the man with his “Bible Class.”
SummaryIn the summary of The Night Came Slowly, the narrator states that she is losing interest in people or books. The narrator claimed that a man couldn’t communicate with her like the night could. As the narrator lay there under the maple tree, the night came slowly and softly.

Listening to the katydids sing, the narrator says they only tell her to “sleep, sleep, sleep.” Then, she wonders about the fools on earth. She wonders how a man can speak of Christ when nature has been there all along, and how a man can show up with his “Bible class” in such a crude manner. At the end of the story, the narrator says, “I would rather ask the stars: they have seen him.”
Short Story Analysis

About the Author

Kate Chopin was an American author who wrote short stories and novels. She was born on February 8, 1851, and died on August 22, 1904. Scholars think that she was one of the first Southern or Catholic American women writers of the 20th century, like Zelda Fitzgerald.

She is also one of the most read and well-known writers with a Louisiana Creole background. The Awakening, a book she wrote in 1899, is what people know her for today.

Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published Kate Chopin’s first story, which was the start of her writing career. By the early 1890s, Chopin had built a successful career as a writer. She sent short stories and articles to local newspapers and literary magazines.

She also penned a number of short pieces. Some of which were published in a variety of magazines, including “A Point at Issue!,” “A No-Account Creole,” and “Beyond the Bayou.”

What are the themes of the story?

The themes of the story are surrealism, metaphor, and religion.

What is the genre of the story?

The story The Night Came Slowly’s genre is short story, which is about the narrators sentiments in life, man, and the night.

In 1894, American author Kate Chopin created the short tale titled “The Night Came Slowly.” This surreal, somewhat metaphorical, and partially religious piece was written by Chopin.

What is the Moral Lesson in the story?

The moral of the story is that the night has a lot of power. This is a lesson that everyone should learn. The night hangs over the Earth, and even though the night is beautiful and mysterious, it doesn’t go away.

Who are the characters in the story?

Time needed: 1 minute

Here are the characters in the short story The Night Came Slowly by Kate Chopin.

  1. The narrator

    He is the story’s main character, and he is losing interest in people.

  2. The man with his “Bible Class

    The man with his “Bible Class” was mentioned by the story’s narrator. He was said to be a detestable person with red cheeks, bold eyes, and a rude way of acting and speaking.

The Night Came Slowly Summary

In the summary of The Night Came Slowly, the narrator states that she is losing interest in people or books. The narrator claimed that a man couldn't communicate with her like the night could. As the narrator lay there under the maple tree, the night came slowly and softly.

Listening to the katydids sing, the narrator says they only tell her to "sleep, sleep, sleep." Then, she wonders about the fools on earth. She wonders how a man can speak of Christ when nature has been there all along, and how a man can show up with his "Bible class" in such a crude manner. At the end of the story, the narrator says, "I would rather ask the stars: they have seen him."

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SUMMARY

This short story, called “The Night Came Slowly,” was written by Kate Chopin. In the summary and analysis, the story is about the narrators sentiments in life, man, and the night.

Based on the short story’s analysis, the story is surreal, somewhat metaphorical, and partially religious in nature. It teaches that the most important thing someone can learn is that the night possesses a great deal of power. It hangs over the earth, and despite the fact that nighttime possesses a certain allure and sense of mystery, it does not vanish.

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