Old Aunt Peggy: A Short Story by Kate Chopin
‘Old Aunt Peggy’ is a poignant short story penned by the renowned American author Kate Chopin (1850-1904). Written on January 8, 1892, the story was accepted for publication by Harper’s Young People, who compensated Chopin $3 for her work; however, the story ultimately remained unpublished in that magazine.
The narrative revolves around Aunt Peggy, a former slave, who seeks permission from her former master to spend her twilight years on his land while she awaits her inevitable end.
Summary
The setting of the story is Louisiana, shortly after the conclusion of the American Civil War in 1865. Aunt Peggy, now a recently freed slave, approaches her former master, referred to only as ‘Monsieur’. She informs him of her advancing age and frailty, expressing a deep desire to remain on the plantation. Humbly, she requests a small corner of the land where she can settle and await her death in peace.
Both Monsieur and his wife, Madame, are moved by Aunt Peggy’s affection for them. As the old plantation undergoes reconstruction and reorganization, they grant her a modest cabin on the grounds to call home. Madame goes further by gifting Aunt Peggy an old rocking chair, allowing her a place to relax and reflect.
Every couple of years, Aunt Peggy makes the arduous journey to the house, repeating the same heartfelt request to see their children, family photographs, and the piano in their home before it’s ‘too late’. With one eye lost to blindness and the other fading, each visit to the house sees her returning to her cabin with an apron filled with various gifts.
Initially, Monsieur grapples with feelings of unease regarding the new arrangement of providing for someone who is no longer bound to work. However, over time, his initial scruples transform into admiration for Aunt Peggy, coupled with amazement at her resilience in surviving all these years. In fact, Aunt Peggy boldly claims to be one hundred twenty-five years old.
Analysis
Though it is a brief narrative of just one page, ‘Old Aunt Peggy’ offers profound insights into the complexities of navigating freedom for formerly enslaved individuals and the shifting dynamics between them and their former owners in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Chopin pays homage to Aunt Peggy, an elderly woman with a remarkable story. The tale culminates in a clever twist: the narrator informs us that Aunt Peggy is ‘a hundred and twenty-five, so she says’. This phrase invites readers to question the veracity of her claim, suggesting a humorous skepticism (‘so she says’ implies an unspoken ‘but…’). The final paragraph adds another layer of intrigue: ‘It may not be true, however. Possibly she is older.’
While it is highly improbable that Aunt Peggy truly is a hundred and twenty-five years old—such an age would have been astonishing even in the nineteenth century—the narrator’s deft manipulation of the narrative invites us to reconsider Aunt Peggy’s age and resilience. The suggestion that her age might be an underestimation underscores her tenacity and determination as a black woman who has endured the immense physical and psychological toll of slavery.
The Character of Old Aunt Peggy
Moreover, we are encouraged to admire Aunt Peggy’s spirit and resourcefulness. Her initial request to her former master is perceived as a ‘mark of affection and fidelity’; her respectful demeanor ultimately secures her wish. As her visits to the house illustrate, Aunt Peggy’s gestures of ‘fidelity’ have afforded her a comfortable existence, providing her with enough sustenance for her retirement, long after her days of servitude.
The story opens in the past tense (‘When the war was over, old Aunt Peggy went to Monsieur …’), yet it closes firmly in the present tense (‘Possibly she is older’). Assuming the present day is 1892, the year Chopin wrote the story, Aunt Peggy has enjoyed a comfortable retirement at her former master’s expense for over twenty-five years, effectively drawing a pension as a form of restitution for her years of involuntary servitude.
Thus, while ‘old’ Aunt Peggy may present herself as a submissive figure, Chopin skillfully hints at the cunning, resourceful spirit that motivated her initial request. In essence, Aunt Peggy has the last laugh; she has not only secured her own comfort but also won over her master, whose initial doubts have been replaced by profound admiration for her remarkable longevity.