Authors of all genres use images in their works as metaphors, similes and more often as simple descriptions. Kate Chopin is well known for her use of imagery in her writing. Kate Chopin uses imagery in her stories to build characters and provide metaphors for their lives. In "Ripe Figs", images of nature are present, but at the same time they are not heavy. Here Chopin presents Babette and her godmother Mamane-Nanaine as they wait for figs to ripen before a summer trip to visit family. Just as figs were described as “still tender” and “hard, green little marbles,” so too is Babette, a child who has not yet become a young adult (11). Mamane-Nanaine notices this and urges her to slow down, but doesn't stop her from going out to check the figs. It is in this way that Mamane-Nanaine is described as "as patient as the Madone statue", never trying to rush things, while Babette is "restless as a hummingbird", unable to sit still for any real length of time ( 11). This is a great contrast between the two, the older one is able to sit still and savor the time passing while the younger one has to be constantly on the move, trying to rush things and make time pass quickly. Although these images of nature are light, they are still present and are very pleasant metaphors, contributing greatly to this wonderful tale. As in “Ripe Figs,” Chopin's use of nature imagery in “The Story of an Hour” is important, however. stronger. In this story, her sister and her husband's friend tell Mrs. Mallard that her husband had died in a train accident, only to eventually discover that he is unharmed and well. Her reaction to this news costs her dearly, as… middle of the paper… the use of imagery in her writing gives it a more natural feel, blending the emotions of the story like a chameleon does alone in the trees . Many authors do not use such techniques in their writing, which in some cases leads to a lack of substance. Without the images of nature that Chopin incorporates into his stories, they would not be as enjoyable to read as they are. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. “Ripe figs”. Literature for composition.Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain.9th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 11-12. Print.Chopin, Kate. “The Tempest”. Literature for composition.Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain.9th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 71-75. Print.Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Literature for composition.Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain.9th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 45-47. Press.