Beyond and Alone: The Theme of Isolation in Selected Short Fiction of Kate Chopin, Katherine Anne Porter, and Eudora Welty

Tracing the inner-depths of the short fiction of Kate Chopin, Katherine Anne Porter, and Eudora Welty, Beyond and Alone addresses the common theme of isolation in their works and the authors’ treatment of universal human and social problems. Despite inherent differences in the authors’ backgrounds and focus, by extracting the theme of isolation from their short fiction, the author affords the reader a glimpse into the fundamental nature of various human problems and conditions in the societies of the early 19th Century and today. In particular, Beyond and Alone emphasizes both the gains and sufferings brought on by the female characters’ isolation in each work. Building upon the short fiction of Chopin, Porter, and Welty, this work thereby offers a solid philosophical foundation for further exploration of current women’s issues.