Where does a writer find the spark of inspiration? Writing a novel or story begins with a vision. Many authors gather ideas from their personal lives to shape their works. Family, environment, devastating experiences, and the way you were raised can spark an idea. Chopin's background, which includes her family, her environment, and her many experiences with death throughout her life, impacted her writing and transformed her into the successful writer she is known for. Chopin's non-traditional family paved the way for his perspective. about life. Kate Chopin was born in St. Louis Missouri on February 8, 1851. Her father's name is Thomas O'Flaherty. He was a native of Ireland, but found his way to New York and Illinois and then settled in St. Louis. Thomas O'Flaherty lived in St. Louis where he gained wealth as a commission house owner. Thomas married Eliza Faris, Eliza O'Flatery, whose family was of French-Creole origins. Kate Chopin was the third of five children in her family, but her sisters died as infants and her brothers not much older. At the age of five, Kate Chopin devastatingly lost her father, who was killed in a train accident. Therefore, Kate Chopin lived and was raised by relatives in an all-female family. She stayed with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who had all lived long enough to see their husbands die. While staying with her family, Kate Chopin was educated by her great-grandmother, Victoria Verdon Charleville, who was responsible for her education. Not only did it influence her mental and artistic growth, but it also guided her to tell stories created from her imagination and influenced her love of gossip. Her great-grandmother greatly influenced… middle of paper… er, Nancy. "Kate Chopin." Guide to Research in Biography and Criticism 1.(1985): 236-238. Literary Reference Center Plus. Network. March 23, 2014. This article provides biographical information about the author Kate Chopin. He was born July 12, 1850, in St. Louis, Missouri, to a French Creole mother and an Irish father. In his short career, Chopin published two novels and two collections of short stories; upon his death numerous stories remained unpublished and some of them are included in the book The Complete Works. Wyatt, Neal. "Kate Chopin Biography." Kate Chopin Biography. Np, 1995. Web. March 22, 2014. .This article includes an outline of Chopin's life and a great summary of his life broken down into small phases. This was helpful because it was easier to see possible connections between his life and his work.