The Night Came Slowly

Chopin brings the night to life, and the natural world around her becomes a character in the story. How does Chopin personify the night?

“The Night Came Slowly” is one of Chopin’s shortest works. It has been referred to as a “scrap” because it is so brief. Despite the brevity, Chopin uses many traditional storytelling elements in her work. What are the most prominent storytelling techniques? How does symbolism in particular help to give this short work multiple layers?

The story uses sparse, almost poetic language. How does Chopin’s writing style add to or detract from the themes of the story? Why do you think Chopin chose to leave the narrator unnamed and without a gender?