Professor Thomas Bonner/Xavier University of La.
What we find is that the stories of the old Louisiana territory come down to Kate from her great grandmother Charleville and through the grandmother. For example, a story like the Maid of St. Phillippe which dealt with characters changing hands. We can actually trace that story in terms of province to her grandmother and into her great grandmother.

Desiree's baby for example reflects racial intermingling which she observed not only in New Orleans but, in the area around the Cane River where she indeed spent a considerable part of her time.

In The Awakening, we have a massive array of images of New Orleans and Grand Isle, one in particular, the walking motif which would reflect the kind of Paris life that Orleanians were attempting to live in terms of walking on the Esplanade.