In a traditional society, Edna feels stuck between what is right for her and what makes society happy. She is expected to be a good wife and mother, however; she falls short of this…
There are many auditory images in this short excerpt from The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. The first is where the narrator is describing Edna’s feelings. This put an image of a frightened child in the readers heads. Another that is easily seen is the dog who is barking. Chopin went into detail of the type of tree the dog was tied to, which put an image of a dog tied to a sycamore tree in the reader’s head. The last two were “the spurs of the cavalry officer”, and “the hum of bees” (Chopin). As the reader one can imagine bees flying around the front porch as the officer walked across the porch creating a warm, but suspenseful mood. Readers can assume that it is Spring, a rather warm season, because of the bees. The suspenseful part is self explanatory,…
Edna’s independence causes familial tension. Edna’s resistance to her husband’s orders angers Leonce. For example, when Mr. Pontellier learns that Edna did not stay at home for her regular Tuesday reception, he screams and says she had to continue the…
The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin first published in 1899. The novel centers around the character Edna Pontellier, a twenty-eight year-old woman married to a man she never loved. Edna struggles throughout the novel to be either the perfect Creole woman or to be true to herself. She reaches her breaking point at the end of the novel and takes her own life by drowning herself in the sea.…
This novel began in 1897 and was completed on January 21, 1898 by Kate Chopin. It’s original title was A Solitary Soul but later it was published as The Awakening by Herbert S. Stone & Company in Chicago on April 22, 1899. By writing this novel Chopin developed some important questions regarding intellectual or moral evolution and on how people used to think back in the 1800’s. As she describes the social expectations on the individual, the role of fidelity to marriage, and some traditional sex roles in marriage. However, this novel began a national scandal for its indecency and eventually got banned from libraries. However this book might have been seen as outrageous back then but now it really is not far from the way that people see it…
The Awakening by Kate Chopin, is a story of self-discovery, the tale of a woman who breaks free from the norm and takes a dip in the untested waters of hush-hush during the nineteenth century. Edna Pontellier is a Creole woman living in New Orleans during the late 1800’s. Although she is married, she begins an intimate courtship with a man named Robert Lebrun. What seems harmless at first quickly accelerates into a journey or freedom and self-discovery for Edna. The days they spend bathing in the sea and lounging in the sand cause the woman to reminisce and pine for the days of her youth. She lets her pent up independence tumble out from the hidden shelves of her being, waves of freedom tumbling over her anxious…
1. In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. 1. In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. 1. In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. 1. In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary.…
Edna admires Adele’s beauty and requests to sketch her, but always has the tendency to crumple the picture even though Adele claims, “[it is] a fair enough piece of work” (20). Adele seems to contribute to Edna’s opening up about her passion for sketching and artwork. Edna seems as though she is trying to make something of herself, that she is more than just a housewife and simply wants to convey personal expression. This might also be an indication of Edna’s perfectionist side that reflects Adele, where Edna feels an obligation to perfect her work in her own way and prove she can be just as talented as Adele, who she frequently watched sewing. Nonetheless, Adele has a heavy influence on Edna’s point of view and makes her come out to do what she loves without needing to pertain to her family and this helps build her confidence. However, when Edna goes over to the Ratignolle’s residence for art critique, Adele’s behavior makes Edna think about the Ratignolle’s “life’s delirium” and how it ties to their “blind contentment”(76). Even when Adele praises her and encourages Edna to pursue art, she overlooks the compliments and finds Ratignolle’s attitude distasteful, concluding that Adele’s life is boring, making Edna truly acknowledge that she will never want to live like the Ratignolles. This further affects her family…
Man often pairs logical rationale with the underlying emotional basis for his decisions, but emotion ceases to exist when it no longer parallels the rationale. At the beginning, Monsieur Aubigny’s passion for Désirée awakens with the ferocity of all “that drives headlong over all obstacles.” Chopin compares its tenacity to an avalanche and a prairie fire, giving the impression of strength and omnipotence, and Monsieur Aubigny uses this passion to justify his quick courtship and marriage to Désirée. However, just as the fire and the avalanche, his passion weakens with every obstacle. Upon his realization that Désirée gave birth to an African-American child, his passion immediately freezes. He loses his humanity, indifferent to Désirée’s pleas…
As Edna neglects her social reputation and duties by having affairs, she seems to become an independent woman whose power is guided by love, but she soon crashes through this dream as reality kicks in that she still has a family that she must take care of and expectations to reach. Robert realizes this, which is why he leaves, but seeing her lover float away, Edna loses her fight for control and thus decides to take her own life, sadly much like how many other people in society decide to deal with their problems. If one is going to fight for control and rebel against expectations, he or she must be prepared for the…
All in all, throughout “The Awakening,” Edna learns who she is as a person. By becoming an independent woman who takes risk, she learns she doesn’t need a husband to function throughout society, especially Creole society. From getting into Creole lifestyle, the affairs, and her suicide, I believe Edna was her own biggest influence throughout “The Awakening”. Although, I do believe she learned the repercussion of making risky…
Edna was struggling to find happiness in society by feeling that she cannot be a mother and an independent woman. She followed society’s “rules” such as getting married and having children. Overall, Edna wanted more than the life she was living; she wanted to live life on her terms and not living life through a family. Therefore, she did not feel self-fulfilled. Unlike Edna’s struggle to conform to society, Adele Ratignolle is the epitome of a woman in the society. Adele is a beautiful, “idealized” creole woman. She is dedicated to her husband and has performed the wifely duties by bearing children and attending to them. Her family dictates her happiness through wanting to create a happy home. Therefore, her identity is her family; which shows that Adele represents society and the ideal happiness one can achieve. The exact opposite of Adele is Mademoiselle Reisz. Mademoiselle Reisz shows that she disregards society’ standards by not marrying or having children. She focuses on her interests such as piano playing. By not having a family, Mademoiselle Reisz is able to find her own identity. Therefore, she entices Edna’s desire to have the same life through her independence and free spirit. Mademoiselle Reisz tells Edna, that to be happy one is going to have to take risks and be courageous. Therefore,…
Edna faces this struggle with her husband, Mr. Pontellier because she feels like he controls her. After her first awakening experience, Edna’s husband demands that she come inside and go to bed and it is noted that, “She wondered if her husband had ever spoken to her like that before, and if she had submitted to his command. Of course she had; she remembered that she had. But she could not realize why or how she should have yielded, feeling as she then did.” This realization that her husband used to control her and Edna’s refusal to continue obeying him demarks the first steps she takes toward taking control of her own life. The second prominent example of blatant disregard for her husband’s wishes is when Edna moves into her own house. No longer wishing to live in her husband’s house, she moves to her own as the narrator points out, “The pigeon-house pleased her. It at once assumed the intimate character of a home, while she herself invested it with a charm… Every step which she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual.” This validates Edna’s desire to be free from her former life and highlights the fact that she is only able to truly flourish when she is on her own. Sadly, one must be willing to give up relationships in order to fully achieve this sense of…
So, while Adele Ratignolle may seem to be someone who stands in the way of the advancement of feminist ideals, in reality, she embodies those ideals just as much as Edna. Edna comes to be what people often associate with feminism. She was strong and independent and did not rely on anyone. But she was not the only character in The Awakening to be the poster child for feminism. Madame Ratignolle led a life that made her happy. And if people could start seeing characters like her as just as important a role model as characters like Edna Pontellier, the message of equality and feminism would strengthened…
Edna, in the beginning of the novel, tailors her life to the path set before her. A mother of two, Edna's life does not concern herself, but her husband and children. All of Edna's interests are thrown to the side to make way for her family, as a mother-woman would do in the nineteenth century. Edna understands…