Summary Of Quotes From 'The Awakening'

Using a bullet point style list, identify text to support each major theme as noted in the calendar. There should be a minimum of TWO direct quotes per theme. Then, explain how this text supports the noted theme. This question should be answered in 3rd person limited point of view with direct quotes cited properly in MLA format. Please see https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ for assistance with this.

Freedom: Quote 1: “Sailing across the bay to the Cheniere Caminada, Edna felt as if she were being borne away from some anchorage which had held her fast, whose chains had been loosening—had snapped the night before when the mystic spirit was abroad, leaving her free to drift whithersoever she chose to set her sails.” (Chopin)
Quote 2: “Without even waiting for an answer from her husband regarding his opinion or wishes in the matter, Edna hastened her preparations for quitting her home on Esplanade Street and moving into the little house around the block. A feverish anxiety attended her every action in that direction.” (Chopin)

These two quotes support the theme of freedom because Mrs. Pontellier has finally felt free by going to the island with Robert. She did not have to have permission from her husband because she felt that she could make her own decisions in life. The second piece of text supports the theme of freedom because Edna did not care about her husband’s decision about renting the “pigeon house,” instead she followed her own path, and moved in to it. Earlier in the novella, Edna Pontellier would not have thought twice about making her own decisions and living life the way she wanted to because her husband and children controlled most of her life. But, now since Edna has become more aware of her awakening, she has decided to let go a little and go through life with free will.

Sexism: Quote 1: “He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother's place to look after children, whose on earth was it?” (Chopin)

Quote 2: “It would have been a difficult matter for Mr. Pontellier to define to his own satisfaction or any one else's wherein his wife failed in her duty toward their children.” (Chopin)

Edna Pontellier has been scolded with her husband’s sexist remarks the whole time she has been married to him.
Mr. Pontellier believes that it is a women’s job to take care of children, not the father’s. This theme has plagued Edna’s life as a mother which is one of the reasons why Edna has decided to awaken from her dream and live in reality. Reality being that Edna does not have to listen to her husband’s orders or requests, including taking full responsibility of the children. These two quotes show the neglect that Mr. Pontellier shows towards his children because to him, it is only the mother who shall take care of the children, not the father’s job to do so. This shows sexism because it relates only one gender to do something, in this case, to take care of the
children.
Search for self: Quote 1: “But as she sat there amid her guests, she felt the old ennui overtaking her; the hopelessness which so often assailed her, which came upon her like an obsession, like something extraneous, independent of volition.” (Chopin)

Quote 2: “When she heard it there came before her imagination the figure of a man standing beside a desolate rock on the seashore. He was naked. His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from him.” (Chopin)
Quote 3: “That summer at Grand Isle she began to loosen a little the mantle of reserve that had always enveloped her. There may have been—there must have been—influences, both subtle and apparent, working in their several ways to induce her to do this; but the most obvious was the influence of Adele Ratignolle.” (Chopin)

Edna Pontellier has been searching for her sense of self throughout the entire novella.
These quotes show how Edna has been searching and why she continued to search for her sense of self. In the first quote, Edna has started to find her sense of self, however began to lose it once she was around other guests. At this point in the novella, Mrs. Pontellier could not pinpoint exactly what her purpose was, but she did know that being hopeless her whole life was not one of them, so she decided to make her own path. In the second quote, Edna has discovered her liking and connection to Madame Reisz’s playing. Madame Reisz’s playing brought images into Edna’s mind which reflected her inner self. The naked man by the seashore watching the bird flying was Edna’s inner self trying to convey itself. Edna wished to feel free just like the man and she wanted to fly away just like the bird. These two metaphors represent Edna’s desire to live a new live, which is how she finds her sense of self in the end of the novella. In the third quote, Adele Ratignolle was the person who Mrs. Pontellier came to like and look up to. The reason for this was because Adele spoke what was on her mind and did as she pleased, she had no one to boss her around. Edna wished to be like Adele, free and independent, so Edna set out for that kind of lifestyle by saying what was on her mind and not taking orders from anyone, not even her husband. All three of these factors played a large role in Edna Pontellier developing
her sense of self.

Public vs. private life: Public Life Quote: “Sailing across the bay to the Cheniere Caminada, Edna felt as if she were being borne away from some anchorage which had held her fast, whose chains had been loosening—had snapped the night before when the mystic spirit was abroad, leaving her free to drift whithersoever she chose to set her sails.” (Chopin)

Private Life Quote: “Robert's going had some way taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything. The conditions of her life were in no way changed, but her whole existence was dulled, like a faded garment which seems to be no longer worth wearing. She sought him everywhere—in others whom she induced to talk about him.” (Chopin)

These two quotes represent Edna Pontellier’s public and private life because in her public life, she feels free and happy, however in her private life, she feels dull and useless. Robert makes Edna feel happy and unchained which makes her public life look perfect and exciting. However, Mr. Pontellier makes Edna feel depressed and ordered around which affects her private life because inside Edna is chained to her husband until she decides to let go and live a life of her own. Edna essentially lives a double life, the first life is a mask that she wears around in public, but when she is in private, Edna takes off the mask and lives her true self.

*Personal reflection focus – could this have ended any other way for Edna Pontellier? Consider your posts throughout the novel on this blog where you discussed characterization, setting, historical context, and society. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. This may be written in narrative style using 1st person point of view. Text should still be cited appropriately.

Yes, this could have ended in another way for Edna because she could have chosen to get a divorce from her husband and move in with Robert Lebrun. This path would still leave the children with a mom to come home to, while living with the person she loves. Edna would be happy with her new life because she now knows how to express herself without constricting her lifestyle of fun and joy. “‘Something put into my head that you cared for me; and I lost my senses. I forgot everything but a wild dream of your some way becoming my wife.’” (Chopin). Edna was happy with Robert and Robert was willing to marry Edna if she wasn’t married, however it was always possible that Edna and Leonce could get a divorce if it meant that both characters would be happier separated. Edna and Robert could have also lived in the “pigeon house” together and the children could have lived with Mr. Pontellier in the big house. Edna would have most likely got a job as an artist to be able to pay for the “pigeon house.” “Upon his arrival she began by introducing him to her atelier and making a sketch of him. He took the whole matter very seriously.” (Chopin). Because Edna was talented in drawing and painting, she could have taken her talents to the next level by selling her art and making a career out of it. Society was already accepting Edna Pontellier as a changed person, so these actions would not have affected her lifestyle or point of view of other people.