The Role Of Identity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

People are always trying to conform to society. Whether it is wearing clothing that fits society’s standards or wanting to achieve the perfect appearance that society deems as perfect; people have the pressure to “fit” in. People want to fit into society to feel accepted and not want to be ostracized as the weird one or different. Furthermore, there is this struggle to be deemed as “acceptable” by society instead of focusing on one’s true self. In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, the story focuses on Edna Pontellier a wife and mother who is unsatisfied with her life and starts to experience awakenings not only sexual but most importantly an awakening of herself identity. Edna struggles with finding happiness in balancing her independency
For example, after just given birth Adele reminds Edna to think of her children, “ Think of the children, Edna. Oh think of the children! Remember them!” (131). This quote demonstrates that even after child birth she wants to remind Edna to keep the ideal woman’s morals and values upfront and foremost before making any future decisions. Adele Ratignolle loves being the traditional, creole wife. Adele is seen as the epitome of women by society’s standards: “There are no words to describe her save the old ones that have served so often to picture the by-gone heroine of romance and the fair lady of our dreams” (Chopin 9). This quote describes how Adele is looked as the ultimate women by society. To Adele being a woman consisted of performing her wifely duties such as having and attending to her children. Therefore, She could not understand Edna when she says she would give up her life for her children but not her happiness: "but a woman who would give her life for her children could do no more than that--your Bible tells you so. I'm sure I couldn't do more than that” (56). This quote expresses Adele’s belief that being a wife and a mother is the most important part of being a woman. Overall, she shows that her identity is her family. Moreover, she is the model for women in society that exemplifies that being in society can make
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,