The Awakening Dialectical Journal

The Awakening Dialectical Journal
Summer Reading: The Awakening
1. Kate Chopin's aspiration to deliver The Awakening was to convey to the early 20th century public
her position of women's roles, rights, and independence in a time of strict gender roles. Chopin
conveys to readers the oppression of women during her time. Edna Pontellier is Chopin's protagonist
in the novel, and she finds herself unhappy and contempt of her role as a republican mother, which
characterizes the idea of women's work, and Edna identifies indirectly with the women at the Seneca
Falls convention. Throughout the book Edna's husband, Leónce Pontellier, continually scolds her for
not being an attentive and loving mother and Edna compares herself with Madame Ratignolle, who
is the epitome of motherhood ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The author's tone can be found through the main protagonist's diction and language. Edna speaks in
a disapproving and saddened tone throughout the book when describing women's roles in society.
When Edna is asked by her husband to join him in celebrating her sister's marriage she uses gloomy
and a disapproving tone: "She won't go to the marriage. She says a wedding is one of the most
lamentable spectacles on earth." This quote adds to the disapproving tone of the novel as Edna
addresses her feelings about marriage to her own husband. The author also has her way of
displaying her tone. The narrator discusses Edna's feelings to the readers in the same saddened tone:
"She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not
uncommon in her married life. They seemed never before to have weighed much against the
abundance of her husband's kindness and a uniform devotion which had become tacit and self–
understood." The narrator expresses Edna's feelings by saying it in a sort of understanding and
favorable way and not in a complaining way. This is an example of Chopin's tone because Edna's
feelings about her husband is disapproving and she is starting to find her independence as a woman.
3. The theme of The Awakening is centered on Edna's journey of individual identification and
independence. Chopin condemns gender roles and pleads to the public to look at women as equals
and not just commodities to be married off. Women should have all the
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Gender Roles In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
The Awakening is a Victorian novel written by Kate Chopin in 1899, which is set in Grand Isle and
in New Orleans. Unlike many of other Victorian novels, The Awakening presents a very peculiar
view that no one dared to even think about during the 19th century: the empowerment of women.
Through this novel, Chopin voices out the freedom for women from their domestic restrictions and
sexist Victorian gender roles. Surely, this book highly controversial and was even censored at the
time, later, it was known to accurately represent 19th century feminist ideals and, at the same time,
challenge the norms of the Victorian era in the USA. The story pivots around a female protagonist,
Edna Pontellier, who has been awakened emotionally, spiritually, and sexually. As she realises that
she has the right to refute the societal standards enforced upon her, she flouts her role as a Victorian
woman and dedicates herself to fulfil her physical and mental desires. Unhappy and unsatisfied with
her husband's lack of passion in love and sexual fulfilment, she even disregards her responsibilities
as a mother and a wife to take an adventure of romance and passion by having affairs with Robert
Lebrun and sexual fulfilment with Alcée Arobin. Not only that, instead of ... Show more content on
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Yet, Chopin's denial on motherly roles that are enforced upon women leads her to assume an ironic
tone when describing the mother women. In fact, she even ridicules Adele, to an extent, that making
winter clothes during summer for her baby sounds very stupid, instead of caring. Certainly, though
Chopin takes account of the existing typicality of the importance of Adele's gender role during the
Victorian era, by using hyperbole and sarcasm, Chopin depicts a disagreement with such normality
of female mind–set, as if she is speaking "a language which nobody [understands]" (Chopin 5)
during her

Kate Chopin 's The Storm Essay
"The famous writer Kate Chopin once said, "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." The
Awakening, (1899). Kate Chopin was widely recognized as one of the leading writers of her time.
She was an American author of short stories and novels. She was born on February 08, 1850 in St.
Louis, Missouri, United States. She died on August 22, 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
Written in 1898 but not published until it appeared in The Complete Works of Kate Chopin in 1969,
"The Storm" has been widely regarded as Kate Chopin 's most accomplished short story. In her
stories, she depicted women who experienced the power of passion that often brings them into
conflict with society. Chopin realized it was her responsibility to show people the truth about life,
especially woman 's life in society, as she understood it. She represented how women were
struggling in the nineteenth century against the social constraint. She used her fiction to introduce
her ideas to the general public. In the short story, Chopin depicts a sexual encounter between two
individuals who are both married to other people.
Kate Chopin was raised in a St. Louis. In June of 1870, she married Oscar Chopin, a French
businessman, and moved to New Orleans. She began to write after her husband 's death in 1882,
leaving his young widow with five children and $12,000 in debt. A strong, resourceful, and
outspoken woman, she continued to run the family business until 1884. During this time, she had an

Why Is Kate Chopin Banned
Kate Chopin, being a woman in the nineteenth century, not only wrote a book, but wrote one about a
woman finding her own independence through a series of "awakenings", and sexual relationships
with men other that her husband (Maureen). As a consequence for Chopin's book being "explicit"
and "unorthodox", the book was not banned, but it was censored (Wikipedia).
The Awakening gained a large amount of fame for being a "landmark of early feminism"
(Wikipedia).
Katherine O'Flaherty, Kate Chopin, was born on February 8, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri
(Maureen). From age five to eighteen, chopin attended what was the Academy of the Sacred
Heart,
St. Louis Catholic girl's school (Maureen). In the summer of 1870 Chopin moved New
Orleans, Louisiana ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Edna returns to Grand Isle, where her awareness about her independence and sexuality came to be,
to then find herself embracing the sea's water while remembering about her freedom from her
children and husband, and Robert, ultimately leading to her suicide (Chopin).
Because of Edna's heightened sexuality, desire for independence, and "awakenings",
The
Awakening created a series of controversy leading to the book being censored (Overview). Edna,
defying race, sex, and class, inspired women across the world to pursue their own sexuality and
independence (
Elfenbein).
In the end, the theme of solitude as the consequence of independence arises because of the fact that
the main character, Edna Pontellier, senses a feeling of solitude after becoming independent that led
to her suicide (SparkNotes). Along with the theme of solitude as the consequence of independence,
the theme of the implications of self
expression also becomes present through the different ways
Edna expresses herself (SparkNotes). Edna's expressions included: art, language, music, and love in
which were all contributing factors to Edna's desire for independence and sexual desire
(SparkNotes).
Villarreal 3

Rights And Sexual Feminism In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
In the 19th century, a group of people launched the suffrage movement, and they not only cared
about women's political rights, women's property and body autonomy. Born in that age, Kate Chopin
was aware of the importance of setting an example for those who were taken in by the reality to be
an inspiration. So we call her a forerunner of the feminist author for every effort she put in
advocating women's sexual liberty, their self–identity and women's own strength.
When people were ashamed of talking about sexuality, Kate Chopin stood out and call for women's
sexual autonomy. The Awakening, a short story with purposeful title. It took place in New Orleans
and told the struggle of Edna, a housewife and a mother, whether she should follow her heart ...
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It's also the reason for some other people disagreed with the idea that Kate Chopin's feminist
identity. Elizabeth Fox–Genovese, of Emory University, claims "Kate was neither a feminist nor a
suffragist, she said so. She was nonetheless a woman who took women extremely seriously. She
never doubted women's ability to be strong." Kate wasn't a fighter for rights or liberty with this idea.
She just shows her sympathies to the individual in the context of his and her personal life society.
One famous saying by Rebecca West came to my mind, "I, myself have never been able to find out
precisely what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express
sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat." These so–called "feminist" writers just performed
their due duties and did right work but don't think they were doing anything special. Even so, in my
point, feminists might just do things they thought to be right, but it would awake people from
blindness. They held torches and turned the light to make the way ahead to be

Essay Comparing The Awakening And A Doll's House
The Awakening, a novel by Kate Chopin, and A Doll's House, a play by Henrik Ibsen are both works
of literature that can be facilely compared. Both works were written around the late 1800's, a time
when men dominated the lives of women. Each story contains a woman protagonist who seeks to
understand herself better rather than continuing to conform into the standard societal stereotype of
women. Both Nora and Edna grew to feel suffocated by their husbands orders, in which they clearly
showed traits of feminism. They come to realize that there is so much more in the world and to life
than they are experiencing and crave to reach their full potential. Freeing themselves from
overbearing societal views is the way the break free of the strings of ... Show more content on
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For a while Edna Pontellier conforms by remaining with her husband, taking care of home and
children, and keeping her relationship with Robert quiet throughout the novel. We can clearly see an
inward battle between romance, passion, confusion, and unrealized raw emotions while the outlying
Edna remains calm as she gradually distances herself from her life with her husband, Leonce
Pontellier. Concurrently, she surrounds herself with independent foils, such as Mademoiselle Reisz,
who is the epitome of defiance of conformity, while remaining unmarried and entirely devoted to
her music. This type of lifestyle was completely unheard of and viewed as taboo for women.
Towards the end of the novel Edna befriends Alcée Arobin whose lifestyle amuses her and drags her
into a meaningless sexual relationship. Before Alcée it was Robert, who originally started this sexual
awakening Edna experiences, as well as the romantic part of her, a part in which her husband never
knew. Throughout the book the sea is constantly referenced, which represents the independent life
calling out to Edna. Her awakening begins and ends by the ocean. Edna also identifies those around
her, the "unawakened" people, as "half–humans". However, the longing to be independent becomes
so great that Edna can no longer handle it, leading it to overcome her, then finally taking her

Symbolism in Kate Chopin's The Awakening Essay
Symbolism in Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Chopin's The Awakening is full of symbolism. Rather than hit the reader on the head with blunt
literalism, Chopin uses symbols to relay subtle ideas. Within each narrative segment, Chopin
provides a symbol that the reader must fully understand in order to appreciate the novel as a whole. I
will attempt to dissect some of the major symbols and give possible explanations as to their
importance within the text.
Art itself is a symbol of both freedom and failure. In her attempt to become an artist, Edna reaches
the zenith of her awakening. She begins to truly understand pure art as a means of self–expression as
well as self–assertion. In a similar way, Mlle. Reisz sees the path to ... Show more content on
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A division exists between her and her environment as well as between her social character and her
awakening instincts" (59). When she commits suicide she is finally naked, she has shed everything
she has in her quest for selfhood. But it is not only Edna who is symbolized in clothes, Adele is
more "careful" of her face in the seventh chapter and wears a veil. Both she and Madame Leburn
constantly make clothes to cover the body, and the woman in black and Mlle. Reisz never change
their clothes, symbolizing their distance from any physical attachment.
There are several symbolic meals in the text and each stress mythic aspects in the text. The meal on
Cheniere Caminada occurs after she awakens from a fairy tale sleep; the dinner party in chapter
thirty is viewed by some as a re–creation of the Last Supper.
There are many symbolic houses in the novel: the one on Grand Isle, the one in New Orleans, the
pigeon house, the house in which Edna falls asleep on Cheniere Caminada. The first two of these
houses serve as cages for Edna. She is expected to be a "mother–woman" on Grand Isle and to be
the perfect social hostess in New Orleans. The other two are places of supposed freedom. On the
island she can sleep and dream, and in the pigeon house she can create a world of her own. In the
same way, places have a similar significance. Grand Isle itself is a place of women.

The Awakening By Kate Chopin
Many characters are shaped by what real life societal roles and laws are in place at that time period.
This is the case for Edna Pontellier in the Awakening by Kate Chopin. She struggles between fitting
into the societal norms for women at the time, the late nineteenth century, and what she feels is right
for herself. This aspect of American culture played a role in shaping the novel through
characterization, symbolism, and themes.
Characterization is a major part in how Chopin used American culture to shape the novel. Edna
Pontellier, the main character, is a respectable women in the late 1800s who not only acknowledges
her sexual desires, but also has the strength and courage to act on them. She broke through the role
society gave her and discovers her own identity independent of her husband and children. This is a
major concept for that time period that women could actually be someone that society didn't appoint
them to by gender and they can be anyone they want to be. Edna is a heroine that is very openly
rebellious. At the beginning of the novel, Edna exists in a sort of semi–conscious state. She is
comfortable in her marriage to Leonce and unaware of her own feelings and ambitions, which is the
typical role of women during that time period. Edna had always been a romantic, but she saw her
marriage to Leonce as the end to her life of passion and the beginning of a life of responsibility. That
was typical of a women at that time– when she got married, she

Feminist Critique Of The Awakening
FThe Awakening: A Feminist Critique
The Awakening by Kate Chopin depicts the "awakening" of a lady named Edna
Pontellier. Set in New Orleans (Chopin 1), this novel follows Edna as she skirmishes with the life
she is living and the life she wants to live. Moreover, one could view Edna as a model of feminism
in her time. Chopin conveyed many feminist ideas throughout her writings in a time where it was
uncommon; Chopin wrote The Awakening in "a time when married women held no legal rights over
their bodies and when few other female and feminist writers hazarded openly to explore a woman's
sexual desire" (Beer, et al 88). Chopin expresses feminist ideas through the actions of Edna
Pontellier, supporting characters, and how Edna's husband both treats his wife and his stereotypical
view of women.
Throughout the novel, Edna becomes dissatisfied with her life, and decides that something needs to
change. Right from the beginning of the novel, Edna immediately defies her husband when she feels
she is being treated incorrectly. " She said nothing, and refused to answer her husband when he
questioned her" (Chopin 6). These subtle defiances monsoons into greater ones, transforming Edna
into a radical feminist. As Enda starts to realize what she desires, she figures out that "love and sex
do not necessarily coincide in the same object of desire" (Beer, et al 90). Edna decides to leave her
husband, saying that " I am no longer one of
Mr. Pontellier's possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose"(Chopin 108).
Spicher 2
Edna leaving her husband shows her independence from her husband and that she decides not to live
with these traditional stereotypes any longer.. Edna also undergoes a sexual realization. "
Edna grapples with the conflict between her romantic and sexual impulses, both urging her towards
adultery" (Beer, et al 91). Between her love for Robert (Chopin 91) and her affair with
Alcée (Chopin 92), her departure from her husband allows her to sexually explore, thus making her
more independent. All of the events described depict Edna's feminist attitudes towards her life. Even
though Edna is a prime example of a feminist figure, she isn't the sole feminist character in the
novel. Another illustration

Comparison Of Zora Neale Hurston And Their Eyes Were...
After reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston and "The Awakening" by
Kate Chopin all I can think about is how both authors emphasize sympathy towards the characters of
both their books. Both stories have females as main characters that struggle with finding a reason for
existence in life. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin, the author, made it more apparent for the amount
of sympathy she has for Edna and In Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, has a
more callous towards all the male characters except for Janie's last husband, Tea Cake.
In the novel The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the character Edna Pontellier; is a middle–aged
woman who is married and a mother who has an hungering awakening for passion and romance for
the first time in her life, although she has been married for many years now.
" In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being,
and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her. This may seem like
a ponderous weight of wisdom to descend upon the soul of a young woman of twenty–eight–
perhaps more wisdom than the Holy Ghost is usually pleased to vouchsafe to any woman. But the
beginning of things, of a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic, and exceedingly
disturbing. How few of us ever emerge from such beginning! How many souls perish in its tumult!
The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring,

Essay on The Awakening
In their analytical papers on The Awakening by Kate Chopin, both Elaine Showalter and Elizabeth
Le Blanc speak to the importance of homosocial relationship to Edna's awakenings. They also share
the viewpoint that Edna's return to the sea in the final scene of the book represents Edna being one
with her female lover and finding the fulfillment she has been seeking. We see evidence of this idea
of the sea as a feminine from Showalter when she tells us that "As the female body is prone to
wetness, blood, milk, tears and amniotic fluid, so in drowning the woman is immersed in feminine
organic element. Drowning thus becomes the traditionally feminine literary death". (Showalter 219)
LeBlanc takes this idea even further. She tells us that "The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
A woman in this time living the life style of Mademoiselle would quite possibly have been thought
of as a lesbian. We are also aware of the fact that through Mademoiselle Reisz's music, Edna finds
passion within herself that she could not access through any other avenue. I believe that Showalter
has shown us that Edna's awakenings were aided by these two women who meant so much to her;
Adele as the mother–woman and Mademoiselle Reisz as the artist who helps her to access the
passion within. Showalter concludes that as these awakenings progress, Edna, not fitting into either
lifestyle totally, becomes a solitary being who in the ends seeks love and passion from the sea, a
female lover. LeBlanc takes not just a feminist approach in her analysis, but a Lesbian approach as
well. Le Blanc tells us that "The true power of the novel cannot be fully realized unless it is read not
only as a feminist text, but also as a lesbian text". (LeBlanc 237) She feels that one possible solution
for Edna in her search for her own individual identity would be to adapt the identity of a lesbian.
LeBlanc tells us of the existence of metaphorical lesbians–"a provocative controlling concept to
describe a character who is not "really" a lesbian but could be, who engages in a variety of woman–
identified practices that suggest but stop short of sexual intercourse". (LeBlanc 238) She continues
telling us that "Edna illustrates–within the specific historical context

Foreshadowing In The Awakening
Karissa Sirois Mrs. Schroeder AP Literature and Composition 29 December, 2017 The Awakening
1988 Prompt There are many literary works that have mental or psychological events. This
revelation or discovery almost always plays as the climactic peak in each piece of literature.
Author's create such climaxes through foreshadowing, suspense and progressive building up to the
point of intellectual or emotional discovery. In Chopin's The Awakening Edna Pontellier, the main
protagonist, experiences an awakening that is extremely climactic for the reader's. Edna's awakening
is emotional, sexual and intellectual because she discovers her internal desire for independence, the
consequence of freedom and the realization that it is unattainable. Although ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Edna's sexual awakening is one of the first things addressed in the first chapter when she chooses
not to wear her wedding rings on the beach. She spends most of her time with the notoriously
flirtatious Robert, not with her children or husband. From her interactions with Robert and her more
reserved habits, compared to most Creoles, reader's are able to infer the growth of their relationship
and a possible affair in the future. After her vacation back in New Orleans as Edna's emotional
awakening develops, but not as obviously as her sexual awakening. The first direct implication of an
affair comes when Leonce goes to Doctor Mandelet. In chapter XXIII the Doctor goes to have
dinner with Edna, simply to observe in person the strange behavior Leonce described to him, but
when he meets her she seems perfectly fine. One thing the Doctor does notice is her behavior with
Alcee. Chopin notes "the Doctor happier in his selection, when he told the old, ever new and curious
story of the waning of a woman's love, seeking strange, new channels, only to return to its legitimate
source after days of fierce unrest." (Chapter XXIII). This is the first direct implication of a possible
affair approaching in Edna's future, and the Doctor is one of the only people to notice her growing
sexual awakening. Once Alcee further perseus Edna and kisses her it is described as "the first kiss of
her life to which her nature had really responded. It was a flaming torch that kindled desire."
(Chapter XXVII) completing her sexual awakening and heightening her emotional

Empowerment In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Questioning Women's Equal Rights led to an uproar during the 1800's, within the literary world the
re–establishment of such era was exposed, through Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899). The
protagonist, Edna Pointillier was beared in mind as selfish: as she"rejected domesticity in favor of
her own fulfillment"(Walker 5). In the course of identifying a white middle–class woman, "the
United States, disseminated through novels, religious writings, and advice books." Proclaimg to be a
true woman, "she must be confined to the home, devoted to husband, and children," and deliberately
avoid employment and the sphere of politics (Smith–Rosenberg). Shockingly, the empowerment of
middle–class women grew, as reform movements and campaigns resisting ... Show more content on
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As her reality unveils itself she cried an "indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in her
consciousness"(Chopin 8). Edna's dilemma is "she experiences herself as double"(478) she cries to
disguise the pain associated with duality which engages her self– awareness of her rejection and
awakens her tactic to not be dependent. During the period of the novel, divorce was revolting:
abandoning the role of a wife or mother was an outrage. Edna dispenses societal beliefs of
allegiance to marriage, family, and the pursuit of personal interest. Through the illustration
presented in the novel, Chopin drafts marriage as being trapped by the ideas of society, leads to
feeling secluded and without a purpose. Ambitiously, Edna's is determinded by the need to "define
herself as distinct from others, her husband, and most importantly her children" (Killeen 425). Edna
was wrestling, sandwiched between the awakening of two pigeonholes restricting women, enforced
by the Cult of True Womanhood with the intention to seclude women from conceiving their identity
and attaining independence. As her senses were awaken, her drive for freedom is

Kate Chopin 's The Awakening
Kate Chopin is the author of the book The Awakening published in 1899. "Kate was born February
08, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri and died on August 22, 1904" (Feminist Writers). "Born as
Katherine O'Flaherty and she graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in 1868" (Feminist
Writers). "Kate married Oscar Chopin in 1870 and had five sons and one daughter" (Feminist
Writers). "Kate wrote fictional novels; her most known novel is "The Awaken" and short stories; her
most known short story is called, The Storm" (Feminist Writers). "Chopin's fiction details the social
and sexual subtleties of the Cajun and Creole culture in which she lived during her childhood and
marriage" (Feminist Writers). "Chopin represents ironic and seven daring treatments of the sexual,
racial, and moral underpinnings of polite southern Louisiana society" (Feminist Writers). "The
Awaken has become a required reading for any student of the history of women's cultural
oppression" (Feminist Writers). According to Carley Bogard, "Kate Chopin's "The Awakening",
though placed in the highly structured New Orleans Creole Society at the turn of the century, is still
the clearest statement of the feminine dilemma that we have" (Bogard, Carley). Looking through the
eyes of Carley Bogard, she looks at the The Awakening as "a refusal to compromise". She says that,
"I want to argue that Edna's awakening is a double one. The first is her awareness that she wants
autonomy as a human being. At the same time,

Critic And Stigmatisms In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Critics and Stigmatisms
"It was not necessary for a writer of so great refinement and poetic grace to enter the overworked
field of sex fiction", reviews following Chopin's literary awakening, (The Chicago Times–Herald 1).
The Awakening contains brilliant images, resilient protagonists, and vulgar sexuality. Kate Chopin
utilizes potent imagery and burning sexual passion as character motives to transcend Edna Pontellier
from social restrictions. A mold so bleak in nature that its oppressive grasp extends far beyond any
one generation. The Awakening centers the main protagonists as individuals with complex desirers
beyond generic characters. Chopin's The Awakening challenged the pseudo–personas that society
condemned the protagonist to uphold.
The sensational appetite of Chopin's characters peeked into the feminine mentality. Upon the release
of The Awakening, the St. Louis Globe Democrat, rightly so, noticed the amoral actions of Edna
Pontellier. Stating "It is not a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Awakening and Selected Short Fiction. New York,
Barnes & Noble Books, 2005.
–––. A Respectable Woman. New York, Barnes & Noble Books, 2005.
–––. Desiree's Baby. New York, Barnes & Noble Books, 2005.
Clark, Pamela. "Biography." KateChopin.org, www.katechopin.org/biography. Accessed 29 Apr.
2017.
Imbornoni, Ann M. "Women's Rights Movement in the U.S." Infoplease, Infoplease,
www.infoplease.com/spot/womens–rigts–movement–us. Accessed 29 Apr. 2017.
"Providence Sunday Journal." 19th Century Criticism on Chopin's Awakening, 4 June 1899,
www.people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam854/summer/awcritf.html. Accessed 29 Apr. 2017.
"The Chicago Times–Herald." 19th Century Criticism on Chopin's Awakening, 1 June 1899,
www.people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam854/summer/awcritf.html. Accessed 29 Apr. 2017.
"The St. Louis Globe Democrat." 19th Century Criticism on Chopin's Awakening, 13 May 1899,
www.people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam854/summer/awcritf.html. Accessed 29 Apr.

Sexual Desires In The Awakening And Adventure By Sherwood...
Women in history have always been the less dominant sex. They have to conform to societal
standard and act the part that is stereotypically place in society for them. Women are stereotypically
mothers, wives and caretakers of their family. "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin and "Adventure"
by Sherwood Anderson are two literature pieces that share the theme of suppressed sexual desires.
Chopin work tells of a woman by the name of Edna, who is living in the Victorian era. She is a
mother and wife that is unhappy with the life she is currently living. To bring happiness and pleasure
into her life she starts to seek attention from other men, which leads to her sexual awakening and
eventual suicide. Similarly, Anderson work tells of a young woman by the name of Alice who fell in
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Eventually her desperate need for love took a toll on her causing her to run naked in the rain. Chopin
and Anderson are telling us by suppressing one sexual desire it leads to deep frustration. The main
character in the two texts, Edna and Alice, both yearn for sexual freedom that is guarded by a
constraining society, as a result they become isolated, lonely and frustrated. Edna find fulfillment
through her experiences with other men, while Alice find fulfillment through her obsession with
inanimate objects.
Edna and Alice are both isolating themselves because they cannot express their sexual feelings the
way they want to, due to societal standards. Edna in "The Awakening" is detached from people
around her because she is realizing she doesn't have to conform to a woman role that is defined by
society. As quoted, "Once she stopped, and taking off her wedding ring, flung it upon the carpet.
When she saw it lying there, she stamped her heel upon it, striving to crush it (57). This is the
turning point to Edna's isolation because now as she embarks on what she wants internally everyone
around her is starting to not understand

What Is The Role Of Women In The Awakening, By Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin was a fearless and bold author because her work are famous for her open–minded
representation of female characters. She lived in a time period where society did not allow women
to really have a say in anything and were not allowed to be independent. Chopin was an American
author of short stories and novels and her well–known works are The Awakening, "The Storm" and
"The Story of an Hour". Chopin is considered as a role model to women who were faced with
society's restrictions and just wanted to be free. The Awakening by Kate Chopin was about the
character Edna trying to find her independence but society restrictions would get in the way.
"Looking at the situation of women some centuries ago, one can hardly deny that women had
permanently been discriminated: Neither were they allowed to take part in political life, nor did they
get a proper education or were granted any kind of selfhood. Towards the end of the nineteenth
century, wives were still regarded as the objects of others rather than as the free subjects of their
own fates" (Fox–Genovese 35). The limitations and beliefs forced on Edna are only because of her
gender. During the Victorian Era the society believed that women were just fit to be mothers and
wife. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Her community criticized of the novel because it told a specific truth without conclusion or
condemnation. The knowledge of a true independence for women, or more surprisingly yet, equality
between men and women was too much to visualize. Chopin's demonstration of the awakening of
her character, Edna, her acknowledgement that respectable women did certainly have sexual feelings
proved too strong for many who read her novel. "The society was shocked by such a compassionate
view towards the actions and emotions of the sexually aware and independent female protagonist"
(Fox–Genovese

Edna Pontellier's Relationship In The Awakening
In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the central character, Edna Pontellier's awakening
arises throughout her family retreat in Grand Isle where she learns to freely express herself and be
open in her behavior and communication. Now as an independent individual she objects to social
norms by leaving behind her husband Leónce and has an affair with Robert Lebrun. The relationship
between Edna and Robert is alive, conversational, flirty, and she enjoys receiving this infatuated
attention from a man. She states the struggle of finding a woman's place in humanity, and learns new
concepts such as freedom and independence while she was vacationing in Grand Isle. With a choice
to be made to obey to society's beliefs or to follow her personal

Mademoiselle Reisz In The Awakening
In "The Awakening", Kate Chopin demonstrates Edna's early mother who experiences a
melodramatic phase of transformation that she "awakens" to the boundaries of her old–style society
and growing with freedom. Then, we look at Edna Pontellier awake in circumstances that have
metaphorical awakenings to a new modern woman with sexual experiences. Edna fights off the
common and ordinary structures of maternity that force her to be well–defined by her designation as
spouse of Leonce Pontellier and mother of Raoul and Etienne Pontellier, instead of being her own,
self–defined individual. Chopin's focus on two other female characters, Adele Ratignolle and
Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna's pathways of life. Chopin portrays distinct types of characters that ...
"I hope Mrs. Pontellier does take me seriously. I hope she has discernment enough to find in me
something besides the blaguer" (Chopin 1225). Once he comes back he admits the dead end of his
intents, and maturely disregards Edna's claims of freedom. Notwithstanding his truthful love and
imperative lust, Robert can't get out from society's judgement. Robert then leaves a sentimental note
at her house "I love you. Good–by––because I love you" (Chopin 1294) completes Edna's
underserved life. Robert's eventual loyalty to settlement and society congeals her lack of happiness.
Even though Edna saddens because of his denial, the sudden suicide is not because of Robert
departure, but instead of the ultimate awakening, she comprehends.
Consequently, notwithstanding her acceptance that she has woke to a necessity and a capacity to
outflow the restraining roles of a wife and mother, Edna is still trapped in under these roles and will
only liberate from them through death. Leading to destruction, as portrayed by Chopin, because she
has not been able to get over the hold to nature of maternity and the social standards for

The Awakening Critical Lens
"The Awakening" by Kate Chopin was an excellent and brilliantly written novel. The novel was
written in 1897 to 1899 and was first publish in 1899. Overall the "The Awakening" is a fiction book
that relates, reflect, and correlate the view, role, and feminism of women during the nineteenth
century in America. In addition, the novel is an early vision of woman's work that is recommended
to all reader to read. The novel is set in Grand Isle in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana where
wealthy Creoles go on vacation. The main propagandist Edna Pontellier is on a summer vacation
with her husband Léonce Pontellier and her two sons. Léonce is absent with his family because of
his work. Because of Léonce absent Edna spend time with her friend Adéle Rationale. Adéle is a
married Creole who is spectacular because of her elegance and charm. As the novel progress, Enda
and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition to people who love to read book that reflect about naturalism and romanticism. When
reading this novel, it explains the idea of women gaining their freedom and desire, but suffer
consequence when achieving those. The novel did an excellent job to emphasize of freedom of self–
expression. The negative side about this novel is that many readers can struggle to understand what
Chopin is telling because of the language barrier. During this time, it was written in old English and
many readers today cannot comprehend what Chopin is trying to say in the novel. Besides, of how
the novel is written it did an excellent job to expresses and influence of naturalism and romanticism.
From this novel as a reader and audience, they will think about how women were treated and viewed
in society. Lastly, they get to see the positive side women achieving their freedom, sexual desire,
dreams, and love. However, then show the negative side of achieving their freedom as they suffer

The Awakening By Kate Chopin
Introduction The author of the book is Kate Chopin, the title is The Awakening and the main focus
point of this essay is to talk about Eden's interaction and relationships with men throughout the
novel. It is important to figure out how these relationships affected Edna and her 'awakening' and
realization of herself. Edna Pontellier is the main character in this reading and her devotion to her
family is questioned when her husband Leonce Pontellier starts to make demands that she can not
meet. Throughout her story, she encounters men which shape her personality in different ways.
Robert Leburn is the man that Edna falls in love with and plans to run away with leaving behind her
family, and Alcee Arobin is the playboy who she goes to in ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In the book, she writes "Coming back to dinner?" his wife called after him. He halted a moment and
shrugged his shoulders. He felt in his vest pocket; there was a ten–dollar bill there. He did not know;
perhaps he would return for the early dinner and perhaps he would not. It all depended upon the
company which he found over at Klein 's and the size of "the game." He did not say this, but she
understood it, and laughed, nodding good–by to him. This shows to us how Lance did not care about
his wife that much and and he wanted to do whatever he felt like doing. In an analytical article it is
written that Twenty–first century domestic statistics scream with divorce. Although the relationship
between husband and wife is far more equal since the days of Kate Chopin 's "The Awakening,"
rampant divorce and single–parent families still make it difficult for today 's children and teenagers
to trust they will marry happily. The critic is stating that it is very important for a man to respect his
wife, or else his children will turn out to be distrustful and have negative views regarding their
social life. As a result, she started to develop feelings for a man named Robert Leburn.
Confirmation Section (2) The novel talks about how Edna develops a relationship with Robert
Leburn when her husband would not give her attention. She fell in love with a man outside her
family because she wanted to figure out who she truly was in life. Edna says in the

Demoralization In The Awakening
To demoralize someone is to dishearten or discourage them and cause them to lose hope. Kate
Chopin uses words like "depressed" (56), "hopeless" (56) and "despondency" (p115) to describe
Edna, the heroine, in The Awakening. Coupling this description with Edna taking her life at the end
of the novel and Chopin's own inferred demoralization, due to the almost universal aversion to The
Awakening, the natural conclusion is that it is a work of "great personal demoralization",
(Companion 5) as Michael Levenson states. Levenson suggests most modernist authors and artists
paint a bleak picture of their time period because they are demoralized. Although the portrait Chopin
paints of female oppression in 1899 is to some degree demoralizing, the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Mrs. Pontellier's soul is shaken, causing a seismic shift in her, but she is not the only one affected as
all of the partygoers were moved by Mademoiselle Reisz's performance. This alludes to Kate
Chopin's desire to inspire her audience in the same manner as she purposely chooses a piece of
music by the renowned composer Frederic Chopin. She suggests that art is an important aspect of an
awakening as it has the ability to touch the soul. In the next scene Mrs. Pontellier suddenly learns to
swim and Chopin describes, "A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant
import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul." (p27). Mrs. Pontellier
now fully awake realizes that she has control over body, she has autonomy, and Chopin emphasizes
her individuality by referring to her as Edna. Her awakening is important because in 1899, women
did not have autonomy; their main purpose was domesticity. The church and patriarchy reined over
women who were the property of their husbands and considered inferior to men with no sexual
desire. Chopin presents Mr. Pontellier as a perfect specimen of late nineteenth century patriarchy.
Some women thrive in this culture as Chopin demonstrates through Mrs. Ratignolle. However, for
many women, like Edna this world was suffocating. The natural reaction to this oppression is
feminism, but Chopin does not preach feminism in her novel.

The Awakening Feminism Essay
Coming into the nineteenth century, women were looked at as feminist. "Feminism," as we know the
term today, was nonexistent in nineteenth–century America (Cruea 187). Feminist describes as
someone embracing the beliefs that all people are entitled to freedom and liberty within reason.
Gender, sexual orientations, skin color, ethnicity, religion, culture or lifestyle should not be
considered as a form of discrimination. Women roles, in the nineteenth century, were to take care of
the cooking, cleaning, caring for the children and making sure the husbands were comfortable after
long days of work. As years pass, women begin to find work, attain a voter rights and even began
owning properties, which begin to separate them from the men of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Noticing Edna's distance in her marriage came early on in the beginning of The Awakening. During
the summers in Grand Isle, Edna spends most of her summers days and nights with Robert Lebrun
and Adele Ratignolle, just sitting out lounging and talking by the shore about everything. Robert
was a young man that vacationed at Grand Isle each summer. He mainly found a different married
woman each summer, on the Island, to entertain. This did not affect the mind set of Edna's in the
beginning where there relationship started off very innocent. Adele Ragitnolle is one of Edna's
married Creole friends. She is very elegance and charming. Adele is a simple wife and mother that
spend her time taking care of her husband and kids. Edna and Adele shares intimate conversations
which reminds her of dreams. She learns a great deal from Adele over the summer, some things that
made her tap more into her independence. Eventually Edna begins to take part in the exploring her
life outside of her marriage. Edna began to take interest in Robert and less interest in being a wife
and mother. She was in the mist of trying to understand and find her true self as she explored her
options to freedom and tries to fulfill life as she sees it. In The Awakening, Edna was met by a few
things that helped grasp understanding of the freedom that she has been longing for. The start of her
awakening came from her first swim in the

Kate Chopin's The Awakening Essay
Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Kate Chopin's novel The Awakening expresses the difficulty of finding a woman's place in society.
Edna learns of new ideas such as freedom and independence while vacationing in Grand Isle. Faced
with a choice to conform to society's expectations or to obey personal desires for independence,
Edna Pontellier realizes that either option will result in dissatisfaction. Thus, Edna's awakening in
Grand Isle leads to her suicide.
Edna's awakening occurs during her family's vacation in Grand Isle. It is here that she learns to
freely express herself and be unreserved in her behavior and speech. Through the Creole women,
Edna becomes free from the chains that bind her to societal expectations. Adele ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The two main women in Edna's life serve as foils of each other and static characters to which Edna
can compare. Adele Ratignole presents the ideal, socially–accepted woman figure. She exemplifies
all that is perfect: devoted wife seeking only to please her spouse, loving mother, knowledgeable,
conventional, "mother–woman," elegant, charming, simple, and servant to both her family and
society. Completely opposite of the dependent woman is Mademoiselle Reisz who personifies all
that Adele would disgust. Reisz remains isolated from society, shunned as a recluse for her passion
of music. She is unpopular, solitary, unmarried, childless, but also courageous, passionate,
independent, inspired, and free. The two figures rest on polar ends of a societal spectrum. This
distance creates a horrific gap within which Edna finds herself. Edna identifies with both women,
having qualities and tendencies of each. This dual connection complicates Edna's identity; she
cannot fully embody either woman type while she possesses qualities of the other. Edna remains in a
situation in which success cannot be achieved.
Edna's awakening allows the two distinct female models of society to become clear, and her
awakening causes her to feel unable to conform to either model. Edna's arousal is that which opens
her eyes to see her potential apart from her current life. Spending time in Grand Isle unveils a new

Sexual Fulfillment in Chopin's Awakening
Society keeps order, allows for advancement, and gives humanity a good face. It also imposes
morals, roles, and limits a person's potential development. If someone wishes to reach beyond what
society expects of them, they must cast aside social restrictions. Edna Pontellier, in Kate Chopin's
The Awakening, feels the urge to cast off the veil society burdens her with and live as she chooses
to. The driving factor behind her desire to awaken is her lack of sexual fulfillment. She lives her life
following conduct becoming of a woman who marries into the Creole elite of New Orleans. While
her husband, Léonce, adores her, she does not truly love him and their relationship appears
platonic. Robert, a young paramour, woos Edna and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Robert presents himself as a solution to the lack of romantic love in Edna's life. A young, nice
looking man, he spends his summer devoted to Edna. She likes his attention and his adoring manner
draws her to him. As they spend more time together, he begins to sing her songs and recite romantic
poetry. This romantic aspect fills a void in her life. "For the first time, she recognized the symptoms
of infatuation which she had felt incipiently as a child, as a girl in her early teens, and later as a
young woman" (45). Robert gives her the picture perfect, model, swept off her feet in love romance
that she direly needs. However, he soon retires to Mexico for a business venture and leaves Edna to
pine for him in his absence. While he is gone, Edna thinks constantly of Robert and begs
Mademoiselle Reisz to allow her to read the letter Robert sends. Devastated, she finds no mention of
her name in the letter. When Robert finally returns, he pays little attention to her and again departs,
telling her he is leaving because he loves her. "She writhed with a jealous pang. She wondered when
he would come back. He had not said he would come back. She had been with him, had heard his
voice and touched his hand. But some way he had seemed neared to her off there in Mexico" (103).
While Robert helped awaken Edna's sexuality, he left her again, and she now knew the true joys and
pains of

Innocence versus Sexual Awakening Essays
Innocence versus Sexual Awakeming The transition from childhood to adulthood is a complex but
universal passage. Both Katherine Mansfield's "The Wind Blows" and D.H. Lawrence's The Virgin
and the Gipsy embody adolescent angst in their characterization. Matilda and Yvette search for
meaning beyond the lives they perceive they are condemned to lead. Both bring about greater
understanding of the struggle between a young girl's struggle of innocence versus sexuality. In
similar uses of metaphor and imagery the stories tell the tale of social convention, romanticism and
sexual awakening.
The Virgin and the Gipsy is written with little surprise or subtlety in it, as is suggested by the title.
Lawrence has a theme of human ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Each of the two girls has a high spirit infused by passion. Neither actually experiences "desire"
persay but awaken to the idea itself. Yvette dreams of falling "violently in love" (12) and Matilda
hints at love through "heading for the open gate" (Mansfield 58). Both seem to imply the context of
a society that pretends desire only occurs on a limited basis within marriage or class structure, "for
fear the thought was obscene", (115). Anything outside of that realm of possibility should not be
expressed.
Mansfield implies the passion that Matilda feels for Mr. Bullen with her heart racing and "him
waiting for her" (55). Matilda feels content upon entrance to her piano teachers' home. There is
warmth that overcomes her through the smells and images that surround her senses. Matilda has a
feeling that they know "everything about each other" (55) which suggests intimacy on her part.
From Mr. Bullens point of view, there is only a portrayal of adult concern as in two instances
Matilda is reminded that she is still a "little lady" (55). Yvette "lay and wishes she were a gypsy"
(52). The life of the gipsy is different in every way from her own, she is smitten by him with her
"childlike eyes"(67) but still paralyzed by the fear of social convention for "fear the thought was
obscene" (115). The gypsies were most outside the world she was brought up in therefore subject to
her fascination. The dark and handsome gipsy was a fantasy man for Yvette one in

Essay On Edna Pontellier As A Modern Woman In The Awakening
The Awakening: In what ways is Edna Pontellier a modern woman?
If Edna Pontellier had been a woman in today's society, she would have been considered a rebel.
However, she was not fortunate enough to have lived in the 21st century. Instead, she was expected
to conform to the expectations of Victorian life. Her husband and friends wanted her to behave as a
conservative "mother–woman", but she had other intentions. Throughout her summer on Grand Isle,
Edna experienced a new sort of freedom. She underwent a type of sexual awakening in the
participation of her affairs with Robert and Alcèe, gained a sense of independence while pursuing
her passion for art and music, and became much more individualistic by welcoming self–attention to
her ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She has been contained within a lifestyle that is dictated by her husband and her children. Her
marriage is not one that consists of any romance; it merely exists. Her friendship with Robert is
more eventful than the times she has spent with her husband, Lèonce. Only when Edna decides to go
for a symbolic swim does she realize all of this. This swim is like a rebirth, a new baptism, a sexual
awakening. Edna has realized that in order for her to lead a happier life, she must depend on herself,
she is now out on her own. Edna grows closer with Robert and distances herself from Lèonce in an
attempt to satisfy her hidden romantic dreams, which haven't surfaced since her childhood. As
Robert announces his departure to Mexico, Edna finally realizes her feelings for him. She struggles
to fill the void in her love life by associating with Alcèe, another flirtatious young man. Edna seems
to favor the attention given to her by men other than her husband, a scandalous inclination during
her time period. In the ways of her sexual struggles and desires, Edna resembles a more modern
woman, perhaps even one represented by today's society. She goes through men quickly, having
more than one affair. This type of behavior would have been frowned upon in the 1800s, but today it
is much more commonplace. Edna was alive during the wrong time period for this type of

Feminism In The Awakening
A Feminist Critique of The Awakening
""How many years have I slept?" she inquired. "The whole island seems changed. A new race of
beings must have sprung up, leaving only you and me as past relics.""(Chopin 67). The turn of the
century was on the horizon, coinciding with those who seek change, rising with the dawn of the new
era. One movement to emerge was that of feminism; the challenging of equity and social
expectations for women. Kate Chopin's revolutionary novel The Awakening serves as a catalyst for
much of the 20th century's critique on the place of women in society, particularly pertaining to
expression, equality, and Chopin's juxtaposition of men and women.
Expression is pivotal to power; this is no exception in The Awakening, in which ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Per Seyersted, a literary critique noted that "Revolting against tradition and authority... she
undertook to give the unsparing truth about woman's submerged life. She was something of a
pioneer in the amoral treatment of sexuality, of divorce, and of woman's urge for an existential
authenticity,"(Seyersted). As stated Chopin does truly continue to stay relevant, as the fight for
sexual and personal liberation never ends, especially as third wave feminism maintains strength.
Edna directly confronts all levels of Southern culture. Divorce, which is frowned upon in many
Christian based faiths, predominantly in the south. The Antebellum movement, of strengthening the
home and family and advocating the removal of alcohol. Men as the figure of power and
responsibility. All of which listed, still have roots in the lives of Americans today. Edna also
challenges equality in a way that is not as confrontational or isolationist attitude as noted by Allison
Seigel, "Edna may not have fully rebelled from society like Mademoiselle Reisz, but she opens her
mind, recognizes the wrongs in her life, and speaks out against them," which is incredibly important
to note. Edna is not rash, nor ignorant, while her actions may, in fact, have been societally
dangerous, but what was more dangerous was that

The Awakening on Kate Chopin's The Awakening
The time period of the 1880s that Kate Chopin lived in influenced her to write The Awakening, a
very controversial book because of many new depictions of women introduced in the book. The
Awakening is a book about a woman, Edna Pontellier. In the beginning, she is a happy woman with
her husband and 2 kids vacationing at Grand Isle. While there, Edna realizes she is in love with
Robert Lebrun and that she was just forced into an unloving/dissatisfying marriage with Mr.
Pontellier. Robert however, leaves for Mexico. While there, Edna picks up a relationship with Alcee
Arobin who helps her realize her sexual passions. Edna has a sexual awakening, and is determined
to get independence and she eventually leaves Mr. Pontellier. She shows her independence and
sexual passions through painting. Edna moves into a house of her own. Robert comes home and tells
her he loves her. However, Edna can't handle all of the social "rules" and commits suicide before
finishing her conversation with Robert. The book contained a lot of sexual passion shown by Edna,
which is a new depiction of women in the 1880s. The new tone Kate Chopin wrote in was
influenced by society and her life. The Awakening caused a lot of controversy due to this new tone.
During the mid to late 1800s, the time period that Kate Chopin wrote The Awakening, women were
expected to be a "mother–woman", which influenced Kate Chopin to write this book about the gain
of independence by women. Women were expected to stay at home

Critical Analysis Of Kate Chopin's The Awakening
The Awakening Critical Essay The novel The Awakening by Kate Chopin contains content that is
highly debatable and easily controversial. In the essay Chopin's The Awakening by Roger Platizky,
the author interpreted from the novel that the depression of Edna Pontellier, the main feminine lead,
is created not only from the male oppression of the time period, but is also derived from the idea that
Edna is affected by a previous encounter with sexual violence, either as a witness or a victim. While
there is some way to infer that this is true, it is not confirmed and is quite a reach, considering her
life now and willingness with men. The reason that some readers believe this is due to her "mood
changes, boundary problems and suicide" (Platizky, Roger). If Edna was a victim or witness to
sexual violence, she would be even more submissive and fragile as a character. This theory is untrue,
however, because throughout the novel Edna Pontellier displays a growing strength that is presented
to the men in her life and finally gains her the independence she has been desiring, even if it isn't in
the most predictable way. In the essay, Chopin's The Awakening, Platizky writes that "while one
could argue she was just shy or introverted, Edna's sweeping passions later in the novel suggest the
introversion may have been imposed." (Platizky, Roger). While this is true that Edna has sweeping
passions later in the novel, it is not correlated to Edna wanting to block something from her
memory, such as sexual violence. While someone could insist that Edna's mood swings are
suggesting the protagonist "is trying to block something more than just her realization that she is
unhappy in her present marriage" (Platizky), that information is extremely faulty. Instead, Edna's
mood swings deal with the oppression of the patriarchal society that women were thrown into
during this time period. Each woman was supposed to lack individuality and obey the men,
especially in the Creole Catholic society. Edna's lack of cooperation towards this norm shows up
often in The Awakening.
"She could not at that moment have done other than denied and resisted. She wondered if her
husband had ever spoken to her like that before, and is she has submitted

Gender Roles In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, was widely and harshly criticized at the time of its publication
in 1899. Critics felt such outrage over the novel, that many would call it morbid and vulgar. One of
the reasons that The Awakening faced such strong moral outcry was because of its depiction of
female sexuality and the gender roles of the time. At the turn of the 20th century women were
expected to be mothers and wives, not to lead their own lives full desires and dreams. Women of the
Victorian era were not allowed to be sexual beings, nor were they allowed to explore their who they
were without men. The male gender role at the time dictated that men not have close relationships
with women, that they were completely free to do as they wished ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Adele exemplifies the perfect Victorian woman. Adele is depicts the perfect mother who would do
anything for her children. "They were designed for winter wear " (Chopin 52). This shows Madame
Ratignolle's perfection as a mother because she is thinking about the future needs of her children. In
fact, Adele is shown to be so caught up in being the perfect Victorian woman that she is unable to
understand that she could be more than just a mother and a wife. "But a woman who would give her
life for her children could do no more than that" (97). This is important because it illustrates that
Adele is so absorbed in the typical female gender role that she is unable to separate herself and her
identity from it. Madame Ratignolle's strict adherence to the Victorian gender roles is used by
Chopin to show how old fashioned and outdated they are, while also demonstrating the way in
which society clings to them. Throughout the novel the contrast between Adele and Edna is shown
as a way of criticizing the lack of freedom women have in society due to the gender

Comparing A Respectable Woman And The Awakening
In the late nineteenth century, Kate Chopin published two of her controversial short stories, A
Respectable Woman and The Awakening. A Respectable Woman is about a character named Mrs.
Baroda and how she dreams of committing adultery with her husband's friend. She never takes the
leap, though. In The Awakening, a woman named Edna begins to have feelings for a man she met on
her family vacation, Robert. She realizes that she feels depressed with her husband so she moves
out. Then, she tries to get together with Robert, but he does not want to commit such heinous acts.
Eventually, she finds herself committing the act with another man to satisfy her sexual desires. In
the end, Edna finally realizes that she is lonely and no one can please her. As a female modern writer
of the late nineteenth century, Kate Chopin was harshly scrutinized and could not turn from the
criticism of her new writings from the old ways. Kate Chopin went through several tragic instances
in her life. She was five years old when she lost her father. Her grandmother died when Chopin was
thirteen and her brother during the war of typhoid fever. Unfortunately, the events that took place
involved the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The main character in the book, Edna, was on a vacation with her family. Although she was a
faithful wife and mother, she began to have interest in another man named Robert. Even though she
did not have an affair with Robert, she did with another man who she felt was his equal. This
implies that Edna was a low character, settling to find anything to fulfill a desire. In the end, she
eventually figured out that nothing would satisfy her, and she committed suicide. After The
Awakening was published, Chopin had a hard time finding publishers for her stories. Tragically, it
ended her career for

Theme of Isolation in The Awakening Essays
Theme of Isolation in The Awakening
One theme apparent in Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, is the consequence of solitude when
independence is chosen over conformity. The novel's protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is faced with this
consequence after she embarks on a journey of self–discovery. "As Edna's ability to express herself
grows, the number of people who can understand her newfound language shrinks" (Ward 3). Edna's
awakening from a conforming, Victorian wife and mother, into an emotional and sexual woman
takes place through the use of self–expression in three forms: emotional language, art, and physical
passion.
The first form of self–expression Edna learns is the emotional language spoken by the Creole ...
Chopin notes, "Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was
tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth" (699). Mlle. Reisz feels the music is a mode of
communication between Edna and herself. This prompts her to tell Edna during a party, "You are the
only one worth playing for" (Chopin 700). The music calls to something within Edna, which further
wakes her from the slumber of domesticity. As Edna realizes the expressive nature of music, she
wants to apply this expression to her painting. She seeks the encouragement of her first teacher of
expression, Madame Ratignolle, hoping her kind words will "help her put her heart into her venture"
(Chopin 723). When Edna surrendered to "the service of art" her husband noted, "she was not
herself. That is, he could not see the she was becoming herself" (Chopin 724). Self–expression
through art progresses Edna in her new sense of self, but one more form must be learned to
complete her transformation.
Lastly, Edna explores self–expression in her own physical passion. Her romantic relationships with
Alcee and, most importantly, Robert, give her the means to express love and passion she had
preciously repressed. When Edna first explores these sexual feelings she, as Davis states, "succumbs
to the seductions of a roué, Alcee Arobin, without

Feminism In The Awakening
In the TV show Lost, a character presses a button every 108 minutes because he is told that if he
does not press the button, something very bad will happen. However, he does not know if something
bad will happen, he is only told that something bad will happen. In Kate Chopin's novel The
Awakening, society tells Edna Pontellier what she is supposed to do as a woman, and she does this
because society tells her to do so, thinking that women who do not are crazy. But then one day she
realizes that there is no reason that she should not be an individual, and she is repressed by society
because she goes against society's expectations. The novel's title, The Awakening, refers to Edna's
realization of society's expectations of women and begins to express herself as an individual instead
of a woman by society's standards. Edna's initial awakening had her start expressing herself as an
individual in different ways. Edna's personal awakening changes the way that she views herself,
going from a woman who in the beginning of the book went along with society's expectations, to the
end of the book where she was expressing her individuality and realizing how society tries to repress
her individuality. Edna's social awakening changes the way that she acts in society by interacting
with people differently, ignoring the responsibilities society gives her, and expressing her
individuality by doing things she actually wants to do. Edna's sexual awakening changed the way
that she viewed the men

Edna's Search For Identity In The Awakening
The Awakening
Theme:
Do not give into the pressures of society and search for your own identity
Edna lives in a society that expects women to only take care of children and be an obedient wife.
However, Edna feels trapped and does not want to be only limited to being a good wife. One day,
she meets a young man named Robert who helps Edna awaken and she gradually begins to want to
search for her own identity. Therefore, she has sexual awakenings with Alcee, so she can try to
figure out herself. In addition, Edna has another awakening due to her time with Adele and she tries
to find her identity by expressing herself through art in the Pigeon House.
Being an individual against society leads to rejection, loneliness, and isolation.
Edna Pontellier was the only woman in the Grand Isle to try to go against the rules of society which
was to be an obedient. She desired to find her individuality and become independent due to feeling
trapped by just being a wife every day. Therefore, she goes through sexual awakenings hoping to
discover herself but all the men still thought of her as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She tries to find her individuality and has awakenings due to Adele and Robert.
Robert Lebrun: He talks with almost every woman in the Grand Isle and helps Edna have her
awakening where she wants to discover more about herself.
Leonce Pontellier: Edna's husband who is very wealthy and supports his children and wife very
well. However, he views Edna as a piece of property instead of a women.
Doctor Mandelet: He is the doctor that Leonce takes Edna to when he feels that Edna's behavior is
not ordinary, and the doctor notices that Edna is attempting to break away from society. Therefore,
the doctor tries to help her get back on track.
Adele Ratignolle: Edna's closest friend who represents the epitome of how a woman should act in
the society they live

Similarities Between The Awakening And The House On Mango...
In a social environment, a community's perception of a person greatly impacts an individual. In The
Awakening by Kate Chopin and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, we see two
different societal perceptions of life through the female protagonists, Edna and Esperanza. Both
Cisneros and Chopin use their protagonists to highlight how much of an effect society has on an
individual. Through them we get a glimpse of communal impact on the protagonists as individuals,
the developmental mindset of the characters, and how each character responds to societal perception
of what's acceptable and what's not, as each embark on their own "awakening." Edna Pontellier is
the female protagonist in The Awakening, living in a patriarchal society during the late 1800s. She's
married to Leonce Pontellier, ––the Brad Pitt during that time period–and is the center of
admiration, as "the ladies, selecting with dainty and discriminating fingers and a little greedily, all
declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit
that she knew of none better" (Chopin 4, p.50). She had the wealth, the perfect husband, and the
children; all she was missing was her life. During their holiday family vacation, Edna meets Robert
Lebrun, a man whom she becomes ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
With a new mindset, Edna's behavior becomes that of a child; she begins to ignore her role as
expected from her by society, and starts to develop an atypical behavior. She even immaturely starts
to fathom an adventurous and adulterous romance with Robert, not thinking of the possibilities of
consequences. Edna soon renounces her family in the sense that she divorces her husband, Leonce,
and sends her kids to their grandmother's without a second thought; she believes her perfect life with
them is a mere mirage and is an appearance of what society deems

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