Awakening By Kate Chopin
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Awakening By Kate Chopin
“Every step which she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to
her strength and expansion as an individual” (93) The Awakening by Kate Chopin
introduces the reader to the life of Edna Pontellier, a woman with an
independent nature, searching for her true identity in a patriarchal society
that expects women to be nothing more than devoted wives and nurturing mothers.
In this paper I will describe Edna’s journey of self-discovery and explain why
her struggle for independence is no easy task. I will also discuss the
relationship Edna has with two other main women characters and describe how
these women conform or rebel against a society with many social constraints.
Finally I will discuss how the issues brought up in Chopin’s novel are still
relevant today. The Journey The Awakening begins in the vacation spot of Grand
Isle. At first we believe that Grand Isle is a utopia, wealthy families relaxing
at oceanside, but it is here where Edna first begins to realize her unhappiness.
The first sign of dissatisfaction is when Edna allows herself to feel that her
marriage is unsatisfying; yet she must agree with the other women that Leonce
Pontellier is the perfect husband. Edna can now ask herself if she has a good
husband and is not happy than should marriage be a component of her life. Edna
has two close relationships with other males in the book but both prove
unsatisfying, and a block to her independence. The first relationship is with
Robert Lebrun. They swim, they chat on the porch and offer each other
companionship. This is a flirtatious relationship; a relationship similar to
those Robert has had previous summers with other married women; but different
because Edna, being a “foreigner” allows herself to take Robert seriously
and she falls in love with him. This proves tragic because during the course of
the novel the two will pine for each other but Robert not wanting to mar his
reputation as a “gentleman” moves to Mexico. Even after his return the two
meet for a short time and then again Robert flees before anything happens. The
second role Edna begins to question is her role as mother. Edna’s husband
scolds her for her unattentiveness to her children. Although Edna is fond of her
children she, unlike the other women on Grand Isle, would rather have a nurse
look after them. Edna says that she would “give up the unessential; I would
give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give
myself.” Edna...
The complete article is about 1510 words and 6.04 pages long.
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