PlanetPapers.com RSS Feedhttps://www.planetpapers.com/ The Awakening In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is forced to fit in with everyone and everything in her surroundings. Edna is used to the Southern society because she was raised in Kentucky with her family, but when she marries Leonce Pontellier, a Creole, and moves to Louisiana, her surroundings greatly change. This makes her feel extremely uncomfortable and confused; she feels as though she has lost her identity, along with a great deal of her freedom. Edna tries her hardest to conform to the Creole society in order to try to regain her happiness from lack of freedom. Though Edna tries extremely hard to accept this Creole society as her own and to become part of it in order to claim her identity, she fails to find both her true happiness and her identity, which, in turn, causes her to commit suicide by drowning herself. A great deal of Edna’s unhappiness is due to the fact that her husband is very strict with her. He treats her with a great deal of authority, and Edna more and more often refuse to obey his commands, such as keeping visiting hours for company on Tuesdays. In accordance with society, Leonce believes that Edna should be the stereotypical housewife who does everything she possibly can for her husband and children. However, when Edna does something that contradicts the well-established Creole social code, Leonce becomes disappointed and frustrated. For example, when Edna is sunbathing at the beach on Grand Isle, her husband approaches her and says, “What folly! To bathe at such an hour in such heat! You are burnt beyond recognition.” Kate Chopin adds that Leonce looks at his wife “as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage.” Over time, the negative attitude that Leonce has toward Edna causes her to look for security, happiness, and love in other people and places. It is then that she meets, and eventually falls in love with, Robert. Throughout the novel, Edna encounters many “awakenings” of her own. One very significant awakening occurs when she recognizes her unrequited love for Robert. Edna realizes that Leonce no longer matters to her and that she would be much happier if she were with Robert. Thus, Robert becomes the one person and the virtually unattainable goal Edna lives for; consequently, when he finally leaves her, she is devastated. She feels that the only way to 2002-10-29T13:00:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-5087.aspx Enda Pontellier and Adele Comparision and Contrast In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the setting is in the late 1800s on Grand Isle in Louisiana. The main character of the story is Edna Pontellier who is not a Creole. Other important characters are Adele Ratignolle, Mr. Ratgnolle, Robert Lebrun, and Leonce Pontellier who are all Creole's. In the Creole society the men are dominant. Seldom do the Creole's accept outsiders to their social circle, and women are expected to provide well-kept homes and have many children. Edna and Adele are friends who are very different because of their the way they were brought up and they way they treat their husbands. Adele is a loyal wife who always obeys her husband's commands. Edna is a woman who strays from her husband and does not obey her husband's commands. Kate Chopin uses Adele to emphasize the differences between her and Edna. Edna Pontellier is not a Creole, so her relationship with her husband is difficult. In her husband's eyes she has failed in her duties as a wife and as a mother to her own children. What Enda's husband expects from her is never what she does. Leonce comes home in the middle of the night and talks to Edna while she is sleeping. Then he tells her that Raoul one of their sons is sick and tells her to get up and check on him. Edna had never really had the desire to have children but she did anyway. She was not a "mother-woman" because she would rather be alone sometimes; she did not feel she had to be with her children twenty-four hours a day. If one Edna's boys "….took a tumble whilst at play, he would not apt rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up"(16). Enda never felt that she fit in with Creole society because she "…most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery"(19). The Creoles' would talk about things such as childbirth and would flirt with others and not mean anything. Yet Edna would never dream of talking about her childbirth's with anyone or flirting unless she meant it. Creole women devoted their whole lives to their husbands where Enda was carefree and did as she pleased. She was carefree because she would go out onto the beach with only a sundress and a little hat on when she was suppose to be all covered up 2002-04-23T14:00:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Enda-Pontellier-and-Adele-Comparision-and-Contrast-4676.aspx Two symbolic passages “Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristic hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life – that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions.” (Pg. 13) This mainly focuses on the idea of her dual existence. Her interior self is in conflict with her exterior self. Just from a purely a literary interpretation of the quote one can extract that she may appear a disciplined, orderly, conformist woman from a peripheral viewpoint, but on the outside her beliefs are taking new form, she is becoming a new woman. At this point in the story she only shows a part of herself and never really liberates herself so much as to deviate from the societal norm. She encapsulates individualism and as the book progresses this idiosyncratic tumor spreads throughout her being profusely. This is also the first time there is any reference to familial background. As a child her father suppressed her and throughout most of her adulthood she is still living under the supervision of a male figure, Mr. Pontellier. Now, as she begins to question societies institutions, she learns more of herself. She is on a quest of self-discovery and she had taken some baby steps. This passage forebodes a journey where she derails from the societal conventions ingrained in her from birth, which further reinforces the theme of independence or more like bondage and freedom. Her father and her husband represent the shackles of society and the formation of her self-reliant, non-conformist, introspective self symbolizes the key. “She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them…There absence was sort of a relief, though she did not admit this, even to herself. It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.” (Pg. 18) Does Mrs. Pontellier love her children or are they manacles that bind her to her demagogic and autocratic husband? I am inclined to agree with the latter. Of course she loves them as all mother do, but to the extent that her freedom and joy are effaced by her spouse’s incessant abuse and his ‘I am always right complex.’ 2002-02-15T13:00:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Two-symbolic-passages-4376.aspx The Awakening - Morality or Self-sacrifice? The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, takes one back to an earlier time while still provoking the questions of morality and self-sacrifice that exist today. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of the story, places herself in the position to be the individual going against society from the beginning of the novel. In the beginning chapters of the novel, Edna’s characteristics and actions worthy of rebuke lead to a breakdown of her moral integrity. These behaviors eventually lead her to become a woman that not only the Creole culture rejects, but civilization in general can no longer accept. Edna’s plight throughout the novel perfects her status as that individual going against society. Her reserve toward her children places her in abnormal standing. Her behavior, not necessarily of neglect but rather of apathetic involvement in their lives, contrasted the ideal motherly figure of the age. Madame Ratignolle, Edna’s friend, maintains quite a different air about her. She possesses the dependent attitude which the Creole society seems not only to encourage, but in some aspects requires. Although Edna loves her children dearly, and in spells needs them with fervor, she was more accustomed to leaving them with the nanny or a friend rather than looking after them herself. She would give anything for her children, but she would not give of herself. In an age of expected domestic dependence, Edna’s rejection of her obligations as a mother and a wife go against the tacit rules of the world in which she lives. Although Edna was outwardly performing the duties of her life, her heart was busy thinking other thoughts. Throughout the course of the summer, she falls in love with Robert Lebrun. Yes, he previously established he “third wheel” status in the families at Grande Isle, but this was another aspect of Edna’s life that pits her against her surroundings. As Robert falls in love with Edna, and she with him, her independent longing is inflamed, and her passions begin to overpower her self-control. Edna’s husband, Leonce, is more in love with the idea of a wife for himself and a mother for his children rather than Edna herself. This makes it easier for Edna to let go. When Robert suddenly leaves for Mexico on a business excursion, Edna becomes despondent and unfocused. Maybe through the severe longing for him and grief at his absence she becomes intensely connected to herself. When she begins to 2001-03-26T14:00:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-Morality-or-Self-sacrifice-3082.aspx The Awakening - The Evolution of Edna In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is forced to strive to fit in with everyone and everything around her. Born and raised in Kentucky, Edna is used to the Southern society, but when she marries Leonce Pontellier, a Catholic and a Creole, and moves to Louisiana with him, her surroundings change a great deal. This makes her feel extremely uncomfortable and confused; she feels as though she has lost her identity along with a great deal of her happiness. In order to regain this identity and to try to find out who she truly is, Edna tries her hardest to conform to the Creole society. Though Edna tries extremely hard to accept this Creole society as her own and to become part of it in order to claim her identity, she fails to find both her true happiness and her identity, which, in turn, causes her to commit suicide. A great deal of Edna’s unhappiness is due to the fact that her husband is very firm with her, he treats her with a great deal of “authority and coercion,” as is requested by Edna’s father, and he strongly believes that she should conform to the Creole society. In accordance with society, Leonce believes that Edna should be the stereotypical housewife who does everything she possibly can for her husband and her children. However, when Edna does something that contradicts this well-established Creole social code, Leonce reveals his disappointment. For example, when Edna is sunbathing at the beach on Grand Isle, her husband approaches her and says, “ ‘What folly! to bathe at such an hour in such heat! You are burnt beyond recognition.’ ” Kate Chopin adds that Mr. Pontellier looks at his wife “as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage.” Over time, the negative attitude that Leonce has toward Edna causes her to look for security, happiness, and love in other people and places. It is then that she meets, and eventually falls in love with, Robert Lebrun. Throughout the novel, Edna encounters many “awakenings” of her own. One very significant awakening occurs when she recognizes her unrequited love for Robert Lebrun. Edna realizes that Leonce no longer matters to her and that she would be much happier if she were with Robert. Thus, Robert becomes the one person and the virtually unattainable goal Edna lives for; consequently, when he finally 2001-01-10T13:00:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-The-Evolution-of-Edna-2746.aspx The Awakening: A Woman's Fight for Independence Right from the beginning the plot is almost conveniently evident. You find a woman, Edna Pontellier, tired of living her life as a pampered and "owned" wife and mother. She is searching for much more in her life, some sort of meaning for her whole existence. She searches for a long time but in the end, the inevitability of her life's pattern and direction wraps around her, suffocating her. She is overcome with wonder, confusion, and guilt for what she believes and what she does to express her beliefs. She finally finds a way to beat the "proper" 1890's lifestyle by committing suicide. During this story Edna struggles with three main opposing powers. First, there is the society's opinion of what a woman's "roles" in life was and how they should act, look, and feel. Second, is her independent nature. The last opposing power she comes across is her undying love for the charming Robert Lebrun. It is the unwritten rule that a woman should marry, have children, and be happy and content with that as their life. Society portrays this to be a woman's rightful job and duty. A woman should act and look "proper" at all times. This is what Edna is fighting against in this novel. She feels that, though many women agree with this "known" rule, it isn't fair. For six years Edna conforms to these ideas by being a "proper" wife and mother, holding Tuesday socials and going to operas, following the same enduring schedule. It is only after her summer spent at Grand Isle that her "mechanical" lifestyle becomes apparent to her. She sees how much she is unhappy with the expectations, held by society, of her life and she wishes to erase them and live her life as she wants. Edna has an independent, almost self centered, nature about her. Her need for an uncontrolled lifestyle is what leaves her feeling "owned" and wanting to break that label; she fights to do as she wishes. Little by little she breaks free of society's' image, letting her independence shine through. She cancels her Tuesday socials and helps out around the house doing little chores. The biggest step she made was her decision to move away from her mansion and into the "pigeon house", a little cottage around corner. After this move she was free to explore her new profound freedom and desires. She succumbed to the 2000-12-10T13:00:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-A-Woman-s-Fight-for-Independence-2660.aspx The Awakening In the Awakening, by Kate Chopin, Edna Pontellier is a married woman with children. However many of her actions seem like those of a child. In fact, Edna Pontelliers¡¦ life is an irony, in that her immaturity allows her to mature. Throughout this novel, there are many examples of this because Edna is continuously searching for herself in the novel. One example of how Edna¡¦s immaturity allows her to mature is when she starts to cry when LeƒVonce, her husband, says she is not a good mother. ¡§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?¡¨(13). Edna, instead of telling her husband that she had taken care of her children, began to cry like a baby after her husband reprimanded her. ¡§Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little¡Kshe thrust her face, steaming and wet, into the bend of her arm, and she went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms,¡¨(13,14). These tears made Edna look as if she was still a child and that she is tired of being treated as a child by her husband. These tears also showed her she did not like where she was, a sign of maturity. Her tears symbolize her first awakening. Although the next morning, after Edna had cried the night before had to go and say good-bye to her husband because he was leaving on a business trip. Edna acted immaturely around him again when he gave her half the money he won the night before. ¡§¡¥It will buy a handsome wedding present for Sister Janet!¡¦ she exclaimed, smoothing out the bills as she counted them one by one,¡¨(15). Edna is spoiled by all of her husbands money. Another example of how Edna¡¦s immaturity allows her to mature is when Edna swam like a baby when she went swimming for the first time, and she had over estimated her power. ¡§Once she turned and looked toward the shore, toward the people she had left there. She had not gone any great distance¡Kshe made no mention of her encounter with death and her flash of terror, except to say to her husband, ¡¥I thought I should have perished out there alone.¡¦ ¡¥You were not so very far, my 2000-09-25T14:00:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-2267.aspx The Awakening Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a work of fiction that tells the story of Edna Pontellier, Southern wife and mother. This book presents the reader with many tough questions and few answers. It is not hard to imagine why this book was banished for decades not long after its initial publication in 1899. At that time in history, women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna didn't fit this mold, and that eventually leads her husband to send for a doctor. It is here that Edna Pontellier says words that define The Awakening, "I don't want anything but my own way. That is wanting a good deal, of course, when you have to trample upon the lives, the hearts, the prejudices of others - but no matter..." As the book begins, Edna is a married woman who seems vaguely satisfied with her life. However, she cannot find true happiness. Her "awakening" begins when a persistent young man named Robert begins courting her. Edna begins to respond to him with a passion she hasn't felt before. She begins to realize that she can play roles other than wife and mother. Throughout the book Edna takes many steps to increase her independence. She sends her children away, she refuses to stay at home on Tuesdays (as was the social convention of the time), she frequents races and parties. Unfortunately, her independence proves to be her downfall. Edna stays married because divorce was unheard of in those days. She wants to marry Robert, but he will not because it will disgrace her to leave her husband. No matter how much Edna exceeds social boundaries, she is held down by the will of others, despite what she wants. In today's world divorce, sadly, is almost commonplace, but in her time she would have been an outcast of her society. By the end of The Awakening, Edna feels like a possession - of her husband, of her children, and of her society. The only solution she sees is to end her life, which she does by swimming out into the sea until her strength gives out. This is a very symbolic death. I feel the theme of The Awakening is deeper than the obvious themes of 1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Awakening-60.aspx