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"I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself. I can't make it more clear; it's only something which I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me."
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| | 0 | 9/6/2011 8:18 PM | Mother and Father The thing that shocked me was how the father seemed to care more about the childrens health more than the mother when ussually it is the other way around especialy during that time period .... it gives me the idea that she is suffering from post pardome depression | | | | 0 | 9/6/2011 8:16 PM | marraige The marraige between the Mr. and the Mrs. is complicated because they seem exremely cold towards eachother for only a few years into their marraige | | | | 0 | 9/6/2011 8:12 PM | money = happiness ok so edna is obviously very wealthy indicated by the fact that they are in a summer home.... well if she is wealthy which was indeed what seems to be the major pleasure bringer during those times why does she not just be rich and be happy | | | | 0 | 9/6/2011 8:09 PM | why? it makes no since that the main character was not even introduced untill the end of chapter 4.. was that how all books during that time was writen? | | | | 0 | 9/6/2011 8:04 PM | confusion at the begining ok first off sorry for all of my posts being soooo late .... at first i was extremely confused because i jumped right into the book and didnt realize that it took place during the queen victoria era. | | | | 3 | 8/24/2011 9:11 PM | First Impression of Enda and Leonce In the beginning I realized that Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier had a strange relationship and i wasn't sure if it was just an early 1900's cultural sort of thing. In chapter 3 when Mr. Pontellier comes home from socializing, he wakes up his wife telling her there kid has a fever. Mrs. Pontellier claims the son doesn't have a fever and Leonce tells her how she neglects the children. He really put her down, with a rude remark any mother wouldn't want to hear. To me they act like a couple that has been married for 30 years, not just just a few years. I wonder if they fight a lot, and if either of them are happy in their relationship. | | | | 1 | 8/24/2011 9:06 PM | Alcee Arobin Alcee Arobin's role in "The Awakening" is a fairly unique and important one. He serves to "physically" satisfy Edna's need. as opposed to intellectually as Robert Lebrun did. Arobin is made to look like the town "rake", sleeping around with married women was his specialty. His seductive advances put Enda under his spell, while his lack of control over her kept her interested. Because of this control-free relationship, Edna further appreciates her capability to find other, more fulfilling relationships with men. This comprehension makes Edna's decision to leave her husband more attractive in her mind. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 8:58 PM | The Final Awakening
Edna found love in Robert Lebrun. When he left for Mexico and she returned to New Orleans, she had an affair with a sensuous man. She loved him and even he thought of ignoring society’s presence to be with her. He had a dream of asking Mr. Pontellier to set Edna free so he could marry her. He came back to find her, but then realized he could not do such a thing. He wrote a note and fled. Edna found it and read, continuing on to find out even her Robert is confined by society. This is the final “push” of the awakening process, and she commits suicide soon after. | | | | 1 | 8/24/2011 8:54 PM | Children and Self Actualization The subject no one has broached: Edna's children. They exist, as it were, in the background, in the periphery, white noise against the colorful turmoil of Edna's emotions. They are subtle and subdued, but they are not ignored completely, and we should not ignore them. In fact, their minor presence in the novel is important, and their limited acknowledgement is in fact essential in making a point.
People often assume children are part of a natural progression. You are a child, you change, you are an adult, you change, you are the caregiver of a child, the new step in a repeating cycle. The desire to have children is a biological necessity manifold, essential in the continuation of the species. But I, as an individual and as a woman, feel no desire for children. In fact I fear them. I fear the idea of them because to be a parent, you are taking on responsibility for an entire life. Moreover, you are allowing another life to become central in your own (to a larger extent than typical relationships, which do not share the same bond as a child/parent relationship, no matter what anyone says). Because of this, the toll of parenting is often the sacrifice of the time, emotion and consideration that would otherwise be dedicated to one's self, to personal, spiritual and intellectual development. This might be a selfish view, but it is nonetheless important, and it might be accurate to say that a large majority of poor parenting results from an inability to balance importance of child v. importance of self. (personally I doubt my ability to do so, ergo I fear the idea of children as it would result in either loss of myself, or a horrible life for my children.)
This brings us back to Edna. When Edna does mention her children she DIRECTLY addresses the idea of her self. As she talks with Mme. Ratignolle, she mentions she would never sacrifice herself for her children. Oh, she would gladly give up mundane mortality or money, but she "wouldn't give up myself". To the simplistic Mme., one's physical being is oneself, to die is to lose your person. But to the awakened Edna, there is a deeper self to lose. Edna doesn't want to sacrifice this self she has barely discovered.
So, while Edna's benevolent neglect of her children throughout the book might bother some, might seem cruel and wrong and even unnatural (distasteful too), I find myself compelled to take her part. Surely neglect of children isn't a good thing. But is Edna's crime any worse than Mme.'s? Mme. neglects herself, in fact, seems to have lost herself, to exist without a personal center. Is that not too unnatural, distasteful, cruel and wrong? Both these women have failed to balance children with self (a seemingly impossible task). But who are we to say one is worse than the other? The selfish or the shallow? | | | | 1 | 8/24/2011 8:43 PM | The ending In the end Edna commites suicide. Some believe that she was fighting the constraints of society, but I believe that she was giving into the constraints. She felt she had no way out, she couldn't fight it so she gave up. I think one of the reasons that this book was banned, besides the fact that it was an act of feminism which was not allowed in those days, was because of the poor messages it sends. Commiting suicide is a sad and selfish act. Edna was not successful in my opinion, because she gave in. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 8:37 PM | Somewhere In The Middle
Edna has a wide variety of friends in the book. Mademoiselle Reisz is an independent, older, women whose life is led by her passion of art and music, not by the expectations of society. She is not pressured by anyone to do things she does not want to do. She is unconventional and a nonconformist. Choplin juxtaposes Reisz to Adele Ratignolle, the exact opposite of her. Adele does her duties as a wife, cleans, cooks, watches the children, listens to her husband, and is very dependent upon him. She is a traditionalist that does not change at all throughout the book, and believes she has follow society’s rules and expectations. These characters are polar opposites and represent the extreme lifestyles Edna is stuck between: the ideal women and the nonconformist. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 8:23 PM | A Muse for Edna
Mademoiselle Reisz was an independent, strong, and passionate woman that many people questioned and ridiculed. She was older, unmarried, and did what pleased her: her passion for music. Edna was moved by her passion for music and touched when Reisz played her piano. Reisz noticed and sought for Edna, wanting to get to know her better. They form a relationship, and Edna yearns for Reisz’s life without a husband and children. Reisz represents what Edna would be like without her husband and children. Reisz represents what Edna wants and what she will never have. Reisz is her muse, and shows her promise, gives her a glimpse of the “perfect” life she wants. This awakens Edna even more, making her realize the life of living up to society’s expectations is wrong. Reisz’s life full of independence and passion for art is what Edna truly wants. | | | | 4 | 8/24/2011 7:51 PM | Symbolism: Edna's wings I found this specific part particularly interesting. Edna's having a conversation with Arobin and she says that (talking about Reisz), "Well, for instance, when I left her today, she out her arms around me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my wings were strong, said said. 'The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings." Edna's "wings" are a symbol of her actions. Of how she went against tradition and was brave enough to take a risk. | | | | 3 | 8/24/2011 6:15 PM | Symbolization: Mrs. Pontellier's Rings
From the very introduction of Mrs. Pontellier’s character, it is clear that her husband regards her more as a “piece of personal property” than as a person. Her rings symbolize the objectification she endures, representing her husband’s ownership of her, as in early cultures the wedding ring did. Curiously, when Mrs. Pontellier goes for a walk without her husband, she leaves the rings behind. And once she is back in his presence, she dons them once more. This suggests that her subservience exists only in the company of her husband, and not in that of Robert, the younger man with whom she went for a stroll. It seems that Mrs. Pontellier is not being held trivialized by all men, but by the one that she married. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 5:36 PM | Edna's independence Edna's newfound independence comes with consequences. While in the pigon house she starts to see herself as an individual. This only makes her realize that she is even more of a social outcast than she was before, because at this time woman were not allowed to be independent individuals. They were treated as property rather than people, therefore when Edna sees herself as an individual she becomes different than the creole woman on the island. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 5:08 PM | Foreshadowing Throughout the entire novel, there is a lot of foreshadowing towards Edna's suicide. For example the lady in black shows up many times. She represents and foreshadows Edna's death because she often shows up behind the two lovers which represent Robert and Edna's love that can never be. Also in chapter 10, Edna's suicide is foreshadowed again when she keeps swimming farther and farther and then sees an image of her own death. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 4:51 PM | Edna's children Edna tends to neglect her two young boys. She becomes selfish and involved with her own thoughts. She was never the "mothering type," not like Adele who lived to parent and please her husband. I think that Edna never wanted to be a mother or wife, but because of the constraints of society she really had no other choice. Thinking about her children made Edna want to commite suicide because she knew she would always have an obligation to them. She never really missed them when they were away, and I don't think she ever wanted them to begin with. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 4:33 PM | Important Quotes 1. Mademmoiselle Reisz: "The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings."
- This is a great quote, and one of my favorite in the book because it means that in order to escape the norms and constraints of society you must fight for it.
2. "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."
- This quote is a very important part the book because this is when Edna realizes she is finally in control of her fate. It is also dangerous because she now has the idea of taking her own life. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 4:05 PM | The beginning of Edna's awakening In chapter 6, Edna begins her awakening. The quote "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 around her," is the first sign that Edna is changing her way of thinking. This quote is important because it sets the plot for the rest of the story. Much of the book is just foreshadowing her full awakening, eventually leading to her suicide. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 3:36 PM | Robert Lebrun's role Robert is the son of Madame Lebrun, who owns the vacation houses. Every summer he "devotes" himself to a woman, and this year that woman is Edna Pontellier. Robert is a lot younger that Edna, and he seems to flirt with her throughout the beginning of the novel. As the story goes on we find out Edna is not really in love with Mr. Pontellier, her husband, and only married him to escape the love and feelings she had for another man she knew she couldn't have. Edna likes that Robert is devoted to her, and enjoys him flirting because it reminds her of the love she never felt towards Mr. Pontellier. Although Robert was only around in the beginning and end of the story his role is very important. When he comes back from Mexico to tell Mr. Pontellier that he is in love with his wife, he realizes that his dream is unreal so he left, leaving behind a note for Edna. Although this was not the cause of her suicide, I believe that it was her final awakening to the fact that she does not have the choice to love who she wants, due to social constraints and she has no way out. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 3:34 PM | Mademoiselle Reisz Mademoiselle Reisz plays probably the most influential role during Edna's awakening. Reisz serves as a sort of archetype, to which she strives to match herself. Reisz is a very unusual women for the 1800's; she lives alone, without a husband or children to define her; she refrains from the tumult of gossip and social anxiety revolving around society; and most importantly of all, she led her life the way she wanted to, through music.Edna connects with Mademoiselle Reisz deeply, for she too, wishes to become both independent and an artist. Reisz is probably the character most acquainted with Edna, and therefore has the most power to shape Edna's awakening. It is for these reasons that Mademoiselle Reisz is extremely crucial.
| | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 2:52 PM | Isolation quote explanation While on Grand Isle Edna finds herself flitting in and out of the reality of her own life. While alone with Robert, she feels closer to him, almost as if she has already left her family behind in order to begin her new life with him.
The novel states, "'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. How many ages ago did Madame Antoine and Tonie die? And when did our people from Grand Isle disappear from the earth?'"
In this quote Edna seems to be slowly discovering her true feelings for Robert; while at the same time deciding to disregard societies strict rules. This quote is a turning point in the novel. It's one of the first signals that Edna's views and wishes are beginning to change. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 2:30 PM | Edna's Suicide Throughout the book Edna yearns for freedom and independence. First from society, then her husband and children, and finally from her own feeling of extreme solitude. It is because of these things that Edna commits suicide. After leaving her previous life of conventional boredom, Edna's first true love affair abandons her for a lifestyle similar to the one she surrendered, leaving her devastated. Edna soon comes to the conclusion that the fanciful life on complete independence she envisioned isn't so; instead she is forced to dwell in solitude. After Edna leaves society, her family, and her true love behind she decides she still isn't quite free. As her final act to gain freedom from society and all of her predicaments, Edna gives herself unto the sea. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 2:22 PM | Significance of the Sea The vast sea beckons to Edna throughout the book, it's endless opportunities captivate her freedom-deprived mind. In the beginning of the novel Edna is afraid to advance into the water, for she does not know how to swim. Eventually she succumbs to the seductions of the water and begins to swim. Edna's new-found ability to swim, and the fact that she taught herself, further earns her independence and the strength that ensues. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 1:40 AM | Focus With Chopin's focus on the consequences of social norms and the banalities of everday life, I found the novel quite interesting and full of adequate detail of how people behave. I think Edna of someone whom is guideing her path through her awakening because of different people, and is able to set her own self free because of closed minds. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 1:25 AM | Depiction Edna's story depicts a young woman, who finds herself. But, then, she's not able to live with the consequences of her new yearnings.
"The awakening" refers to many different stirrings of consciousness. It is the awakening of the physical self. Edna re-creates her life because of this awakening, but ultimately comes to terms with the reality that no one will completely understand her. In the end, Edna finds the world unable to contain her desires, so she chooses to leave it behind.
| | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 1:11 AM | Roles Each character in the novel play crucial roles in Edna's development of her awakening. Each character provide a little insight into what she does and does not want, inependence versus bound by motherhood respectively. With each character we see into the process and transformation of Edna's awakening. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 1:03 AM | Ending Edna undergoes an awakening and her deeper desires remain unsatisfied. I feel that the eventual suicide is the best way to show Edna's strong desire for independence. As well as how hard social standards are to break where they can be devastating enough to bring dramatic consequence. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:50 AM | Mariequita's significance In "The Awakening" the Spanish girl Mariequita plays a small, but crucial role in Edna's awakening. Mariequita is very much the female version of the character Alcee Arobin, for she is also somewhat of a floozy. Mariequita has freed herself from societies rules by simply not caring what others think of her. In the plot, she made advances toward two men at once, Robert and Victor Lebrun, which, at the time, was unheard of. When Edna meets Mariequita she notices the care-free, almost whorish way she presents herself to men. Edna then realizes that this is not the path she wishes for herself. I believe Edna wished to be given the choice to be with whichever man catches her eye, not EVERY man that catches her eye, as Mariequita seems to. Like many other characters, Mariequita assists in the "awakening" of Edna. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:47 AM | Conflict Conflice is the basic premise of this novel. People in the novel see Edna in one way, the way that a woman should be. Edna seeks to open new paths and meaning, while being reminded of the harshness of social acceptance, she is forced to face conflict. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:37 AM | Adele Ratignolle's Throughout the story Adele Ratignolle played a major role in the development of Edna's character. Ratignolle's easy acceptance of the duties thrust upon her by society inspire Edna to become the extreme feminist she later was. Ratignolle perfectly performs her domestics tasks, while at the same time nurturing her children, and doting over her husband. These actions, combined with many romantic tales from the past, transport Edna back to her youth, and inspire her to once again enjoy these pleasures. Although unintentionally, Adele is one of the most powerful forces to transform Edna. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:37 AM | Point of View I like the objective third person narration. By Chopin not passing judgement on Edna or any of the other characters, allows for deeper thought and your own personal search for meaning. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:25 AM | Symbolism of Caged Birds The caged birds in Madam Lebrun's house symbolize the social restrictions set upon the women in the 1800's. The bars of the cage represents the harsh limitations each woman was faced with. Women in that era were expected to dress properly, conceive children, interact with those on the same social level, and remain inferior to their husbands. Most women were condemned to life behind these bars, forced to cope, unable to escape to boundless freedom. Seeing these birds in Madam Lebrun's changed something in Edna that day, I think she realized that she didn't desire to be locked away forcibly anymore than those helpless birds did. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:17 AM | Robert Lebrun vs. Leonce Pontellier During "The Awakening" Edna is in possession of two main beaus: one a passionate, understanding young man, free of any major obligations, named Robert Lebrun. The other a mundane, older man constrained by societies "boundaries", Leonce Pontellier, Edna's husband. During the book Edna feels obligated to remain with Mr. Pontellier. After all, he has provided her with every material good she could ask for; in addition society expects her to remain with him. However, in return he expects her to maintain domestic chores as well as an acceptable public appearance. Their relationship lacks passion and excitement, and therefore, she yearns for something different. Robert Lebrun is that new, exciting commodity she longed for. He helps her to "come out of her shell", so to speak, and become the person she was always forced to shut away. When Edna is in the company of Lebrun she is able to act and say what she pleases without the worry of societies judgement. In the end, it is because of Lebrun that Edna abandons Mr. Pontellier in an effort to find a more satisfying relationship. | | | | 0 | 8/24/2011 12:01 AM | Edna's comparison to a child Throughout "The Awakening" is metaphorically compared to a child. While discovering her long lost independence, Edna takes advantage of the privileges she wasn't bestowed previously. Her new ability to disregard the social structure and do whatever her heart desires causes her to become selfish and impulsive, acting without thought of future consequences. Her behavior greatly compares to that of a young child left in a candy store. The child would take what he desires and ignoring what he does not, without thought of chastisement. This is what Edna did in a manner of speaking; she took back her freedom without considering what her family would do without her. | | | | 10 | 8/23/2011 6:32 PM | Is Edna Selfish?
Edna Pontellier had two young boys, which she did not feel a motherly love for. This gives her a complexity, and rebellious attitude towards her responsibilities. Chopin writes,
“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. The year before they had spent part of the summer with their grandmother Pontellier in Iberville. Feeling secure regarding their happiness and welfare, she did not miss them except with an occasional intense longing. Their absence was a sort of 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.”
Edna should have never had children if she was not able to care for them, or never had the feelings to care ABOUT them. Edna is a child herself when it comes to handling her duties with the boys. When she does not feel like putting up with them, she gives the children to their nurse. Yet when she is in a loving mood, she acts like a mother. To me, this is not fair to her children or to others, such as her nurse or grandmother, who must act as a substitute mothers when Edna is not in the mood to care for her own children. | | | | 1 | 8/23/2011 3:07 PM | Self Awareness
As the novel progresses, Edna’s self awareness becomes more and more apparent. The small rebellions that take place grow increasingly until her final act at the end. In chapter XXXVIII, Chopin writes,
“The years that are gone seem like dreams—if one might go on sleeping and dreaming—but to wake up and find—oh! well! Perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one’s life.”
Though Edna suffers through her awakening while realizing the truth and losing her innocence, it was all worth it for the joy that follows. Better to live a year in happiness than a lifetime of unconscious illusion society has created for you. It is far superior to have possession over ones soul than to only follow the orders that have been given to you. | | | | 1 | 8/23/2011 2:24 PM | Edna and Mme. Ratignolle One of the things that intrigues me the most about Edna is her physical description compared to the other women she associates with, and how it changes from the beginning of the novel. (Admittedly, I haven't finished the book yet.)
The first image we receive of Edna is of her hands, being "strong" and "shapely." However, she "survey[s] them critically," and then covers them. It was confusing to me at first why she would do this, considering that strong and shapely are normally considered positive attributes.
In the fourth chapter, Mme. Ratignolle is introduced, shedding some light on Edna's perception. Mme. Ratignole's hands are described as "exquisite," "perfect," even. A domestic task that she is performing, such as needlepoint, always follows, giving a reason why they appear flawless - she is obedient, taking the role expected by her.
While Mme. Ratignolle is content with her position in society ( a mother and seamstress), Edna "is not a mother-woman." She craves something more from life, and has the tools capable of achieving it, symbolized by her hands. Mme. Ratignolle has accepted her place in society, thus has beautiful hands, and in the beginning, it seems that Edna craves this acceptance as well. As the book progresses, she uses her strength to become what she wants to be.
Has anyone noticed any other contrasts between Edna and the female characters that change through the novel's progression? | | | | 0 | 8/21/2011 1:13 AM | MUSIC Although I did not catch it at first I feel that the music helps to shape Edna into the awakening. The music helps to understand the way the other characters feel in the novel about their roles. Whether they are content and accept their role like Madame Ratignolle, or those who live without a care for society like Mademoiselle Reisz. The music also helps to see Edna in relation to the other characters. How the characters are able to have different effects on her through music. Mademoiselle Reisz plays and is able to create an artistic expression within Edna, while others are not able to do so. With Mademoiselle Reisz playing she gets to experience what a piece of music says, rather than inventing random pictures to accompany the sound. We reach a point in the novel where the music helps us to track Edna's development in her awakening. | | | | 0 | 8/21/2011 12:42 AM | SEA I felt that the sea stood for a certain freedom and escape. When in the water Edna can be reminded of the depth of the universe, and of the personel position that she posseses within that depth. In its sublime vastness, the sea represents the strength, glory, and loneliness of independence. All of which Edna experiences in her time at the sea. | | | | 0 | 8/21/2011 12:29 AM | BIRDS While reading the novel symbols became apparent. Many people already talked about the birds, but I also noticed that the caged birds represented entrapment. Edna as well as many other women had limited movement similar to the caged birds. Both are unable to communicate and move through the world around them. They both have to stay put, to protect and to shield the family, but never to fly. Edna does try and fly/escape the cage but her efforts only lead her to another: the pigeon house. The pigeon house represents her inability to remove herself from her former life, as her move takes her just two steps away. | | | | 0 | 8/20/2011 11:09 PM | Individual Expression Given the time, many limitations provided women with very few opportunities for individual expression. Women found their role to be solely dedicated to the house and the family. Edna being one of these women lacking individual satisfaction, begins her gradual awakening towards individual identity. Immediately being blinded by the pleasure of individual strength, Edna begins to verbalize her feelings of independence. She quickly meets resistance becoming aware that such ideas are not of socially acceptable existence. Edna's ideas being of social unacceptance leads Robert to find that the attraction is not strong enough to outweight his sense of moral standing. As well as factoring in her husbands very clear ideas about where females priorities should be, leads to Edna ultimately realizing that she is alone in her awakening. | | | | 0 | 8/20/2011 8:27 PM | Character Examination: Mme. Ratignolle Mme. Ratignolle is everything Edna is not: soft, feminine, maternal, affectionate. She is happy to return to her home, she is happy with her husband, they live in a state of domestic bliss. She has soft curves to Edna's slender and masculine lines.
Shouldn't Edna be jealous?
But she isn't. In fact, she pities Mme.
In their domestic bliss she sees ennui. "A pity for a colorless existence" is all that Edna feels for her friend. In Mme.'s contentedness she sees a shallowness of spirit. And I cannot help but agree.
Mme. is clearly Edna's foil. And as her foil we can choose to see in her either the good that Edna lacks, or what Edna sees. I choose the latter. Certainly Edna is far from perfect. But at least she is aware. At least she is alive. Mme., with her perfect life, and no intellectual presence, isn't even a person. She is a shell, filled with societal expectations, well meant compassion and little more. How could we ever sympathize with someone who has none of the faults we can relate to and none of the interesting perspectives we could admire? | | | | 0 | 8/20/2011 2:07 PM | Reference to the sea While reading "The Awakening" I noticed that Chopin talks about the sea many times throughout the novel. The sea plays a very important role in the story. Chopin is constantly relating the sea to Edna's deep and changing emotions. She eventually feels she has no other choice but to give into these emotions, and commits suicide at sea. This is ironic because the sea represented her emotions, which she ended up giving into. | | | | 7 | 8/20/2011 11:49 AM | The Ending
Although some would protest Edna's eventual suicide, call it foolish, see it as an unfit ending for her story, I believe that in the context of this work it is in fact the only fit ending. Kate Chopin published this novel twenty years before women in America had the right to vote. She had the courage to write and publish this novel before the First Wave of feminism was even called such. With this in mind, it is safe to say that Chopin's message regarding society's oppression of women had to be brash, had to implore the attention of its readers – most of whom, in the years of its publication, had not even the faintest notion that women as a whole were living in an oppressed state. To have any impact on society, especially those who would mock her ideals and look with scorn on her cause, it was imperative that she expose the effects of society's treatment of women to be appalling. And what could be more appalling than for the heroine of her novel to take her own life? Chopin could not have created such an unsettling conclusion to her novel by any other means. | | | | 0 | 8/20/2011 12:11 AM | Mothering-reference to birds In chapter 4 of "The Awakening," we are introduced to Adele Ratignolle, who is the total opposite of Edna. Adele is a "mother-woman," someone who " idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angles." Throughout the novel Chopin uses references to birds and wings in order to represent woman. I believe she does this to show how woman were oppressed, although they had wings they were unable to fly away because they were caged (oppressed) or just didn't have the desire to, like Adele. | | | | 3 | 8/19/2011 11:12 PM | Developing themes In the first few chapters of "The Awakening," several different themes are developing, and they all seem to lead back to the main essential theme of oppression. Beginning with the parrot, which is locked away in a cage annoying Mr. Pontellier, the plot develops and the parrot seems to mirror Edna. Edna is more of a nuisance than a wife to Mr. Pontellier, he feels she is nothing more than "a piece of personal property."From the very start Edna is supressed and out of place and the "light within her" is just starting to come out, which is her realization of her place in the world. | | | | 0 | 8/19/2011 10:31 PM | Love interests As I was reading, I tried to figure out the various relationships woven throughout the book, and what each man played in Edna's awakening.
Leonce- She married Leonce when she still craved acceptance in society, when it didn't occur to her that she should value herself as something more than a piece of property. Leonce's lack of concern for Edna's feelings and actions eventually drove her to Robert. Originally, it wasn't because she wanted to be loved, but because she wanted someone to take her seriously.
Robert- As was the case with her husband, Robert fell for Edna, and in this case, the feeling was reciprocated. I believe that Robert was Edna's true love, but it was impossible considering the time period when divorces were unheard of. When Robert left, Edna became brokenhearted and lonely, and found solace in Alcee.
Alcee- Alcee fed the animal-like desire in Edna. Her husband was gone, her true love left, and she wanted to be needed. Alcee consented, offering her flattery and "love," however false it was. Edna admitted that she did not like Alcee or have feelings for him, but found that he was "like a narcotic upon her." | | | | 2 | 8/19/2011 9:56 PM | Edna's Awakening I find it interesting that the title "The Awakening" not only applies to Edna's individual awakening, but Kate Chopin's attempt to awaken her own society as well.
Like Edna falters in her attempts to reinvent herself, so does Chopin's novel. it was not well accepted at the time of publishing because it strives to create a different view of society. I can't help but wonder if Chopin knew that the book would not be a success, and thus set her protagonist up for failure as well (i.e. suicide). | | | | 0 | 8/18/2011 10:24 PM | The Awakening As I wrote a lot of my posts, I’ve realized that I have been talking about this ‘awakening’ that Edna has been going through, but have failed to discuss the extent of what that entails. This book is one of the earliest American novels that does not patronize women’s rights, and banned from being read for several years, is a milestone for early feminism. Edna’s awakening form the main plot of the story, and we see her grow from a subservient wife to a woman with a dream for emancipation. As she grows, she questions many things about her modern society, such as the authority given to men and the weakness that women must portray. Edna’s awakening is actually a discovery about the woman that she truly is. She is independent and does not want to fall in line to the whims of mankind. | | | | 1 | 8/18/2011 10:10 PM | Birds. Birds are used as major symbolic images throughout "The Awakening". They symbolize the ability and inability to communicate and the emtrapment of women. The parrot in the begining mirrors Edna. The parrot has a very physical beauty, but when it expresses itself through talking, it is annoying and no one quite understands it. The only one that does understand that parrot, is the mockingbird. The mockingbird mirrors Mademoiselle Reisz. She is admired for her piano playing, but only for enertainment to those around her. Likewise, the mockingbird is only admired for a beautiful singing voice.
In the final passages, it reads "'a bird with a broken wing, was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water". This corresponds to Reisz's earlier warning, "The bird that that would soar above the level of plain tradition and prejudice must have strong wings". Edna did not have these "strong wings" and failed to go above socities standards for women. | | | | 1 | 8/18/2011 4:18 PM | Mademoiselle Reisz Mademoiselle Reisz is playing a huge roll in Edna's awakening. Mademoiselle Reisz is also the only last connection Edna has towards Robert. Robert letters to Mademoiselle Reisz always mention Edna. I feel that Mademoiselle Reisz is encouraging Robert and Edna's love, when she shouldn't because Edna is married. I can tell Mademoiselle Reisz opened Edna up to the world of music and art. Edna always listens to her play the piano and in chapter 21 she is really touched by it. She is crying and really realizing the things around her. I know Edna also admires her for being the strong, independent woman Mademoiselle Reisz is. Edna most likely envies her. There will definitively be more to come with MM Reisz and Edna's friendship. | | | | 2 | 8/18/2011 4:01 PM | Character's expectations I haven't read that much more of the book, hate to say it, but I like how Chopin makes Mrs. Pontellier's life seem so perfect in the beginning. Mrs. Pontellier, although young, has a husband and two young sons. You think her life would be perfect, right? Not exactly. During one scene in the book, Mrs. Pontellier has a little gathering with her friends. They all believe that Mrs. Pontellier has the perfect life, but little do they know, she's not happy. The night before, after her husband had gotten home from a night out with friends, Edna [Pontellier] go out to get a breather, and ends up crying for what seems like ages. | | | | 0 | 8/18/2011 3:41 PM | In response to Rayna5294 "Edna's love for Robert" I agree with you that Edna's love for Robert gave her independence. In the begining of the book, it was evident that Edna's marriage was not of love, but was more for show. Her husband saw her as a possesion and had expectations for her to raise their children. Robert, on the other hand, saw her as a woman. This is what drew Edna in. Although Edna lost her sense of motherhood, Robert showed her a new way of life.
| | | | 1 | 8/18/2011 2:42 PM | Clothes Edna is full dressed when first introduced; slowly over the course of the book she removes her clothes. Thus symbolizes the shedding of societial rules in her life and her growing awakening, which stresses her physical and external self. When Edna swims for the first time she removes some clothing and gains some independence. Still fearful of drowning and just letting go, Edna reamins somewhat clothed during this event. When Edna returned to the water to commit suicide, she remembers the night she swam out far, she "recalled the terror that seized her at the fear of being unable to regain the shore. She did not look back now, but went on and on." Before departing into the water, Edna had removed all of her clothes and stood naked for the first time, "she felt like some new-born creature". This was Edna's final awakening where she had no fears. | | | | 0 | 8/18/2011 2:30 PM | The Caring of Children
Motherhood tends to bring a caring nature out of women. They warm bottles, nurture their babies, clean scrapes, and tuck their kids into bed. Many of these women, actually MOST of these women had children for a purpose: to feel purpose, to nurture, to love. To have a child for any other malicious reason is cruel and unfair to the children. And this brings up the issue of Edna Pontellier, mother of two sons and wife. Edna was selfish to give birth for the sole purpose of fulfilling society’s expectations. She had children because “every” obedient wife had children in the late 1800s. Obviously Edna cannot take the children back to wherever it is they come from, and she now feels obligated and ultimately “chained” to Mr. Pontellier. Edna has children to blend into society, yet they keep her in her conformist marriage. She realizes that’s why she’s “stuck” with her husband, and has an awakening. This awakening leads her to become self dependant and defiant: The EXACT opposite of what she was trying to accomplish by having children. Oh, Edna, sweet irony. | | | | 0 | 8/18/2011 2:07 PM | The Objectification of Women: Men’s Control.
In The Awakening Kate Chopin exposes an issue that affected many young women in the late 19th Century. Edna Pontellier is a mother and proclaimed representation of the average social and dutiful wife in the late 1800s. She has a successful husband and two beautiful children yet she still has unsettling thoughts. She feels restricted, and Chopin juxtaposes Edna to a caged bird: she wants to be expressive yet her creativity is diluted by her possessive husband. Edna is completely objectified, and is referred to as “a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage”(Pg.3) Mr. Pontellier obviously has no problem in treating Edna as property, and I believe this materialization of Edna ultimately led to her first awakening moments. | | | | 1 | 8/18/2011 11:11 AM | The sea. The sea symbolizes freedom and escape for Edna. This is where Edna had her first moment of independence, swimming out on her own. This is also how Edna escaped from her life and the pressures of society. What gave her such redemption also took her life. This is ironic because the sea played two major roles in Edna's life, but both are very different. Edna swimming on her own was an awakening, while when Edna committed suicide she was letting go and doing the opposite...dying. Of course this also brings up how Edna at first feared death by the sea and then later embraced it. Looking at it that way makes the novel seem rather dark. | | | | 1 | 8/17/2011 8:06 PM | Who Mirrors Who?
As I am still in the beginning of this novel, the little details and story lines give off an interesting play on the novels purpose. Like the sudden change of heart in Robert Lebrun’s abrupt decision to travel to Mexico juxtaposes with the change that has occurred to Edna. Like Robert, Edna has seen a new light and wants to travel into “unknown territory” to test what she is capable of. (Such as the simple act of flirtation with Robert and the rebellious attitude she has struck up with Mr. Pontellier.)Maybe this is why Robert and Edna are so appealing to each other; they are both searching for something greater, more mysterious and less planned. They are both craving spontaneity and that is what drives them to continue their little “fling”. I can’t help but notice this counteracts the theme of feminism, and reintroduces a theme codependence! Now this leaves me in a state of confusion. The only cure for me is to keep on reading! More to post soon…
P.S. Perhaps other characters have done this as well? | | | | 0 | 8/17/2011 1:10 PM | Alternative ending? It really surprised me when Edna killed her self. While reading towards the end I was curious about her next move in her web of lies. I thought Edna would try to reconnect with Robert and explain what Alecee was even doing in the picture. When Leonce would come back from his trip I bet Edna would just disappear without telling him. I assume Leonce would hire someone to find her, but i'm not sure how hard he would look for her. Edna might tell her children she was leaving, or say a last good bye but she would leave them too. I knew Edna wanted to run away and have a happily ever-after with Robert. Then I thought, in the early 1900s woman didn't just divorce their husbands because they didn't like them anymore... As shown in the Awakening woman were the man's property. This was a high point in woman being oppressed. If Edna did run away with Robert, I wonder if he would run away with her. He was always respectful of her being married. I feel as if he would try to talk Edna out of leaving. I hope he would catch on to her craziness though.. I imagine them going to Mexico.... | | | | 2 | 8/16/2011 9:36 PM | Subservience Throughout the years that the human race has dominated the earth, one gender has always run supreme, and although I say this regretfully, it is not mine. With stronger muscles and the yearning to triumph, men have always had control of the world. Women, who bake warm bread in the oven and comfort small children, may never stand up to the standard that men have placed on society. In the past woman were thought of as only motherly figures to today, and still today, a woman makes seventy cents to a man’s dollar and get made fun of for not being able to drive a car. Now I might just be ranting about this long disputed argument, and if you have stuck around to read what this has to do with the book we are supposed to be bloging about, you may or may not be disappointed (is bolging a word? Are we even bloging?). Throughout the book, Edna is portrayed as a strong character who grows less subservient by the chapter, never wanting the boring, blissful life Adele has. Instead she strives to be like Mademoiselle Reisz, a strong, independent woman who could care less what anyone thinks of her. But I ask you, what is Edna motivated by? Has she decided to stand up to her husband because she is so strong-willed and confident, or because another man pushed her into this behavior? I’ll give you a hint, it isn’t the first choice. Now, the character I am talking about did not attempt to make Edna strong in the least bit, but his actions, and his feelings for her sparked her revolution. Would Edna have even had an ‘awakening’ without the character of Robert to begin it? If Kate Chopin had not created him, would this story be of a simple housewife, unhappy with her life, but to afraid to do anything about it? | | | | 0 | 8/15/2011 10:33 PM | Edna’s New Life Throughout The Awakening, Edna experiences major changes in her life. One of the most significant changes occurs in the middle of her ‘awakening process,’ her ability to be an individual instead of a domestic, subservient housewife. One of the first changes we see in Edna is her desire to paint over the requests of her husband to do household chores. As Edna becomes more independent, she begins to discontinue many of her traditional duties, such as entertaining Tuesday guests. Leonce discovers this when Edna is not wearing her formal gown one day, but instead of forcing her to continue these practices, he believes that Edna is going mad. Leonce worries that Edna’s actions will have a harmful effect on her social standing, but while he believes she is losing her mid, she is actually finally truly becoming herself. | | | | 0 | 8/15/2011 4:32 PM | Edna's Suicide Edna committing suicide could mean two things. She either succeeded in standing up against society and finding independence, or she gave up. Going off the first idea, it's like Edna committing suicide is achieving her ultimate goal. She is making a decision on her own. No one told her to do it but herself. It was an act of independence. However, going off the second idea, Edna could have just given up on herself and all the conflict around her. Edna couldn't handle all of her emotions and feelings, while trying to juggle how society saw and placed her. | | | | 0 | 8/15/2011 4:09 PM | The title. So I have now completed the book and will attempt to write 10 substantial posts relating to "The Awakening"...
Just from the title, "The Awakening", I had a sense that Edna would better find herself throughout the novel. The book opens with a parrot screaming nonesense, including a "language which nobody understood". Edna, like the parrot, isn't understood by anyone. In the novel, Edna has to find herself. She does this in a couple of ways. Edna's first swim is a turning point for her life, it gave her self confidence and strength. And later, that night, Edna stands up to Leonce for the first time. She even questions his authoratative tone. This was a breaking moment for Edna, even though she eventually did go inside to bed. Edna also finds self-expression through art. When painting, Edna remembers that she can have individual creations. This also brings up the dramatic scene when Mademoiselle Reisz plays the piano. Edna's physical reaction to the music is like a dawning point of self discovery, her awakening.
| | | | 1 | 8/15/2011 1:26 PM | Connection: Karma I'm now finished with the book, and I feel as though karma played a tiny role at the end. Edna broke tradition and ends up falling in love with Robert, although she's married. She ends up leaving her husband for Robert and finally get whats she wants. In results to breaking the rule, Robert ends up leaving her. Since Edna broke tradition, it's as though karma came along and took what she wanted. | | | | 0 | 8/15/2011 1:03 PM | Bird symbolism In The Awakening the comparison to birds were used over and over. I believe the symbolism birds have in this book were used well because it was easy to understand and very relevant. The very first page of the book talks about a green and yellow parrot in a cage yelling 'go away, go away.' I think this is a symbol of Edna in her marriage before she meet Robert or Alcee. It was like she was trapped in a cage, supposed to live the wealthy Creole family lifestyle. It was soon realized this was not a lifestyle she was ment to live. It was also mentioned, and very obvious, that Edna was not a 'mother-woman.' The narrator talked about how her children tied her down, and how she enjoyed when they were at other family members house. Edna felt that she wasn't as free as she wanted to be with her children. She wanted to fly away and be like a bird. Towards the end of the book Edna moved out of her and her families home so she wasn't another one of her husbands things, and she didn't want to be around things that Leonce provided for her. She wanted freedom and her own house gave it to her. She referenced her new home as 'the pigeon house' because it was so small in comparison to her other home. Again another bird reference. | | | | 0 | 8/15/2011 11:12 AM | Names in The Awakening I admit, I got the idea to research names from a post on another book's message board. (Dorian Gray) Once I got to the section in the book featuring the Merrimans, Alcee, and the Highcamps, I was curious if these names had deeper meanings.
I'll start with Edna. When I looked it up, I found that it had multiple meanings, including "delicacy", and "kernel/nut." Both of these made sense to me when applied to Edna's evolution. As she becomes more aware of herself, she appears more intriguing and appealing to others. Also, as she embraces independence, she is becoming a rarity for the time period (like a rare delicacy). A kernel or nut is essentially a seed with the potential to become something more beneficial, beautiful, etc. This is Edna in the beginning of the book, and she blossoms as she learns to trust her instincts.
However, I could be reading too much into this. I also found that Edna was just a very popular name in the early 1800s. But this in itself is interesting -- her name is common, implying that perhaps Edna herself is common. Edna breaks through the barrier society places upon her, proving her given name to be somewhat ironic, as she is not at all common or a "follower." | | | | 0 | 8/14/2011 11:50 AM | Society and Tradition cont. Continuing on with the idea of society and tradition, the 19th century view about women is that men have possession over them. In the first chapters, while Edna swims, her husband holds onto her rings. These rings represent Leonce’s ownership of Edna, and how she is subservient to him. Robert understands, and respects these traditions, courting women every year, but never getting intimate them. When realization that Edna has feelings for him, and the feelings are reciprocated, he leaves for Mexico, not wanting to ensure disaster on himself, Edna, and Leonce. Edna, however, refuses to give up on her feelings, and desires nothing more than a relationship with Robert, no matter who it hurts. This shows us that while Robert goes with the modern day tradition for that time, Edna does not, and foreshadows the events that will occur in the novel. | | | | 0 | 8/14/2011 11:49 AM | Society and Tradition From the beginning of the novel, the reader can very plainly see that Edna’s traditions, and the society she was in before marring Leonce were immensely different them what she lives in now. The way she reacts around the Creole peoples shows she is uncomfortable with their customs and conversations. Before moving to Grand Isle, Edna had never has much physical contact with members of the opposite sex, but the Creole women have forced her to become more open. “A characteristic which distinguished them and which impressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery.” The interaction that Edna has with Adele and other Creoles is one of the first steps in her awakening. She hasn’t recognized it yet, nor have any of the other characters, but the contact with these woman change her, before Robert and the rebirth that she has. | | | | 0 | 8/14/2011 11:12 AM | Edna's rebirth Edna’s first swim into the deep, wide ocean signifies her rebirth and new self-discovery. Like her inability to truthfully talk about her feelings, and her wariness at the openness of the Creole culture, Edna is at first reluctant to swim into the endless water. After she swam, she is granted confidence in her solitude. Her journey is no one where near completed at this point in the novel, but there is where is changed from an infant to a “little tottering, stumbling clutching child who… walks for the first time alone.” This point is proven when she swims out “where no woman had swum before,” and is terrified when she realizes that she is only dependent on herself to make it back to shore. The independence is tested quickly when after she retreats to her home to rest, she husband comes home, ordering her to go to bed. Edna exerts her opinion, but eventually retires to her bedroom, showing that Leonce does still have control over her. | | | | 0 | 8/14/2011 10:46 AM | Robert Leburn Robert Leburn may not be present for the complete extent of Edna’s awakening, but he still has an important function in its beginning. His flirtatious behavior encourages Edna to become less reserved and begin to open to others. Once a year, Robert devoted himself to one woman, bestowing them with fondness, but unlike other women, Edna took this affection seriously. This affection is one of the sparks that ignites her awakening. Although the two never got physically involved, the high emotions that ran through them promised excitement in Edna’s dull life, causing her awakening to occur, and pulling her out of her cage. Robert realizes the emotions that run between them are strong and moves to Mexico, but unfortunately, he is too late. | | | | 0 | 8/14/2011 10:28 AM | The Metaphorical Parrot The parrot introduced within the first five chapters of The Awakening, caged and misunderstood, mirrors Edna. Edna, like most women in the 19th century experience a large amount confinement in their lives, viewed by society only as a maternal figure. Like the parrot, this image creates a cage of misunderstanding around many women, however unlike Edna, the parrot has something that understands it. The mockingbird understands the parrot, and like much of the book, this foreshadows the fact that Edna must have a mockingbird-like character. We later find that the character Mademoiselle Reisz, a self-sufficient and independent woman is one of the main parts in Edna finding her awakening. | | | | 1 | 8/12/2011 10:58 PM | Masculinity in The Awakening: an Underlying Topic
When looking at the covers, interpretations and actually starting the first page of the novel, The Awakening, only one true theme jumped off the pages and hit me directly in the face. Feminism. Like every other reader who initially started this book with the challenge of interpreting it, I chose to follow the crowd, look for sympathy in the main character, and watch her life unfold. But after pages and pages of this, I realized that this was not enough. This is not a story of romance to me. Though many of the other discussions I have will say it is. (I change my mind a lot.) Right now, having past 53 pages in the book, I can’t help but notice the MEN in the story and how they introduce their troubles, their lives and their worries. I’ll start with cigars. These items introduce a symbol of masculinity. Perhaps Mr. Pontellier lights one up every time he needs to fill a sexual desire. Even after reading 50 pages, it is not clear that Mrs. And Mr. Pontellier have an intimate relationship. His cigars mask his troubles; every cigar equals a feeling of rejection or worry. There is no way Mr. Pontellier cannot see his wife pulling away from him emotionally and refusing to follow his orders. More than any sexual desire, Mr. Pontellier wants to have power, status and control. When even his control over his wife Edna fails, Mr. Pontellier does what he can to compensate for the lost ego boost and lights up a cigar. After all he needs some way to release all the masculine, repressed energy that Edna gradually refuses to give him. Even on page 42, Edna says, “Leonce, go to bed. I mean to stay out here. I don’t wish to go in and I don’t intend to. Don’t speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you.” After this empowering encounter, (for Edna at least) Mr. Pontellier smokes over 4 cigars, as if to make up for Edna’s refusal to follow his orders. | | | | 0 | 8/11/2011 1:29 PM | Edna's 3 men After reading about Alcee, I concluded Edna likes attention. She has a husband still trying to hold on to their marriage, and two boy friends. One she loves, and the other she likes being physical with. It didn't surprise me when she felt guilty about being with Alcee, that she betrayed Robert and not Leonce. I'm still confused on why she's even associating her self with Alcee. Edna knew his reputation of constantly seducing married woman before she got involved with him. This leads me to believe she needs a man giving her attention. At this point Robert is still in Mexico, and Leonce is away on business. I still question her motives, but I assume these experiences are apart of her awakening. | | | | 0 | 8/10/2011 12:38 PM | Doctor's thoughts I really liked the part in the story when Leonce is talking to the family doctor, Dr. Mandelet, about Edna. This shows that he cares and is noticing Edna's new and strange behavior. It was really interesting when the doctor told Leonce that he would come to dinner to inspect Edna. This represented that back in these times woman were owned by their husband, and were the mans property. I also thought it was strange when the doctor had a feeling Edna was seeing another man, and didn't say anything to Leonce. Over all, this part in the book still shows that Leonce is still hanging on, even though he is in the dark about his wife's hidden life. | | | | 0 | 8/4/2011 6:07 PM | Edna's love for Robert I personally found it refreshing to read about a woman who wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, even if it meant committing adultery on occasion. Many people see Edna as merely a whore who wasn't able to stay faithful, but I see her as a victim who overcame her circumstance. Edna had married her husband at such a young age when she was still too young and naive to really understand what love was, or to fully grasp the kind of commitment that marriage entailed. Her young marriage was a result of societal pressures that were placed on women everywhere during this time. Edna's strong lust/love for Robert showed a spark of independence that was not ever present for her husband. Edna's love for Robert was a selfish love, one that caused her to shirk her motherly responsibilities, but it was a stronger love than she had ever felt for her husband. | | | | 0 | 8/4/2011 2:39 PM | Reply to Robert's letters.
I agree with your thought about Robert being scared to write Edna in fear there romance will be discovered. It was smart on his part to talk about Edna, and not to Edna. There is still a possibility they could be found out because when he talks about her though. After Robert left Edna would hang out at Madame Lebrun (his mom) house. I thought this was strange because she should be with her family, not her lovers mom. Any way, it was also weird that she was mad Robert wrote his mom letters before his departure and not Edna. Madame Lebrun is more imports than Edna because of the fact that she's the mom. | | | | 0 | 8/4/2011 2:29 PM | Ednas love for Robert If Edna put the feelings she has for Robert into her marriage, her and Leonce's relationship would be 10x stronger, and they would be 20x happier. When Edna is informed Robert is leaving, she basically freaks out, she even runs away temporarily. She's mad because she and Robert spent all day together and he didn't say anything about his move to Mexico. Even when Robert tells her he will write she's not satisfied. Why can't she love her husband like this? Why can't she have theses feelings towards Leonce the way she has towards Robert. She's too old for a summer fling, but I can tell that's what she wants. Maybe she just wants her husband to treat her how Robert treats her. | | | | 0 | 8/2/2011 2:50 PM | Connection: Edna's father and husband Edna's father comes to the city for a visit. She's not very close with him although they do have things in common. He father is described as, "His hair and mustache were white and silky... He was tall and thin... He wore his coats padded, which gave a fictitious breadth and depth to his shoulders and chest" I couldn't help but notice that Mr. Pontellier was also described as "tall and thin", as well as being a neat, put together person. It's as though Edna married a younger version of her father, and she's now starting to realize it, leading her to misbehave and break the rules. It's as though she feels as though she's married to her father as well as Mr. Pontellier, which is why she's so frustrated. It angers her, which is why she tries to break her ring late one night. | | | | 0 | 8/1/2011 9:09 PM | Symbolism: Robert's letters Before Robert leaves to go to Mexico, he tells Edna he'll write to her. Robert does write, but not to Edna. Although he does write about Edna. Personally, I believe that Robert doesn't write specifically to Edna in fear that everybody will find out about their little romance. Therefore, to mask his feelings, he writes about Edna. Asking questions such as, "Have you seen Mrs. Pontellier?" and, "How is she looking?". | | | | 0 | 8/1/2011 9:04 PM | Contunued: Characters expectations As said before, people think that Edna's life is perfect with her husband and kids. Not even her husband would expect it. Mr. Pontellier goes to an old friends/ physician's house, but not for him, for Edna. He, as well, thinks Edna has a perfect life. He states that:
"But she doesn't act like herself. I can't make her out well. She's odd." Nobody believes that Edna would be the type of person to not be happy with her life. Back then, everybody expected for a woman to behave and to love her husband, leaving Edna with no one to turn to about her true feelings. | | | | 0 | 8/1/2011 6:01 PM | Robert's love, Edna's lust I'm about half way through the book, and Mrs. Pontellier really starts to show how tired she is of her life with her husband. She's always with Robert and her friends start to notice. Mrs. Pontellier is starting to become more rebellious, so when Robert leaves for Mexico, she starts to feel lost and angry. I feel that this was Chopin's way to show how Robert doesn't want anything more to do with Edna Pontellier. Although he write about her, he doesn't write to her. I think that he knows what he's been doing is wrong since Edna is a married women, but Edna's gone too deep into her feelings for Robert. | | | | 0 | 7/29/2011 4:37 PM | Connections Between the Title and Themes Throughout
It is evident from the first section of The Awakening that the Pontellier’s society dictates that women should not be strong, should not show any qualities their society deems masculine. Mrs. Pontellier surveys her own hands with disgust because they are “strong” and “shapely,” indicating that she has been lead to believe that to be either is a defect. I predict that the title of the novel is indicative of a change within Mrs. Pontellier. It’s possible that part of that change could be her perspective on the implications of her femininity on her place in society. | | | | 0 | 7/27/2011 6:52 PM | The Symbolism and the Sea: A continued discussion So now that we have established the symbolism of the sea as either the means to or the actuality of personal/sexual identity and liberation, we must examine Edna's reaction to it. Certainly initially she revels in her new ability to interact with the sea, her new found power of swimming. But is this all? NO! Chopin's Edna and Chopin's message is not so simplistic. As Edna goes farther and farther into the sea, exploring farther her independence, she experiences more negative feelings. The sea "assumed the aspect of a barrier that her unaided strength would never be able to overcome. A quick vision of death smote her soul..." What is this? Surely sexual liberation and personal awakening is a good thing? Then why should Edna fear it? Perhaps because Edna as a character is not yet strong enough to accept independence, and must still develop before she achieves the easy acceptance of the sea and all its insinuations. Perhaps this is some foreshadowing to later events, that this personal and sexual awakening, however satisfying, will not end well, that it will bring conflict into Edna's life. Or perhaps Chopin is addressing the more universal concepts of personal and sexual identity. Perhaps Chopin seeks to point out that sexual and personal awakenings are, like the sea, not always calm. That they can be turbulent and dangerous, that in order to attain the feeling of power and well being Edna revels in, we must also endure the hardships that accompany any sort of personal growth. | | | | 0 | 7/27/2011 6:36 PM | Symbols: The Sea Chopin is not just telling a story: she is telling a story to convey a message. As such, symbols are of great use to her, showing a concept through an entity. I am not overly far into the novel but already there is an overt symbol which demands attention.
On Page 18 Chopin establishes the sea's characteristics in poetic and figurative terms. "The voice of the sea is seductive...inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude..." "The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." Clearly the sea is more than a body of water. The sea is discussed in sexual terms, this is obvious, with the terms 'seduce' and 'sensuous'. So the sea is in some way symbolic of being in touch with one's sexual identity, or perhaps of the idea of sexual liberation as a whole. The sea is indeed one of the ultimate representations of the natural and unconstrained, outside the limits of humanity and society. But more interesting is the sea as not only a symbol of sexual liberation but also self discovery and individual growth (think of the parallel structure here, 'the voice of the sea/soul' vs. 'the touch of the sea/body'). After all, the sea is also invites the soul to solitude and "to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation". The sea invites us to examine our personal identities , the further formation of the self. It is interesting that within one entity dual symbolism exists: of sexual discovery and personal discovery: does Chopin indicate the two are linked? That for women, being more in touch with their inner selves can come alongside being in touch with their sexual selves and vice-versa? Or that until people fully explore all aspects of themselves, and are not repressive, true self knowledge and contentment is impossible?
As important as the figurative language and parallel structure are at this point in establishing the sea as a symbol of both sexual and personal identity (or rather, the means through which these are achieved) the true symbolic nature of the sea is stronger in another portion. On Page 37, Edna first learns to swim, after having spent the entire summer attempting and failing. She required "a hand near by that might reach out and reassure her": in other words she was a dependent, rather than independent person. But now....now she "a
sudden realizes [her] powers, and walks for the first time alone". She feels that some power has "been given to her to control the working of her body and soul" and she "wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before". From this we can surmise that the sea is again symbolic of a means to individualism and liberation, and the mention of 'body and soul' makes me take once again the stance of dual symbolism: the physical (sexual) and spiritual (philosophical). Moreover, Edna wishes to go 'where no woman had gone': she is striking for new territory in female personal awareness. "As she swam she seemed to be reaching for the unlimited in which to lose herself." The sea is indeed unlimited, the new expanse of self and identity that Edna has never touched, inward contemplation she has never truly attempted. | | | | 0 | 7/12/2011 5:11 PM | Kate Chopin's use of gender I've only read about 20 pages of the book so far, but Chopin goes into good detail about the characters. The book starts off with Mr. Pontellier. He is described as "a man of forty, of medium height and rather slender build, he stooped a little." Chopin wants Mr. Pontellier to appear weak. Chopin later goes on to describe Mrs. Pontellier. She is described as "rather handsome than beautiful." She appears to be more of the male figure in the book, making he stronger than her husband. Chopin then goes on to say that Mrs. Pontellier is the sole object of Mr. Pontellier's existence, making it apparent that Mr. Pontellier is unable to really get by on his own. | |
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