Uniformity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Society explicitly molds a façade of conformity which aids in the direct manipulation and social castration of the individual, those with free spirits defiantly choosing not to fall victim to societal convention. Consequently, history is tainted with the continuous oppression of particular groups, a prominent one being women. The role of women in society has been purposefully dictated in order to maintain this false sense of societal uniformity. Furthermore, women have been subjugated to submissive roles in which any deviation from these predetermined standards labels an individual as an outlier. Specifically, in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is an anomaly. Immersed in stereotypes, Edna boldly shatters the constraints imposed by society through her ability to think

A woman is destined to be a mother before anything else. The context of the 1800s which is characterized by the misconstrued idea that a women’s sole role is to be a homemaker expounds upon this thought. Plagued by overly saturated patriarchal-driven mindsets, society during this particular time period was in no way straying from this set delegation for women. Besides the fact, Edna Pontellier had no desire to be a “woman of her time”, to do so would place her in a box in which there would be no escape from society’s calculated stream of social suppression. Daringly, Edna committed a social sin, one in which there was no return. Deciding to forsake the title of “mother” and its inherent burdens, Edna misaligned herself from society’s framework in order to safeguard her individuality. “In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman.” (Page 8) Ideally, a mother is selfless and nurturing, personality traits that Edna utterly rejected. Edna’s disregard for her assumed societal