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Edna Pointellier In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

939 Words4 Pages

Benjamin Ramirez Period 3 02-27-18 “The awakening essay “ In the novel “ the awakening “ By Kate Chopin The main character Edna Pointellier is driven by an internal struggle that she tries to defy throughout the whole narration of the story ,Edna pointellier was a huge help to the women’s rights movement the title itself helps us realize the true intentions of the novel it’s a very relatable and interpersonal novel . The novel is very internal story throughout the whole book you come to find that Edna’s actions contribute to her self identity and it drives the plot into various directions you don’t see coming especially from a very civilized and high class woman like Edna herself ,she indeed does tend to get extremely rebellious …show more content…

She silently reached out to him, and he, understanding, took the rings from his vest pocket and dropped them into her open palm. She slipped them upon her fingers. “ the quote from chapter one shows that Edna has come to terms with her marriage which she has only done to stray away from her hyper religious father and Edna in the beginning of this novel shows very little interest in what she wants but more of what is socially acceptable and going furthermore into the novel Edna starts slowing gaining her identity through her thoughts and actions versus how the story is being narrated a prime embodiment of this is shown when the author states in chapter 7 paragraph 1 “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” furthermore expressing that Edna has two side within her , outer Edna tends to behave in accordance to society’s principles while inner Edna strays away from that and look for freedom even though in this time and era it was completely impossible for a woman to not get judge for deciding to be independent such as Mademoiselle Reisz whom is frowned upon society due to her life choice of being independent

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Edna fully understands that society would brand her as a terrible woman, but she does not view herself as a bad person. There is an external and internal difference that Edna hopes to one day reconcile. Chopin, instead of creating tension within Edna, created tension within the society and Edna with her newfound independence does not mind how society classifies her. Decisively, it can be concluded that the tension between outward conformity and inward questioning builds the meaning of the novel by examining Edna’s role as a wife, mother, and as nontraditional woman in the traditional Victorian period.

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Within the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Madame Ratignolle’s character possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast the characteristics and behavior of Edna Pontellier. Despite being close friends within the novel, Adele and Edna have contrasting views and behaviors that illuminate the theme of female freedom and the tradition of female submission and male domination. Madame Ratignolle and Edna Pontellier are close friends, but their views toward raising children differ fundamentally. Madame Ratignolle would sacrifice her identity to devote herself entirely to her children, household, and husband, whereas Edna would not. Besides their views towards raising children, how they raise their children also differs.

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Edna Pontellier In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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The novel’s author, Kate Chopin, declares in chapter 4 of the short story, “Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman.” From what is stated in the straightforward quote, readers are promptly able to comprehend the verity that Edna Pontellier is not a conventional character that believes she should stay at home, serve as an object to her husband, take care of her children, and practically accomplish nothing else in her life. Instead of these erroneous stereotypes, Edna believes she contains an alluring and intellectual identify that is worthy of being acknowledged by others apart from her futile husband, Léonce Pontellier. The central conflict The Awakening focuses on is Edna Pontellier’s rebellious actions, such as initiating an affair, in order to become emancipated from the obligatory domestic norms women face as merely being subdued by men as a mother and wife.

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By coming into the world that men are in control of Edna is becoming more independent than ever before. Since she is now able to have a income she can afford to own her own house and live on her own, which is another step to her freedom. Edna decides that neither Adele Ratignolle and Mademoiselle are not the best role models for her awakening. The awakening that Edna is trying to go through is one that goes against nature and society.

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Edna doesn’t love her husband, because she doesn’t know who she is until she realises she loves Robert. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening follows Edna Pontellier, a woman of the Creole society who is constantly fighting between conforming as she is supposed, and acting how she wants to. Her struggle is shown through her outward conformity and her inner question, which conflict when the two expect and want different things from

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Edna is introduced to the reader well within social norms. She is a wife and mother. We can suppose that she entered this role happily and with an intent to fulfill her part in society. She appears to lack for nothing in her lifestyle. However, at some point she becomes dissatisfied with what society has placed on her.

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Essay On Gender Roles In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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During the late nineteenth century, the time of the protagonist Edna Pontellier, a woman’s place in history was mostly confined to her children and her husband, with there being little of herself to enjoy. Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, embodies the triumphs and frustrations in a woman’s life as she struggles with handling strict societal demands. Defying the roles of a typical “mother-woman,” Edna battles with the pressures of her time that demand she be a devoted and controlled housewife. One of the first overtly feminist novels, The Awakening criticizes gender and social roles in ways that have now heavily influenced what we call feminism. One of the first ways that Chopin battles the nineteenth century Victorian era is with

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Throughout the novel, Edna struggles with self identity and who she is living for. When Edna leaves for the beach in the first chapter it was like she was beginning to see there was much more to life than being a wife and mother. Even though Edna is a meek wife in the first chapter who knew her roles and has the understanding of what she is intend to do each day, she still has thoughts in the back of her head to be who she wants to be. People around her are beginning to see the way she

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This neutral perspective from Kate Chopin allows the reader to interpret Edna’s actions on their own terms. Chopin shows no sign of judgement towards Edna and her actions or those who surround her and their actions. Although the novel doesn’t show a “positive alternative” to the cult of domesticity displayed, Chopin doesn’t endorse the conventional role either (Hytönen). This is significant in the manner that it exemplifies women in the 1800’s wanted to break free of societal norms however they couldn’t imagine an existing, or even close to existing, world where they could freely express themselves without fearing criticism and condemnation during that time. Hytönen introduces Nancy Walker in his article whom notices that The Awakening doesn’t “promote women’s liberation or equality” because everyone else, except Edna and Mme.

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1294 Words | 6 Pages

During the night after Adéle’s childbirth, Edna lies awake in a state of heartbreak while she thinks persistently about her longing for Robert. However, serving to interrupt these despondent thoughts, “the children appear[] before her like antagonists who had overcome her, who had overpowered and sought to drag her into the soul’s slavery for the rest of her days.” (Chopin, 124) Edna realizes that, while both Robert and Alcee are fleeting figures in her existence, her children are not so easily removed from her life and responsibility by time. In the end, her children are the lone restraints that hold her captive to society because of her maternal obligations to them, which leaves her with two options, remain in bondage as a mother or flee enslavement through suicide. Moreover, Wyatt elaborates upon this topic when he states, “Edna understands that what is expected is for her to give up her life for her children: society means this figuratively; Edna acts on it literally.”

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At this point, her life has been spent in servitude to the “outward existence which conforms.” She performs the duties obligated to her by virtue of marriage; rearing children and caring for a home. This oppressive existence brings no satisfaction to Edna, and ironically, she is more alone in marriage than she has been at any point in her life. This despondence will cause her to seek fulfillment from other sources, leaving her vulnerable to the advances of Robert Lebrun. Robert is the catalyst for change in Edna’s life- before him, Edna is, as previously mentioned, thoroughly enveloped by outward conformance.

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