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Motherhood In Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening'

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Recommended: The role of the women in the awakening

Richard Moreno
Ms. Ahonen
English 1301, 4th period
4 December 2016
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: Struggle against society's view
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a fantastic and controversial novel published in 1899. She surprised many nineteenth century people with her view for how women could act and reject their supposed roles in society’s eyes. One of her most surprising actions was her refusal of her role as a wife and mother. Kate Chopin shows signs of rejection over time, but the idea of motherhood is a significant focus throughout the story.
Edna is struggling to come to a decision with what she believes and how society thinks she should behave like. Edna wants to be an independent woman instead of being forced to be confined to the title …show more content…

Compared to Adele Ratignolle Mademoiselle Reisz is also very musically talented but instead of doing it for her family she does it purely for herself, “Women [can] either become wives and mothers . . . or exiles” (Papke …show more content…

Mademoiselle Reisz warns here that, ”The artist must possess the courageous soul, “ she says, “the soul that dares and defies” (Chopin 71). Edna then starts her life as a painter, but then finds it lonely and incomplete because of the lack of sexuallity. Edna then finds that she cannot live like how Mademoiselle Reisz lives, deprived of her sexuality.
Edna discovers her new lifestyle by taking up gambling and begins to sell her paintings, with this edna is making money for the first time, Which is a big deal for women at the time the book takes place. 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. Being defined by men has caused Edna to go into a depression and the way she believes she can free herself is to take her own

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