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Mrs. Edna Pontellier's The Awakening

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The Awakening took place in the year 1899 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The protagonist of this novel was Mrs. Edna Pontellier, a married woman of twenty-six who was trapped in an unhappy marriage. Due to the expectations of this time, it would have been impossible for Edna to divorce her husband and be fully independent, so instead she was forced to be the model housewife who didn't even know that she should desire freedom; however, as the novel progressed, Edna realized her love for her closest companion, Robert Lebrun, while he was away in Mexico. Edna's love grew in his absence, and as this love helped her dismiss the confines of her marriage, her feeling of independence was kindled, which resulted in her moving into a separate house from
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I grew up hearing the saying that a little girl could have an old soul, or that someone is well beyond their years. These sayings are popular to societies, because they try to explain why certain individuals differentiate from the acceptable norms in ways that may be more complicated than just personality traits. In The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is no exception. Her society’s expectations differ from who she is and how she is willing to act so that she would fit in. Chapter one of The Awakening begins the story with several examples of how Edna does not fit in with her society.

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Albert D. Saba Mr. Amoroso AP Literature Period: 3AP Topic: 1 LAP The Awakening A novel by Kate Chopin Will the chains and the unspoken pain unshackle through one’s heroic individualism? In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Edna Pontellier becomes a heroic figure to herself as well as for women through the search of her self-identity.

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Lèonce Pontellier In The Awakening In Kate Chopin’s novella, The Awakening, Léonce Pontellier, Edna Pontellier, and their children spend the summer in La Grand Isle. Grand Isle is a town in Louisiana, populated with Creole families. Not able to meet the Creole social standards and be true to herself, Edna, with the help of her husband, becomes aware that she is meant to be an independant woman. Lèonce’s high focus on his image and business makes it hard for him to see his wife's process of self-discovery, he becomes apathetic and can even be ill- tempered towards Edna.

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Kate Chopin'sThe Awakening ends with Edna Pontellier's suicide after a long period of self-realization. This self-realization leads her to the conclusion that the  life she knew does not fit her mindset any more.  Edna also realizes that society's expectations of her does not fit her new mindset. Rather than spending the rest of her life in a loveless marriage, and sacrificing herself  for motherhood, she takes the time to explore her true emotions, but the only way for her to  figure out her true emotions is by  leaving  behind her duties as a mother and a wife; by having  a love affair, and by removing herself physically and mentally from the picture. Edna had said over and over to herself: “To-day it is Arobin; to-morrow it will be some one else.

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Published at the turn of the century in 1899, women had limited writes and privileges in the traditional, patriarchal society, leaving many feeling limited in personal pursuits. A woman’s place was in the home and there would be no arguing about that. The story takes place in Louisiana where the families depicted were financially well to do, especially those on the scenes set on Grand Isle. Women in The Awakening seemed to truly embrace their roles of wives and mothers, finding these responsibilities to be fulfilling, even exciting. Edna was the quintessence of domestic achievement for a woman in the late 1800s, yet despite her advantages she became dissatisfied with her role as wife and mother.

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In the novel, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier commits the final act of embracing death once she comes to the realisation that she would always be chained by her obligation to her children thus being incapable of achieving ultimate freedom. To Edna, death becomes a type of spiritual triumph over and a defiant refusal against society and her children’s constraints. She refuses to regression back to her previous self, the demure, submissive woman she was before she arrived at Grand Isle, before she ever came in contact with the Gulf, her true first and final lover, and discovered her true self. The seductive “never ceasing, whispering, clamouring” waters of the sea called to Edna with promises of freedom and rebirth as soon as she stepped foot on Grand Isle.

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Edna Pontellier in the novel, The Awakening, is a self-driven woman determined to become independent and free whilst undergoing a significant change in behavior throughout the novel. She attempts to withstand societal expectations by doing certain things that were not socially acceptable during this time period. While doing so, she experiences many different struggles during her awakening. These struggles that Edna undergoes may be described as internal as well as external. In the awakening, there is a constant conflict between inner and outer Edna.

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McKenna Martin Mrs. Schroder AP Literature 3 January 2018 The Awakening Outside Essay - 1999 Prompt The Awakening showcases Edna Pontellier, a housewife residing in New Orleans, Louisiana during the early 1900s. Edna Pontellier is married to Leonce Pontellier and they have two sons together. Edna is consumed in internal conflicts throughout the entire novel.

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he Awakening is set in Grand Isle and New Orleans, Louisiana. More specifically, much of the book is set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, which is significant because that section was dominated by Creole culture. Edna feels particularly ill-at-ease in her husband's home, a home characterized by lush furnishings and located on swanky Esplanade Ave. The other setting, Grand Isle, captures the wildness of nature (as much as can be experienced by someone in Edna's social class) and spurs her awakening. Later, it serves as Edna's last refuge.

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Title: The Awakening Author: Kate Chopin Setting: Grand Isle and New Orleans in the early 19th century Genre: Tragedy Historical context: The Awakening takes place when women were seen as a man’s possession. Mr. Pontellier looks at Edna as a possession. Women were expected to stay devoted to their husband and children and remain a stereotypical housewife whose main job is to clean, cook and care for the children. (Adele) Edna rivals against these standards as she challenges society 's expectations of women during the early 19th century.

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The title, The Awakening, signifies the self-realization of Edna Pontellier and her own personal awakening. Edna’s character undergoes a dramatic lifestyle and spiritual change. She begins the novel as the typical old fashioned housewife that is expected to look and act a certain way. Edna was a respectable housewife who yearns for a social, spiritual, and sexual awakening

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The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin that follows a woman named Edna Pontellier on her journey to self-awareness. Edna lived a comfortable lifestyle with her husband and two children in Louisiana during the 19th century. Despite obtaining all aspects to a perfect life, Edna became dissatisfied after meeting Robert Lebrun in Grand Isle. Robert sparked a desire for unlawful lust as well as a yearning for independence in a society full of conformed standards. Edna was unable to handle the pressures associated with achieving personal freedom which ultimately led to her death.

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Edna Pontellier was only seen as a “valuable piece of property which [had] suffered some damaged” to her husband Mr. Pontellier (BOOK). One can also see that “The Awakening” also focused on the sexual desires of women, identity, and self-discovery Edna, a character in “The Awakening” experienced her awakening by discovering her identity in her own self. “The Awakening” attempts to tell the story a woman who wants to find herself while lusting. Later, at the end of the story, one discovers that since Edna Pontellier could not fully find her peace, and freedom she ultimately decides to commit suicide. Through this “The Awakening” shows that although women were oppressed, they also had empowerment.

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She wrote a short story The Awakening, which took place in New Orleans and told the struggle of Edna, a housewife and a mother, whether she should follow her heart or respect the tradition. She made the choice of rebelling the past and she started to seek for herself. It was an extreme role, once she realized what she is then she abandoned everything she had in the past; and she wanted to be set free from her family role and motherhood. “The years that are gone seem like dreams—if one might go on sleeping and dreaming—but to wake up and find—oh! Well!

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This novel, The Awakening, is about a woman named Edna Pontellier learns to think of herself as an independent human being. Also, Edna Pontellier refuses to obey against the social norms by leaving her husband Leónce Pontellier and having an affair with Robert Lebrun. Kate Chopin describes societal expectations and the battle of fitting the mold of motherhood in the Awakening by how Edna Pontellier and Adele Ratignolle contribute to their family in different ways. Edna Pontellier’s attitude toward motherhood is that she is not a perfect mother-women. Adele Ratignolle’s attitude toward motherhood is that she is a perfect mother-women.

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