ipl-logo

Societal Norms In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

1842 Words8 Pages

Societal norms are unwritten rules and expectations that govern our behavior in a society. While these norms serve as a foundation for social cohesion and stability, they are also limiting, oppressive, and unjust. Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, explores the limitations placed on women in the patriarchal society of the time and faced controversy due to its depiction of Edna, the protagonist, and her sexual and emotional awakening, along with her fate. George M. Spangler was an author who analyzed The Awakening in his essay, The Ending of the Novel. In his text, Spangler argues that Edna’s fate was not only fundamentally evasive and surprising, but also inconsistent with her character’s perseverance in finding her new self through the breaking …show more content…

The audience had no reason to believe there was a problem. In fact, it almost seemed that Edna was doing well: “Edna takes a boat to the resort, now in its off-season, where the novel and her attraction to Robert began. She arranges with the caretaker for a room and for dinner in the evening, and then, deciding to go swimming, borrows some towels. There is no indication that suicide is her intention” (Spangler 223). Spangler’s argument is well built as he mentions Edna’s prior actions, none of which announced she was unhappy or miserable. It seems that Edna was happy and enjoying her time, which makes her fate even more unexpected. Spangler’s claim of the sudden ending is further supported as the novel states, “But after all, a radiant peace settled upon her when she at last found herself alone” (Chopin 74 ). These words make it clear that Edna was at peace and satisfied with her accomplishment of finding herself as there is no indication she is unhappy and depressed, yet even at peace with her decisions. Additionally, Chopin states, “There was with her a feeling of having descended in the social scale, with a corresponding sense of having risen in the spiritual. Every step she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual. She began to look with her own eyes; to see and to apprehend the deeper undercurrents of life. No longer was she content to “feed upon opinion” when her own soul had invited her” (Chopin 95). The character of Edna at the beginning of the novel is drastically different than the character of Edna after her journey of self-discovery as she would have never thought she would be the one to abandon her obligations, which only contributes to how out of the blue her fate was. This quote is a testament to Edna’s journey to find who she was apart from being a wife and mother. She felt free as she no

Show More
Related
687 Words | 3 Pages

Kate Chopin develops Edna’s character so rigorously, she creates a whole new character by the end of the novel. Edna’s feat of overcoming her fears reveals the powerful message of being brave and finding

Read More
396 Words | 2 Pages

The Awakening Promt #5 I think that Edna’s suicide was due more to her failure to escape from what she was supposed to do as a mother and a housewife, especially when she lost Robert, than giving up and giving herself to the sea. There were many times where she has neglected to be a good mother to her children and a good housewife. Just as in chapter three page 5, she doesn’t even notice or seem to care that her child has a fever. In chapter seven page 18, she would sometimes forget her children and she even felt their absence as a relief.

Read More
668 Words | 3 Pages

Edna went to go swimming, but she had suicide in mind rather that swimming. As she was walking towards the beach she thought to herself, “The Children appeared 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. But she knew a way to elude them.” (Chopin 159). In order for Edna to defeat the societal norms and not be bound in chains from her husband and traditional womanhood; Edna had to leave her motherly role in the family and she stubbornly went against the expectations of her husband and society.

Read More
927 Words | 4 Pages

When undergoing socially oppressive conditions, many individuals are hesitant to invoke changes in their lifestyle. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening exemplifies how an individual rejects societal restrictions through Edna Pontellier, a nineteenth century woman who is in a passionless marriage with her Creole husband. Being a part of an upper-middle class family, she vacations in Grand Isle, but primarily lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Edna initially submits to the Creole expectations that limit her freedom, but realizes her current status in life is not enough for her and begins to implement changes in her lifestyle. She pursues independence in various ways and defies the typical housewife role she has been playing for her entire life.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More
415 Words | 2 Pages

As we learn more about Edna's inner conflicts, we realize that  perhaps there is no other solution for her, but death. The reason for this is simple ‘’life no longer fits her’’. She has experienced the emotions that she has always been curious about, yet, the emptiness thatshe is feeling in her life has carved a hole so deep that nothing can really save it or her.  Edna was severly depressed and she wanted help but she didn’t know where to start and  we realize that there is no solution for her anymore.

Read More
1386 Words | 6 Pages

In Kate Chopin’ s novel, The Awakening, there are three identities inside of the female leading role, Edna Pontellier, being a wife, mother and own self. Edna was born in 19th century at the Vitoria period, a patriarchy society, women have low freedom to achieve personal goal. She married with Léonce Pontellier, a wealthy man with Creole descent. After having a child, her life is still unchangeable and as bored as before. Until she encountered Robert Leburn, Mademoiselle Reisz, and Alcée Arobin, her value of self-cognition has changed.

Read More
391 Words | 2 Pages

“The children appeared 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 127). Edna will not allow her self to be chained to its natural and societal titles, and she commits suicide to free it from these definitions. In a final statement as to the universality of motherhood, Edna’s acceptance of death is also a rebirth. Nine months have passed since Edna’s enlightening summer in Grand Isle, and her fetus-self is ready to be delivered.

Read More
1909 Words | 8 Pages

The most apparent manner in which Chopin presents Edna’s moral ambiguity is through her actions and how they contradict her image. Particularly, this essence is most evident in moments where Edna achieves a new accomplishment or makes certain meaningful decisions for herself. Throughout The Awakening, Edna is continuously learning about what she is capable of and takes drastic steps towards her ultimate awakening as an individual. One of the first instances Chopin presents is when Edna first swam in the sea: “She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before… She would not join the groups in their sports and bouts, but intoxicated with her newly conquered power, she swam out alone” (Chopin 30).

Read More
551 Words | 3 Pages

She is freeing herself from her past life and starting anew by act of independence. They also argue that she breaks off or ends many relationships because she is becoming more independant. Whether or not Chopin wanted people to analyze these like these or not I still believe that Edna’s final act is one of hopelessness and despair.

Read More
116 Words | 1 Pages

"I find the question of whether gender differences are biologically determined or socially constructed to be deeply disturbing"- Carol Gilligan. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin depicts a woman who struggles with her identity. The book begins with Edna, a submissive wife and mother, on vacation in Grand Isle. As the book progresses Edna becomes increasingly disenchanted with her roles as a mother, wife, and socialite. After receiving a devastating letter from a former lover, Edna commits a final act of autonomy by taking her own life.

Read More
935 Words | 4 Pages

She had an immense love towards Robert, yet when he left she filled the void with Arobin even though she never loved him. Thus she was back in a loveless relationship, then when Robert came back there was tension between them, they weren’t like before. When Edna finally confessed her love to him and he responded with mutual feelings, he asked for her hand and she denied because she did not want to belong to anyone. When she came back in order to finish her conversation with the love of her life, she discovers that even he does not agree with her thinking and claims to give up on her out of love. At the end of the novel, Edna feeling hopeless, due to the fact that her husband had immense power over society and could hide her actions, and thinking that no one understood her, commits suicide.

Read More
626 Words | 3 Pages

Edna chose to end her life because of what she saw for herself in the future: an endless, futile struggle against the patriarchy and her family duties. She reflected on her bittersweet relationships, which allowed for her to clarify her reasons for dying and ensure she was

Read More
926 Words | 4 Pages

Edna wanted to be free of all relationships and ties, however, she was was heavily judge and seen as a disaster for not wanting to raise a family like every other woman wanted at the time. She wanted the same liberation a man had in the world and because of that, she had to suffer the judgment from everyone she knew. In the end, after all the criticism weighed on her she was left feeling abandoned and alone. It was because of these social expectations that deprived her off really feeling

Read More
919 Words | 4 Pages

At the beginning of the novel, Edna had appeared to be recognizing the fact that her life revolves around her husband and her children, and that it is her main duty to care for them. It is mainly Mr. Pontellier, her husband, who tries to establish an image of her being a both a perfect partner and wife. He views her as an object that must be suitable for the eyes of society. According to him, his wife is a “valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage” (Chopin 2). He is controlling over her appearance and actions.

Read More

More about Societal Norms In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Related Topics

Open Document