ipl-logo

The Awakening Comparison

1837 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: General opinons on the awakening by kate chopin

The desire to be independent and free is found within all individuals. Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening and John Ford’s film The Searchers depict the struggles of their protagonists as they embark on journeys to discover their true selves. The protagonists of these two texts both find themselves fighting to establish a balance between the domestic and the natural world. The domestic world is governed by society and its expectations, whilst the natural world is free of societal expectations and represents the individuality that the protagonists are trying to find. Edna, the protagonist of The Awakening, begins to rebel against societal expectations for her as a mother and wife in favor of independence and freedom. This journey begins in the …show more content…

In this poem, a boy discovers the attractive nature of the ocean. He hears the ocean calling to him, “A word then (for I will conquer it,) …the sea, / Delaying not, hurrying not, / Whisper’d me through the night, and very plainly before daybreak, / Lisp’d to me the low and delicious word death, / And again death, death, death, death” (Whitman, 170-180). The ocean whispers death to the boy, yet he feels as though he can conquer death, and nature itself, so he I not afraid. Though the ocean represents death, it also represents freedom to this boy, and also for Edna. For Edna, death would free her from the expectations that weigh her down, and her soul could finally be free. She summarizes this thought when she says: “‘I would give up the unessential; I would give up my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself’” (Chopin, 46). This sentiment is repeated moments before her suicide, because at that point, she truly understands what she means. For her, her body and life is what is tying her down, and because Edna feels as though she can conquer death, for her it is what will give her the true freedom of soul and self that she feels she cannot find in society. For both the boy and Edna, the attractive nature of the sea shows how excessive individualism can be

Show More
Related
1207 Words | 5 Pages

However, Edna’s excitement concerning the ocean soon turns to dread, beginning with when she experiences “ a certain ungovernable dread” and “a quick vision of death” while swimming, leaving her paralyzed in fear for a moment (Chopin 47- 48). Ultimately, Edna returns to the sea one final time at the end of the novel, overcome with a sense of despair as a result of her societal duress. Again, Chopin writes: “The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace” (Chopin 189). Though the description is the exact same, the connotation of the sea from Edna’s perspective has completely shifted. Specifically, the sea represents an end to the despair that has plagued Edna throughout the novel.

Read More
906 Words | 4 Pages

Lisa Cifuentes 5th Pd. AP English IV Mrs. Zimmerman 4 December 2015 Edna Pontellier’s Awakening In “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, the title holds great significance, symbolically describing the transformation that Edna Pontellier undergoes as she realizes that the conventions of her society have been constraining her from becoming her true, independent self. Edna’s awareness of her duality of self, her private emotional life, and the loneliness that accompanies her newfound freedom are all clear evidence that she truly becomes enlightened and revived by the end of the novel. The inability of the other characters in this novel to hinder Edna’s transformation is a reflection of society’s complete powerlessness against the inner flame of emotion

Read More
1266 Words | 6 Pages

Syeda Ahmed prompt 5 The Awakening AP LIT Mr. Amoroso A modern woman emerging and developing ahead of her time, dealing with the challenges of gaining independence in a time period where woman weren’t human. This is Edna Pontellier’s conflict told in the novel the Awakening by Kate Chopin. Late in her already establish life Edna a wife and mother of two discovers herself to realize she goes against society’s ideals as a woman.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

It is common for people in everyday society to conform to society’s expectations while also questioning their true desires. In the novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, the main protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess, "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In other words, Edna outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Kate Chopin, uses this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning to build the meaning of the novel by examining Edna’s role as a wife, mother, and as nontraditional woman in the traditional Victorian period. Edna outwardly conforms to society’s expectations by marriage.

Read More
942 Words | 4 Pages

She begins withdrawing herself from societal norms and finally becomes more content with life. After Edna learns to swim “a feeling of exultation [overtakes] her, as if some power of significant import [is] given her to control the working of her body and her soul…She [wants] to swim far out, where no woman [has] swum before” (Chopin 37). Edna develops new confidence in what she wants in her life after slowly retracting from societal expectations. Edna obtains a new mindset on how she will accomplish her goals. She becomes more determined and cares less about what others think.

Read More
892 Words | 4 Pages

“I would give up the unessential; I would give up my money, I would give up my life for my children; but I wouldn 't give myself. I can 't make it more clear; it 's only something I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me (Chopin 47),” said Edna referring to the motherhood expectations of women during this

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
849 Words | 4 Pages

Often times when a person is forced to outwardly conform while questioning themselves it leads to a struggle between their inner selves and what is expected of them. Outward conformity often oppresses a character’s true feelings of loneliness and being misunderstood. In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, leads a dissatisfactory life. She is stuck in a loveless marriage, and has children, all in an attempt to conform to the social norm of the Victorian woman. However, she inwardly questions whether or not she should try to break free from this life to find her own independence and happiness.

Read More
160 Words | 1 Pages

While seemingly calm and beautiful, the ocean possesses danger that could entice one into pursuing a false utopian state of being. Edna’s inability to distinguish the danger and the beauty of the ocean ultimately leads her behave irrationally and chooses to end her life in the end. The idea of pursuing one’s goal through rationale mean is not only significant within the novel but also relevant to our daily lives. In real life, people sometimes feel discontented with their social status and economic condition. While some people are motivated to take concrete action to improve their living conditions, some make unrealistic goals and seek to find an immediate way to success.

Read More
925 Words | 4 Pages

In the 1800’s, the societal niche of married women was clearly defined: they were meant to devote every aspect of their lives to their husbands and children. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, struggles to adhere to these standards, and eventually rebels against them. The harsh standards placed on Edna and other women in the novel are like the cages around the metaphorical birds Chopin uses to represent them. Edna's unhappiness in her societal role is realized in the ocean, which symbolizes this awakening and her attempt to escape the gender roles of the nineteenth century.

Read More
1315 Words | 6 Pages

In the story, the only place where Edna could experience freedom and find her awakening was the sea. Thus, when she commits suicide one can see how the sea was the root for Edna finding her self-discovery. Through suicide individuals can see how it was the only escape for a woman who was living under oppression. Suicide not only shows that oppression was impossible to escape for a woman, but at the the same time it shows that suicide was the only way

Read More
871 Words | 4 Pages

Edna’s inner identity reaches the breakpoint where it is necessary for her well-being that it is expressed. At this point, nothing else matters besides her intuitions and desires. This brings difficulty to her familiar relationships and friendships due to her rejection of living according to her role as a mother and a wife. Even though this conflict is addressed, it does not make an impact on her decision to remain a bit selfish through this time that she is finding herself. As a way of explaining her state of mind, Edna states that she "would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself.

Read More
513 Words | 3 Pages

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House share common themes of independence. The Awakening presents Edna Pontellier, an unsatisfied woman who constantly seeks independence through “awakening.” Meanwhile A Doll’s House introduces Nora Helmer, a wife with a secret that destroys her marriage. The Awakening and A Doll’s House share parallel thoughts and idea about independence through strong female protagonist. Edna and Nora are parallel characters in their behavior and their despite pursuit for independence.

Read More
1044 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More
837 Words | 4 Pages

As she did this, Edna faced many great challenges, but was able to come over some with the help of Romantic traits integrated in the story. The sea plays a big role in Edna’s journey to becoming free and when as they spent their summer near the ocean, she was able to realize that she wanted to escape and be free through its supernatural and romantic elements. This want escape was lead by transcendental influences from all around her. Once again, the sea is important in this because Edna decides to return to the sea and drown herself so she can be with nature and be free. Although Edna died her story did not die with her.

Read More

More about The Awakening Comparison

Related Topics

Open Document