The Perfect Mother In Chopin's The Awakening

Edna Pontellier and I are “hewn from the same crooked timber”, as we are both products of a flawed society (symbolized by the timber) where the pressure to fulfill our own expectations means we defy the expectations of others around us. Within The Awakening, there are many instances where Edna is held to the expectations of being “a perfect mother”, such as those placed by Mr. Pontellier as to how a mother should take care of her children. However, Edna wants to be more than just a mother. She wants to become an artist. When Edna befriends Mademoiselle Reisz, the latter highlights the audacious nature that Edna should embody in order for her to pursue painting. When Edna questions Reisz about this, Reisz exclaims, “Courageous, ma foi! The

When she is talking to Madame Ratignolle about what she would give up, Edna highlights how she wouldn’t lose her sense of self for anything. She states that, "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself” (Chopin 47). Edna demonstrates how important her identity is to her, so much to say that she wouldn’t give it up even for her children, which was very defiant of mothers during her time period. Edna claims that the unessential aspects of her life include money as and her own life, which are, in comparison to her identity, rather concrete concepts. However, Edna focuses on the abstract notion of identity, which could be a subtle reference to her personal desires of being an artist, which Edna develops within the story once she meets Mademoiselle Reisz and learns of the courage needed to be the artist she wants to

This cliched statement is something that I stand by. But, this principle impacts other aspects of my life that many others cherish. I usually find myself interacting less with the loved ones in my life and being more focused on impending deadlines. As a workaholic, my conscience reflexively nags me to finish an assignment in any setting, such as a family reunion or a baby shower. While some people appreciate my strong desire to continue hustling, others frown upon my consistently overworked mind. It may not be considered healthy to always be so work oriented, but setting myself goals and working towards them gives me a fruitful thrill. This concept is what gives me a sense of uniqueness from those around me and is something I will continue to do in order to fulfill my own