The Role Of Society In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Edna removes herself from Leonce by purchasing her own house in order to gain independence. This incident shows the idea of not meeting social expectations. Edna, Robert and, Reisz break away from society to become independent and self-sufficient which helps guide them chose their own roles in society. They do not allow society to define them, but go on a journey to discover themselves. Edna buys her new house and brings all her personal possessions along with her, which is different from societal beliefs. Edna becomes her own person and removes herself from dependence on Leonce which was against social beliefs as women were seen as possessions of men. She reads Emerson which builds her self-reliance and self-worth. This helps her create her own choices which tend to be heresies. It is ironic that the pigeon house represents freedom from society, because pigeon houses are small and trapped. To Edna, the pigeon house represents freedom from Leonce. She is no longer a possession and plays a different role than what society calls upon her to do, by relying on herself for food, shelter, and money. Robert’s sudden move to Mexico is a change in heart, where he realizes he needs to choose a new lifestyle for himself without dependence on his mother and have a

Reisz goes everywhere and talks to many people. When Edna and Reisz have their talks, Madame always gives advice but never has a definite answer. She will not choose one side over another, but will guide Edna to evaluate her options. Reisz is free because she is not influenced by society. She acts as a buffer for Edna as she helps Edna question herself and her beliefs. Playing her music enables her to escape from society because she does not get involved. Reiz is the freest out of all the characters as she does not conform to societal