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Women Revealed In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

426 Words2 Pages

In most society women were commonly judged based on their appearance and their behavior. The Awakening a book was written by Kate Chopin to convey this message that women were always pressured to be in a certain way. Women need to meet a high expectation on beauty and behavior in the Victorian society to fit in . Chopin start out the book with introducing a parrot bird and a mocking bird as a foreshadow on the subject she’ll be explaining more on how women were metaphorically judged in the Victorian society. “A Green and Yellow parrot kept repeating over and over” (1). This bird would represent how women were expected to be in the Victorian society, beautiful and serving to their husband. A parrot can repeat what’s been taught by their owner and that’s how women were expected to be, to obey and do what their husband needs. Mrs. Pontellier is the parrot based on how she was described in the book, “eyes were quick and bright; they were yellowish brown, about the color of her hair”(3). This is a description of her beauty, just like the parrot. Edna also serve her husband because she understood Mr.Pontellier when he “halted and shrugged his shoulders”(3). This mean she received no respect from …show more content…

Mockingbird whistle fluty notes which would represent the women with musical talents to please the men. Chopin stated that, “Mr. Pontellier had the privilege of quitting their society when they ceased to be entertaining”(1). This quote is saying that the purpose of the women’s talent is to entertain men. And the men can leave the women when he is not interested anymore and that’s would be totally find in the Victorian society. Mademoiselle Reisz represent the mocking bird because Chopin stated that ,”The first chord Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen tremor down Mrs.Pontellier’s spine”(26). This shows what the fluty note Mademoiselle Reisz produce can do to

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The Role Of Birds In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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The parrot speaks “little Spanish, and a language that nobody understands, unless it is the mocking-bird.” (p. 5). Here, the parrot represents Edna; viewed and valued by her husband and society as a beautiful possession who speaks a language nobody understands, except for a mocking bird-type figure. The mocking bird represents Mlle. Reisz, and like Edna, who is valued by society for her beautiful complexion, Reisz was valued for her musical abilities (fluty tunes of a mocking bird).

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Gender Roles In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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The difference between genders is obvious throughout the novel "The Awakening". Men and Women both have different expectations that are considered social norms within their genders, but their worlds are overlapped through the pressure of social convention. The pressure that both genders feel is mutual, and the way they interact enforces their belief to follow social convention. Both Men and Women are effected by societies expectations of how they should act individually and with each other. The women's world can change depending on who is being observed in the novel.

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Expectations Of Women In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

926 Words | 4 Pages

The way women and men have been treated has improved significantly, however, as true as that may be the social barrier restricting all genders has not completely vanished. The gender expectations still live within societies. Social expectations have been implemented since the start of civilization; humans have built social barriers such as gender expectations and unspoken rules that have tried to restrict women from pursuing their goals, and even at times, to be rejected by society and their families. In The Awakening written by Kate Chopin, she writes about a girl named Edna who experienced a harsh aftermath of defiance to the societal expectations in her society, because of social expectations she had to struggle to overcome the judgment,

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The Struggle In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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Going back into a history of society, it’s evident that everyone, women especially, are supposed to act and react to the events going on around them based on certain social scripts, or cues created by society that inform one how to act based on the situation. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, has an ongoing struggle between how she is expected to act, and how she wishes she could act. The reader sees this struggle throughout the book, and how the outward expression and inner workings of her mind create conflict and tension, showing that a woman (or anyone in society) is often conflicted because of the norms of society. With a book written in 1899, Chopin’s main character shows that society sets standards that might make it possible for everyone to fit.

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Edna And The Caged Bird Analysis

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While the story is told from a feminist perspective in a period where women were their husband's property. It also explores the challenges the males experienced and how they manage life circumstances. There are many representations of birds with dual symbolism as it relates to the female characters of the story that is quickly evidenced. Surprisingly, the birds’ depiction also provides symbolism of the male characters and their struggles. The parrot, mockingbird, pigeon house and the broken winged bird all symbolizes the struggles, the victories and ultimate expiration of life.

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This more than successful piece of literature examines the profound effect which social pressures enact on an individual. Edna’s actions in,“The Awakening” created the notion that self-identity was a process which only the individual woman could determine for herself, over 100 years later, much of the bias and injustice between men and women persists. Edna’s sexual promiscuity was frowned upon by society. Meanwhile, men were known to have multiple lovers and be given no consequence, “Robert each summer at Grand Isle had constituted himself the devoted attendant of some fair dame or damsel.” This quote shows a double standard which stripped women of their right to find themselves.

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The Portrayal Of Women In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

352 Words | 2 Pages

The novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, shows the way people view women and the roles that they were expected to fill by society. Edna Pontellier is a traditional married woman who does not know what she is capable of until she puts her strength to the test. “A feeling of exculpation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and soul” (Chopin 31). Women did not know what they are capable of. The patriarchal society they live in degrades them, so they did not know that they possessed the potential to be just as powerful as men are.

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Symbolism Of The Song Bird In The Play Trifles

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In the play Trifles, the songbird was used to symbolize peace, hope, and comfort. The bird is the only thing that Mrs. Wright had in life that was able to create happiness in the bad times. The songbird was Mrs. Wright 's whole world. When Mr. Wright took the life of the songbird, Mrs. Wright 's heart was broken. Mrs. Wright loved the bird and after Mr. Wright killed the bird there was so much madness, hatred, and disgust towards the husband.

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The novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, shows the roles women were supposed to take in society, and what would happen when a woman began to realize how unfairly they are being treated. Society has made people believe that a women’s duty was to be a mother and a wife, and yet still maintain their beauty. Edna Pontellier is a married woman, who at first does not think much about the way she is treated by her husband and children; she believes her life is great. But after a while she begins to question why they treat her the way they do and why she let them treat her like that, which eventually leads to her “awakening”. “They were women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves

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1768 Words | 8 Pages

A woman’s job in life was to be a good mother and a good wife, period. Although feminist movements were now on the horizon, the subject of women standing up and speaking out for their rights was extremely controversial. As a feminist, Kate Chopin incorporated feminism in The Awakening through characters such as Edna Pontellier and Mademoiselle Reisz. Because the subject matter was so controversial and taboo, Chopin received a lot of negative feedback when she published the novel, with readers calling it “morbid, vulgar, and disagreeable.” The reactions Chopin received in response to her novel are very similar to how the people within Edna’s society react to her journey of a spiritual awakening.

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1037 Words | 5 Pages

Despite Victorian society’s rejection of any sort of feminist progressive mindset, the decades preceding allowed for these ideas to take root in the women’s suffrage movement. Kate Chopin in her novel The Awakening, explores the concept of feminist individualism and fulfillment through the characterization of the protagonist Edna. Edna throughout the novel defies gender roles and develops into a strong independent woman. Yet at the conclusion of the novel, she commits suicide. Critics for decades have tried to comprehend Chopin 's intention of this conclusion.

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