The Awakening by Kate Chopin is based upon the ideals of Feminism, which promote equality for all genders. In the time period it was written, The Awakening was viewed as an obsurd opposition to societal standards. "Edna Pontellier's free thoughts and behaviors were not accepted at that period. The attacks on the book were too harsh for Chopin to continue her writing career, and even ended the discussion on the book for almost half a century" ("Limin Bai"). Posessing a strong message that is still relevant today, The Awakening is truly a great novel. Females as a whole have been treated as inferior up until the 20th century. The Awakening defies the social constructs that were in place by depicting a woman taking her life into her own hands
