The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The title suggests the idea that someone will face a new beginning or experience. It makes the reader question what is happening and how it all connects to Edna’s “awakening”.
Setting Grand Isle and New Orleans; Late 19th Century
Historical Information
Kate Chopin married then moved to New Orleans, exposing her to the culture that surrounds the novel.
The first emersion of the feminist movement was at this time, influencing Edna’s awakening.
Attitudes at the time were that women should obey their husbands and act in a manner different than Edna desired.
Themes
Repression - Edna’s desire for change was repressed by Léonce as he desired her to be the perfect wife even though she wanted to be her own person.
“If it was not a mother’s place to look after children, …show more content…
13
Edna’s Awakening: pg. 116 - 117
Symbols
Cigarettes - display the difference in social status
While Léonce is able to smoke cigars, Robert smokes cigarettes as he cannot afford cigars. The only cigar he has were given to him by Léonce.
Bonbons - represent the apology of Léonce, and the bribery he uses them for.
Whenever Léonce upsets someone, he sends bonbons. When he cannot take the children to the club, he promises bonbons yet forgets them. He sends some to Edna after he made her cry, and whenever else he travels away.
Character Development
Edna Pontellier
Edna is a central character who is in love with multiple men and does not know how to express her feelings in a world where women are lesser than their male counterparts and expected to be perfect housewives without lives of their own.
Edna begins as a housewife, trying to be the best mom and wife she can be. Once she meets Robert, she begins to put her own happiness above others. She tries to be her own person and live her life above what others want.
Edna is motivated by her own desires. She wants to be happy, and less affected by what others expect of
The title suggests the idea that someone will face a new beginning or experience. It makes the reader question what is happening and how it all connects to Edna’s “awakening”.
Setting Grand Isle and New Orleans; Late 19th Century
Historical Information
Kate Chopin married then moved to New Orleans, exposing her to the culture that surrounds the novel.
The first emersion of the feminist movement was at this time, influencing Edna’s awakening.
Attitudes at the time were that women should obey their husbands and act in a manner different than Edna desired.
Themes
Repression - Edna’s desire for change was repressed by Léonce as he desired her to be the perfect wife even though she wanted to be her own person.
“If it was not a mother’s place to look after children, …show more content…
13
Edna’s Awakening: pg. 116 - 117
Symbols
Cigarettes - display the difference in social status
While Léonce is able to smoke cigars, Robert smokes cigarettes as he cannot afford cigars. The only cigar he has were given to him by Léonce.
Bonbons - represent the apology of Léonce, and the bribery he uses them for.
Whenever Léonce upsets someone, he sends bonbons. When he cannot take the children to the club, he promises bonbons yet forgets them. He sends some to Edna after he made her cry, and whenever else he travels away.
Character Development
Edna Pontellier
Edna is a central character who is in love with multiple men and does not know how to express her feelings in a world where women are lesser than their male counterparts and expected to be perfect housewives without lives of their own.
Edna begins as a housewife, trying to be the best mom and wife she can be. Once she meets Robert, she begins to put her own happiness above others. She tries to be her own person and live her life above what others want.
Edna is motivated by her own desires. She wants to be happy, and less affected by what others expect of