Self-Discovery In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Kate Chopin’s 1899 Novel The Awakening, encompasses itself on defying the stereotype of a “Mother-woman”and a woman trying to fit into strict cultural demands. The protagonist Edna Pontellier ruined many expectations of what a woman should be like in the nineteenth century. The Awakening not only embraces the process of self-discovery, and conflict between an individual and society, but also includes family as major theme throughout the novel. Chopin geniously captivates the reader by giving small clues as to what is going on between Edna and Robert the novel starts off with Edna and Robert acting suspicious around Léonce Pontellier (Edna’s Husband) as a reader this guessing and hooks you to keep reading to unlock all their secrets. Later on …show more content…
Before Edna begins to discover herself, she is caught between her urge to find herself and her wishes of fitting the standards of what was said to be the perfect version of a Mother-woman. Chopin brings to light a brilliant way of showing how Edna came about her “awakening”. Edna is presented as an average woman who clearly has a way of making big decisions in her life. Edna cheated on her husband and is not the ideal mother she is surrounded by so many women who are seen as perfect and she had enough. Chopin made many connections with the ocean and made it seem as a good place for Edna every time she was there she was awoken and realized new things about herself. Almost identical to the purpose of being baptised when someone is a baby they have holy water poured on them and they a have now accomplished the first catholic sacrament. this will continue on until a persons communion, confirmation and marriage as you go through these one by one you grow as a person and begin to learn more about yourself. Catholicism and Chopin’s Edna realize that self-discovery is a major part of everyones life at one point in an individual’s life they go through a life changing experience that makes they realize who they really