Kate DiCamillo

Two women on two different paths to self-enlightenment but both paths end in a realization that one cannot simply focus on oneself, life is intertwined as in Victorian society or the jungles of the Congo. Edna, in The Awakening discovers that she cannot live outside of society’s norms; whereas, Orleanna of The Poisonwood Bible learns how deep seeded guilt can spark self-awareness. While The Awakening’s Edna develops into the beginnings of a self-actualized woman by understanding her deep inner…

Living as a woman in a male dominated world is a burden for Edna in “The Awakening.” She is bound in the chains of society to serve as a housekeeper and wife. Despite the chains that bind her, Edna’s free spirit seeks equality. These chains placed around her serve as a primary focus for the novel; especially when she takes her own life in the process of freeing herself. Edna from “The Awakening” is a modern woman who seeks personal freedom which goes against the archaic time that she resides in…

Though The Awakening may not be a book that all audiences enjoy, it’s merit as a work of literature cannot be denied. It has underlying motifs and ideas that Chopin brings into fruition through a variety of well-developed techniques, making The Awakening not only a book worthy of merit but being taught. Her book challenged pre-existing societal norms not only in 1900’s America, but still does today across cultural barriers with its controversial theme on challenging gender roles and feminism. It…

In the short story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, it is written from an outsider’s perspective of Mrs. Mallard and her life. Chopin does not give us any indication as to what Mrs. Mallard is thinking about the whole situation, she just tells us her actions. We are let into the way she feels about the news of her husband dying and her coping skills. The story starts out by saying that Mrs. Mallard has heart trouble and that the news of her husband should be said as “[gently as possible]”…

When you hear famous movie quotes like “alrighty then” “Let's put another shrimp on the barbie” and “just when I think you can’t get any Dumber…. You go and totally redeem yourself.” Immediately Jim Carrey the famous comedian actor pops into your head. He has starred in a multitude of number 1 box office hits like Ace Ventura pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, The Mask and Liar Liar to name a few. The Golden Globe winner has became a household name despite the many setbacks in his life. Jim Carrey…

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, is a story exactly as the title describes it. A matter of events that take place and change the story within hours. Louise Mallard, is a troubled housewife soon to be widowed and suffering heart troubles. Just alone in the first few sentences into the story, the introductions tone is quick paced and with a small hint of suspense. The news is broken to Mrs. Mallard about her husband’s tragic death in the first sentence of the story. A mixture of emotions are…

Kate Chopin herself once said “She had resolved never again to belong to another than herself.” This quote fully embodies who Kate Chopin was and what she iconically stood for. Chopin was the unheard of female writer of her time. She was a woman a wrote about women - an astounding concept. Although presumably more well-thought of now than during her time, Chopin’s works were recognized among some of the most prestigious publications and organizations (Clark) -- that was until she wrote the…

Kate Chopin’s motif in The Awakening is demonstrated throughout the novel of 1984. George Orwell’s novel is about a guy named Winston, who pretends to be someone he isn’t on the outside, and questions the government system he lives in, on the inside. In the novel, there was a major tension developing between Winston and the Party. According to Winston, life since the Party’s rule has been lived in fear and hatred. Anything you said out loud and even what you thought in your mind, could be…

In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Edna Pontellier, also known as Mrs. Pontellier, is torn between two totally different worlds. Thus, leading to the development of her character, relationships, and conflicts she is involved in throughout the novel. Edna is bound by the gender roles of the 18th century. She constantly fights between reality and what she wants to do with her own life. In the novel, The Awakening, Kate Chopin creates conflict throughout the novel by illuminating Edna’s…

The Awakening Is More than "Sex Fiction" The audience was scandalized. The critics condemned the book as immoral. Some went so far as to call it "essentially vulgar" and "sex fiction" (Literature 20). This was the public outcry that Kate Chopin's The Awakening caused upon its publication in 1899. The reviews were overwhelmingly negative, denouncing the novel for its daring discussion of matters such as female sexuality and extramarital affairs. Since then, The Awakening has taken on a new…