ipl-logo

Analysis Of Kate Chopin's The Awakening

1609 Words7 Pages

The Peter Seyersted quote provided describes Kate Chopin 's novel The Awakening as many things, including “daring”, revolutionary, and groundbreaking. Whether or not these claims are accurate is mostly a matter of opinion, but by analyzing the passage provided from the novel, I will attempt to identify and explain my own reaction to the quotation, and how this section informs it. The passage begins: “Edna walked on down the beach... not noticing anything special except that the sun was hot.”1 This identifies the narrative perspective as possibly being contained within Edna 's thoughts, as the reader is not made aware of any elements of the surroundings which are not noticed by Edna herself. In addition the wording seems consistent with the characterisation of Edna: the usage of the word “rather” and the assertion that she noticed nothing “special” show her personality and opinions infusing the narrative. The redundancy of saying that “the sun was hot” alerts the reader to Edna 's emotional disconnect. This is confirmed and explained in the words that follow: “She was not dwelling upon any particular train of thought. She had done all the thinking that was necessary after Robert went away, when she lay awake on the sofa until morning.”2 This seemingly allows the reader closer into Edna 's mind, allowing for us to understand her actions. This is fascinating in the aesthetic sense, an unusual narrative style that leaves the reader unsure of their role as an observer, or as

Show More
Related

  • How Does Edna Pontellier Respond To Soar Above The Level Plain Of Tradition

    445 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rather than finding a way out of the problems that she had encountered. She chooses to give in to her bruised self, ultimately giving up and ending her life. This reveals Edna’s weak individuality, self, because she lets go and did not have enough strength and determination to find a solution. The statement of a “bruised, exhausted, and sad spectacle” pertains to Edna because she chose the easy and cowardly way out, rather than being a

    Read More

  • Juxtaposition In The Awakening

    999 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edna hates being tied down to society’s standards; therefore, Chopin wants to represents how Edna transforms through the comparison of Edna’s

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier's Identity Quotes

    742 Words  | 3 Pages

    "(Paragraph 10,Section 37)This text supports the theme of Identity because everything that has been happening since Edna 's "awakening" was finally starting to hit her. The realization has come very fast, and this moment starts the beginning of the end, her end. B."But her new and unexpected line of conduct completely bewildered him.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Edna Pontellier's Responsibility In The Awakening

    1023 Words  | 5 Pages

    Initially, Edna is characterized as independent as she is following the Victorian orders for women which was to move aside her personality and care for her children and husband. At this point Edna has realized that her husband is weighing her down and she tries to find herself by separating herself from her family and home. She finds that she loves Robert after her “awakening” whilst he seems to acknowledge that he is trespassing a line between what he thinks is right and leaves Edna alone to face her awakening. Another theme represented in the book has to do with class and society. Was Edna going on a suicide swim or was it an accident due to the way society has made her believe things should be during this specific era and considering that Leonce was a well known man who traveled immensely and solely depended on Edna to fill her role while he was

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Loss Of Innocence In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    1217 Words  | 5 Pages

    Catherine O'Flaherty was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 8, 1850. Kate grew up speaking both French and English. Kate attended the St. Louis Academy of the Sacred Heart, with one year at the Academy of the Visitation. Kate Chopin was an American feminist writer, she wrote two novels, and wrote more than a hundred short stories and sketches. Her great grandmother inspired her to get into French culture and feminism.

    Read More

  • What Is Edna's Allegory Of The Cave

    1171 Words  | 5 Pages

    Her frequent vacations to the island, like her frequent dips into the ocean, begin to spark a personal change within the woman. A Creole man, Robert, shows Edna a new dimension of feelings she never knew she lived without, and she begins to look through life through a new lens. Having been awakened for the first time, she sees injustice and mistreatment where she saw none before. Chopin uses Edna’s new observations and reactions to the culture around her to illustrate the myriad ways women were marginalized. In an ironic twist, the white woman from Kentucky proves to be more liberated than her more traditional husband, who grew up

    Read More

  • The Awakening Rhetorical Analysis

    1266 Words  | 6 Pages

    The most rewarding attributes of this experience for Edna would be the feeling of satisfaction of conquering something in a world where woman are seen as nothing; much like a child’s excitement at their newly gained knowledge. In Chopin’s own word she describes “A feeling of exultation overtook her as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul” (page27). Although she is not ashamed of who she is becoming there is still a need to hide which is greatly caused by her surroundings. This can be seen when Edna takes her turn reading a shared book that has been passed around the cottages. Reading this book left her wonderstruck

    Read More

  • Living Outside The Norm In The Awakening

    863 Words  | 4 Pages

    All these changes Edna made were so meaningful and represents her actual personality. Before her awakening she didn’t show anything of her true personality along with millions of women. Many people judged and mistreated her, but no matter what the obstacles were in Edna’s way she tried overcoming them the best way she can. Not only society was countering her ways of thinking, but also her husband, Leonce

    Read More

  • Outward Conformity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    825 Words  | 4 Pages

    By Edna conforming to society’s expectations, she was able to question what she truly desired. If Edna did not conform, then Edna would have not understood that she longed for independence and the novel would have no solidified

    Read More

  • Water In The Awakening

    595 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”, the main character, Edna Pontellier, becomes awakened to herself, her need for nonconformity, and her strength through water and the sea. The water and sea serves a multitude of everyday purposes such as swimming, bathing, and drinking. However, Edna’s experiences with water are extremely symbolic, “awakening” her as a woman(48). In her first experience of swimming- in which she had “attempted all summer to learn”-she grew “overconfident” and “wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” (47).

    Read More

  • Dishonesty In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    561 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every situation has it own point of view. In the novel, Edna attempted to convinved herself that whateer dishonesty she was doing was not wrong. She seems to be drowning herself in her own issues. throughout the novel, she commits moral crimes such as maintaining a false marriage.

    Read More

  • Moment Of Awareness In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    1210 Words  | 5 Pages

    No multitude of words could have been more significant than these moments of silence , or more pregnant with the first felt throbbing of desire” (Pg. 30) the sexual impulses that had once died down first became awakened at this point of the novel. Edna Pontellier resurrected the optimistic view of lovemaking once more, but is usually never cognizant of the actions she commits. Ednas sexual awakening is split into two parts, emotionally and physically. Edna Pontelliers emotional sexual awakening is brought to life by the hands of Robert. When Robert leaves her the first time, she is upset, unable to believe he left so abruptly, and without saying goodbye.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In The Awakening

    1178 Words  | 5 Pages

    If he were to say, ‘Here, Robert, take her and be happy; she is yours,’ I should laugh at the both of you” (108). Throughout the story Edna’s feelings for Robert grow stronger and deeper, so that by the end of the novel she simply longs to be with him. Yet parallel to that growth Edna has discovered her self and developed her own identity. The idea of a transfer of ownership of her person from one man to another is abhorrent to her, so much so that it would cause her to abandon her dream of being with Robert. Though she wants that very much, she is unwilling to lose her own identity in the process as she did when she was with Mr. Pontellier.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Individuality In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    425 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin that follows a woman named Edna Pontellier on her journey to self-awareness. Edna lived a comfortable lifestyle with her husband and two children in Louisiana during the 19th century. Despite obtaining all aspects to a perfect life, Edna became dissatisfied after meeting Robert Lebrun in Grand Isle. Robert sparked a desire for unlawful lust as well as a yearning for independence in a society full of conformed standards. Edna was unable to handle the pressures associated with achieving personal freedom which ultimately led to her death.

    Read More

  • The Awakening Conflict Essay

    1124 Words  | 5 Pages

    Edna begins to become more aware of her position in her relationship with her husband. She is now comprehending the feelings she associates with the Apollonian and Dionysian influences in her

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Open Document