ipl-logo

Edna Pontellier's Awakening Character Analysis

906 Words4 Pages

Lisa Cifuentes
5th Pd. AP English IV Mrs. Zimmerman
4 December 2015
Edna Pontellier’s Awakening
In “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, the title holds great significance, symbolically describing the transformation that Edna Pontellier undergoes as she realizes that the conventions of her society have been constraining her from becoming her true, independent self. Edna’s awareness of her duality of self, her private emotional life, and the loneliness that accompanies her newfound freedom are all clear evidence that she truly becomes enlightened and revived by the end of the novel. The inability of the other characters in this novel to hinder Edna’s transformation is a reflection of society’s complete powerlessness against the inner flame of emotion …show more content…

I can’t make it more clear; it’s only something which I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me” (52). By calling her own life “unessential”, Edna recognizes that her roles in society as a wife and mother have never been characterized by any more than superficial behaviors and activities. After having an “epiphany” about her identity, Edna still understands her obligation to protect and care for her children, but now refuses to sacrifice her true, individual identity in the process. Edna’s awakening is evident in her desire to be her own person. She does not wish to be identified in relationship to other people, but rather to be valued for her own unique thoughts and …show more content…

She was “no longer [...] content to “feed upon opinion” when her own soul had invited her” (Chopin 103), summoning her to experience the rich and complex world that inhabited her being. However, as Edna’s ability for self-expression grows, the amount of people who can truly empathize with her gets increasingly smaller. The fact that solitude becomes a direct result of Edna’s independence is clear evidence of her awakening. Since the societal expectations of the late 1800s gave Victorian women very limited opportunities for individual expression, they preventing them from tending to their own wants and needs. For this reason, as Edna acknowledges her desire for freedom and verbalizes her emotions, she is met with disappointing resistance from the world surrounding her. Furthermore, when she decides once and for all

Show More
Related

  • How Does Edna Pontellier Build Social Boundaries In The Awakening

    1199 Words  | 5 Pages

    Terrell P. McIntyre Jr. Dr. Rose Gubele American Lit 9:50-10:40 T, Th 16 March 2017 Breaking Social Boundaries: A Journey of Self-Discovery Throughout the 1800s, gender roles were very strict and rarely questioned. Along with holding their families and homes as their highest priorities, women were also expected to be submissive to their husbands and continuously look presentable. It was quite strange for women to step outside of the harsh boundaries that were deemed as socially acceptable for them. Throughout Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening,” Edna Pontellier pushes against the perimeters set for her as a woman and works to establish herself as an individual rather than a cog in a social machine.

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier And Edwards Character Analysis

    1936 Words  | 8 Pages

    In society, from the 1800s to the 1950s to today, there frequently is the assumption that it is necessary to put the needs and importance of the community in front of one’s own. Though this may seem out of place in some situations, in others it is simply protocol in order for the society to function smoothly. But in the cases of Edna Pontellier and Ethan Edwards, two seemingly very different characters, they both share the same struggle between their own personal interests and those of society. Edna, a Kentucky native married to a New Orleans Creole, faces her own private conflict as she does not understand the culture of this traditional society. While she is expected to be a loving mother and a doting wife, she feels conflicted while loving another man and not following the ways of a mother-figure.

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier's Expectations In The Awakening

    1041 Words  | 5 Pages

    I grew up hearing the saying that a little girl could have an old soul, or that someone is well beyond their years. These sayings are popular to societies, because they try to explain why certain individuals differentiate from the acceptable norms in ways that may be more complicated than just personality traits. In The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is no exception. Her society’s expectations differ from who she is and how she is willing to act so that she would fit in. Chapter one of The Awakening begins the story with several examples of how Edna does not fit in with her society.

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier's Heroic Individualism In 'The Awakening'

    794 Words  | 4 Pages

    Albert D. Saba Mr. Amoroso AP Literature Period: 3AP Topic: 1 LAP The Awakening A novel by Kate Chopin Will the chains and the unspoken pain unshackle through one’s heroic individualism? In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Edna Pontellier becomes a heroic figure to herself as well as for women through the search of her self-identity.

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier's Character In 'The Awakening'

    1283 Words  | 6 Pages

    Edna broke free from the mold of her society. She was trying to find her purpose and her worth in a world where she did not have many rights or individual stability. Edna Pontellier worked to disregard the influence and power of men and society as a whole to discover more about herself and what she really wanted out of life (Bommarito). She gave up the “unessential” such as her home, possessions, and reputation to do things for

    Read More

  • Independence And Self-Expression Analysis

    1388 Words  | 6 Pages

    The concept of Independence and Self- Expression During the nineteenth century, writers like Henry James and Kate Chopin write about women who are depressed and suppressed. Daisy Miller and The Awakening are representations of beautiful and well-dressed women who are in a state over a discontent. These two works picture the life of the Anglo-Saxon bourgeoisie. Daisy and Edna are forced to respect the traditional cultural structures.

    Read More

  • Outward Conformity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    825 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is common for people in everyday society to conform to society’s expectations while also questioning their true desires. In the novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, the main protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess, "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In other words, Edna outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Kate Chopin, uses this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning to build the meaning of the novel by examining Edna’s role as a wife, mother, and as nontraditional woman in the traditional Victorian period. Edna outwardly conforms to society’s expectations by marriage.

    Read More

  • Ocean Symbolism In The Awakening

    925 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 1800’s, the societal niche of married women was clearly defined: they were meant to devote every aspect of their lives to their husbands and children. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, struggles to adhere to these standards, and eventually rebels against them. The harsh standards placed on Edna and other women in the novel are like the cages around the metaphorical birds Chopin uses to represent them. Edna's unhappiness in her societal role is realized in the ocean, which symbolizes this awakening and her attempt to escape the gender roles of the nineteenth century.

    Read More

  • Conformity In The Awakening

    849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edna continually questions whether or not she is destined to live a life of subordination or if she can find her own freedom. Edna Pontellier’s defiant nature is brought out

    Read More

  • Internal Conflict In The Awakening By Laurence Sterne

    1350 Words  | 6 Pages

    She eventually is so inspired by Mademoiselle Reisz’s independence and attitude, that she moves out of the house that she lived in with Lonce and decides to live on her own. One of Edna’s biggest internal conflicts is resolved because of Mademoiselle Reisz. This contributes to the theme of breaking social norms, because no woman would ever leave her husband and comfortable life to pursue a career during this time period. It was unheard of. If Edna chose the path that Adele was taking, she would be conforming to society’s standards, which shows that she made the right decision by not conforming and showing the reader that it is ok to not be like everyone else, and also show women that they can be independent and that they need to fight the social discrimination against their

    Read More

  • The Expectations Of Women In Edna Chopin's The Awakening

    944 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is a perceived split between “outer Edna and inner Edna” that is constantly disrupting Edna and her desires. Outer Edna is supposed to be recognized as this ideal wife who obeys her husband and does what he commands-similar to her friend Adele. This lifestyle that Edna is supposed to live by cannot be achieved due to “inner Edna’s” desire of being free and independent. “Outer Edna” conforms to society expectations even if it is not what she desires, while “inner Edna” seeks independence and

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier As An Outlier In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    970 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Edna is forced to face two different obligations in life, one to follow her passions and be an individual, and the other to be practical and follow the dictations of society. Through Edna’s struggle of passion versus practicality, it becomes clear that being an individual is better than conforming to society. It is better to be an outlier. Edna’s passions often get in the way of her duties in society, causing

    Read More

  • Edna's Roles In The Awakening

    1386 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Kate Chopin’ s novel, The Awakening, there are three identities inside of the female leading role, Edna Pontellier, being a wife, mother and own self. Edna was born in 19th century at the Vitoria period, a patriarchy society, women have low freedom to achieve personal goal. She married with Léonce Pontellier, a wealthy man with Creole descent. After having a child, her life is still unchangeable and as bored as before. Until she encountered Robert Leburn, Mademoiselle Reisz, and Alcée Arobin, her value of self-cognition has changed.

    Read More

  • Madame Ratignolle Character Analysis

    437 Words  | 2 Pages

    Edna selfishly believes that her children are well without her and decides to depart from her societal duties and to seek freedom and independence. Adele unpurposely influences Edna to abandon her life in hope of rebirth. Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Ratignolle both influence Edna to become a redefined woman. Before Edna’s awakening, Edna believed that her life would never be fulfilled through her marriage to Leonce because of her lack of free will. The discovery of her own identity leads to Edna’s rebellion and heroic decision to take her own life in act toward freedom from controlling powers.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Language In The Awakening By Kate Chopin

    1210 Words  | 5 Pages

    This socially constructed identity is the first of the many that Edna grapples with in the text. It is the identity of women within the time period of the text. In the words of Dix, Edna’s identity is meant to be that of a typical American wife who will control the home, children and entertain socially yet remain obedient to her working husband (146). ‘Looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property’ (Chopin 4). The

    Read More

More about Edna Pontellier's Awakening Character Analysis

Open Document