ipl-logo

Figurative Language In The Awakening

1338 Words6 Pages

Morbid, vulgar, and disagreeable are just a few descriptors used by critics to describe Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. Chopin is amongst the first feminist writers of the twentieth century writing two novels and about a hundred short stories, most of which the protagonist is a woman. Although Chopin wrote other short stories that were considered controversial none of them received as much criticism as The Awakening. Set in the late nineteenth century the story follows Edna Portellier who has been awakened to her own desires and even though she has a husband and children she decides to pursue those yearnings. This in turn causes her to lose her innocence and morality. Edna is the epitome of a Fallen Woman. By looking closely at the characterizations, figurative language, and symbolism within the story it is easy to see that she is fallen because of the choices she makes.
Chopin’s characterization of Edna as a fallen women slowly progresses during the course of the story. At the beginning Edna is described as a compliant house wife. In her youth she had been a romantic but upon marring Leonce she believed her romantic days were over. She willingly submitted to life with her husband instead of embracing and celebrating their matrimony. Chopin shows that the love and affection Leonce has for Edna outweigh that of hers. …show more content…

The amount of love and support she received from her friends and family was a bit unrealistic. Even Leone supported her until her death even though she left and cheated on him. While reading this story it could be argued that Leone was just as much a feminist as his wife by allowing her the freedom she desired. If Edna had reached out to him in the end he more than likely would have provided her with a safety net. Leone loved and supported Edna to the end despite the disrespectful treatment he received from her and her moving into her own home that had no room for him or their

Show More
Related

  • Creole Women In The Awakening

    2029 Words  | 9 Pages

    In nineteenth century Louisiana, Creole’s lived by strict rules to explain how Creole household’s run: “The man ruled his household and his wife was considered part of his property. He was permitted to take a[nother] mistress if he liked, though his wife was expected to remain faithful” (Kosewick 3). The wives of the household are also “expected to be of good character” and “loyal, passive, innocent lovers”, despite the fact that their husband can take another woman of his liking out and the wife sat back and watched her husband have a plentiful time with the other woman (Kosewick 3). If the wife of the household does anything outside of the norms within their Creole society, she was frowned upon and disgraced. Rarely, women rebelled against

    Read More

  • Who Is Edna Pontellier In The Awakening: Symptism

    551 Words  | 3 Pages

    She is freeing herself from her past life and starting anew by act of independence. They also argue that she breaks off or ends many relationships because she is becoming more independant. Whether or not Chopin wanted people to analyze these like these or not I still believe that Edna’s final act is one of hopelessness and despair.

    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

  • Outward Conformity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    825 Words  | 4 Pages

    Women during Edna’s time were supposed to be dedicated to their husbands and children, however, Edna yearned for her own independence, and as a result of wanting her own independence Edna knew that she was seen as a terrible person. For instance Edna wanted to “…try to determine what character of a woman I am; for, candidly, I don't know. By all the codes which I am acquainted with, I am a devilishly wicked specimen of the sex. But some way I can't convince myself that I am. I must think about it" (27.4).

    Read More

  • Transformation In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    929 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edna is not the only person affected by the changes she enacts; her consequential decisions carry weight and define the plot of the story. For instance, there is little evidence to suggest that Mrs. Pontellier was liable to perform any act of consequence while she was occupied with social convention. It is telling that the author begins the narrative at the very point when Edna begins to grasp the full scope of human emotion and spurn the constraints that once tied her down, rather than choosing to highlight the previous five years of raising children and puttering about the house- without the conflict between conformance and expression, and especially supposing Edna had simply chosen to remain blissfully unawakened, it is unlikely that Kate Chopin would have had anything to write about. It is tempting to cite the entirety of the novel as supporting evidence; however, one choice moment is worth mentioning specifically. At this point in time, Mrs. Pontellier is speaking with Mlle.

    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

    Often times when a person is forced to outwardly conform while questioning themselves it leads to a struggle between their inner selves and what is expected of them. Outward conformity often oppresses a character’s true feelings of loneliness and being misunderstood. In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, leads a dissatisfactory life. She is stuck in a loveless marriage, and has children, all in an attempt to conform to the social norm of the Victorian woman. However, she inwardly questions whether or not she should try to break free from this life to find her own independence and happiness.

    Read More

  • Clothing In The Awakening

    1460 Words  | 6 Pages

    During the Victorian Era, women are looked down upon on, and the idea of this is being expressed in many ways in daily life. Their clothing were tide and inconvenient to restricting them to fulfill daily tasks. The main character Edna wore different clothes from other mother women to resemble herself rather than doing what others expects from her. Kate Chopin, one of the greatest American writers who believed in Naturalism, implies her perspective of the restrictions for women and the societal expectations that placed on women into her writings. The idea of the desire of freedom but inability to control it, and eventually yield in front of the societal expectations.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Diction In The Awakening

    401 Words  | 2 Pages

    Keaton Anderson Mrs. McClain AP Lang 24 October 2016 The Awakening Diction The author’s use of words generally have a strong contribution towards the story’s purpose. Several diction strategies are used throughout “The Awakening.” Kate Chopin’s purpose in “The Awakening” is to inform the reader about a 19th century woman who defies her role in society.

    Read More

  • Allusions In The Awakening

    566 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Awakening written by Kate Chopin, is a novella about a woman named Edna, who desires to be an independent woman and break free from the typical 1800’s mold of society. Allusions are used to show how the characters behave and are affected by their surroundings and emotions. Throughout the story, Chopin uses them to connect the characters to the plot and make each scenario recognizable to the reader. “The foamy wavelets curled up to her white feet, and coiled like serpents about her ankles. She walked out.

    Read More

  • Moral Ambiguity In Kate Chopin's The Awa

    603 Words  | 3 Pages

    Edna even says herself, “I would give up the unessential…my money…my life for my children, but not myself.” For her life, Edna realized that means her marriage and physical life. As far as her marriage, Edna was never truly happy with her marriage with Leonce. Furthermore, Edna states she truly cares for her children, but sometimes her search for herself may conflict with this. This then further discourages readers even more due to the fact that this gives insight to her actions, and somewhat justifies them.

    Read More

  • Religion In The Awakening

    1198 Words  | 5 Pages

    Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” despite being an anecdote of a woman’s path of self-discovery, is also an anecdote of a woman’s downfall while on her search for her independence. Chopin uses religion to emphasize Edna’s, the protagonist’s, “sinful” ways in the novel. Without religion in both characters and symbolism the novel would lose its impact on the readers, therefore losing its message. Chopin’s use of religion to emphasize her overall message of independence is best expressed throughout her characters.

    Read More

  • Motherhood In The Awakening

    919 Words  | 4 Pages

    At the beginning of the novel, Edna had appeared to be recognizing the fact that her life revolves around her husband and her children, and that it is her main duty to care for them. It is mainly Mr. Pontellier, her husband, who tries to establish an image of her being a both a perfect partner and wife. He views her as an object that must be suitable for the eyes of society. According to him, his wife is a “valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage” (Chopin 2). He is controlling over her appearance and actions.

    Read More

  • The Awakening Conflict Essay

    1124 Words  | 5 Pages

    Edna’s marriage to Leonce “was purely an accident, in this respect resembling many other marriages which masquerade as the decrees of Fate. It was in the midst of her secret great passion that she met him. He fell in love, as men are in the habit of doing, and pressed his suit with an earnestness and ardor which left nothing to be desired” (Chopin 18). As Edna’s awakening develops, she begins to act out of character, driven by her inward desires. She starts spending more and more time with Robert, and while Leonce is aware, he pays no attention to the affair.

    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 Figurative Language In The Awakening

Open Document