ipl-logo

Gender Differences In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

116 Words1 Page

"I find the question of whether gender differences are biologically determined or socially constructed to be deeply disturbing"- Carol Gilligan. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin depicts a woman who struggles with her identity. The book begins with Edna, a submissive wife and mother, on vacation in Grand Isle. As the book progresses Edna becomes increasingly disenchanted with her roles as a mother, wife, and socialite. After receiving a devastating letter from a former lover, Edna commits a final act of autonomy by taking her own life. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin expresses her view on the stereotypical role of a woman by using Adele Ratignolle, Leonce Pontelleir, and Robert Leburn to amplify Edna's transformation into independence.

Show More
Related

  • Figurative Language In The Awakening

    426 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Awakening by Kate Chopin in 1898, in these time period women still lived in their roles as they should live. Many women disagreed with living in absurd roles, and want they wanted independence of whom they wanted to be. Kate Chopin was a woman who wanted to make a difference of the role herself and women had to live. In result, she made the book The Awakening and used the main character, Edna, to show the struggles of a woman go lived during this time. Chopin also shows the character development Edna goes through a journey to find her independence from the gender role society she lives in.

    Read More

  • Influences In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    2009 Words  | 9 Pages

    The Awakening is written in the third person omniscient point-of-view in order to help readers fully understand any complications in Edna’s transformation; this point of view provides an insight into the reality of Edna’s struggle for authenticity throughout the novel. In referring to being a mother or a wife as a role, it implies that women are just playing a part, pretending to be someone else, suppressing themselves, for the happiness of their family. Also Chopin’s use of the ‘un’ prefixes “acts as a juxtaposing force, drawing the reader’s attention to the emotion or act that Edna aims at, but cannot quite authentically experience” (Beer and Goodwyn). It is a sharp reversal of any new-found self-confidence; it acts as a cruel reminder of how close Edna gets to authenticity but ultimately finds it

    Read More

  • Water And Birds In The Awakening

    767 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 1800s, women faced extreme oppression and were forced to become the perfect image of a caring mother and loving wife. However, in Kate Chopin’s, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier defies these expectations and social norms and takes her own path. Edna is married to her husband, Leonce Pontellier until she falls in love with Robert one summer while on vacation. In Edna’s attempt to find her own path and defy the role placed upon her by society she has an affair with Robert until he leaves her and she ends her life out of despair and sadness.

    Read More

  • Edna Pontellier's Attitudes Toward Motherhood In The Awakening

    1044 Words  | 5 Pages

    This novel, The Awakening, is about a woman named Edna Pontellier learns to think of herself as an independent human being. Also, Edna Pontellier refuses to obey against the social norms by leaving her husband Leónce Pontellier and having an affair with Robert Lebrun. Kate Chopin describes societal expectations and the battle of fitting the mold of motherhood in the Awakening by how Edna Pontellier and Adele Ratignolle contribute to their family in different ways. Edna Pontellier’s attitude toward motherhood is that she is not a perfect mother-women. Adele Ratignolle’s attitude toward motherhood is that she is a perfect mother-women.

    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

  • The Objectification Of Women In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    1254 Words  | 6 Pages

    Monumental strides have been made when looking at the treatment of women in today's society, compared to the treatment of women in the early 20th century. In today's society, a woman can survive on her own, with no companion to assist in her sustainability. However, in New Orleans creole culture circa 1899, women were not given any opportunity to express any form of individualism. The objectification of women in the early 20th century is exemplified by the women in Kate Chopin’s feminist novel The Awakening.

    Read More

  • Sexuality And Feminism In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    834 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 19th century, a group of people launched the suffrage movement, and they cared about women’s political rights, their property and their body liberty. Born in that age, Kate Chopin was aware of the importance of setting an example for those who were taken in by the reality and poor women to be an inspiration. So we call her a forerunner of the feminist author for every effort she put in advocating women’s sexuality, their self-identity and women’s own strength. When people were ashamed of talking about sexuality, Kate Chopin stood out and call for women’s sexual autonomy.

    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

  • Analysis Of Mademoiselle Reisz In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    1043 Words  | 5 Pages

    “She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” (47). In The Awakening, the narrator, Kate Chopin writes the eye opening story of Edna Pontellier. One summer, Edna, her husband, Leonce, and her kids go to a resort in Grand Isle for vacation. There Edna made several friends who change her life.

    Read More

  • The Three Men In Kate Chopin's Awakening

    1401 Words  | 6 Pages

    “She had all her life long been accustomed to harbor thoughts and emotions which never voiced themselves,”- Kate Chopin. Edna goes through life not completely fitting in and finally is able to break free. With breaking free Edna discovers the various qualities in a man that she wants but finds only certain qualities in certain men. The three main men in “Awakening” have the qualities she wants but in the end, cannot have. These three men are Leonce Pontellier, the husband, Robert Lebrun, the emotional need, and Alcee Arobin, the physical need,

    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

  • Equal Rights And Social Issues In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

    983 Words  | 4 Pages

    Book For over 50 years before the publishing of the novel, The Awakening, the United States had been undergoing intense struggle over the issues of equal rights and social ideologies due to which women had been experiencing emancipation and mobilization from the fetters of socioeconomics. The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin and published in the year 1899 is about the story of a married woman, Edna Pontellier, who has a husband two children. She falls in love with a resort owner’s son when she goes on a vacation to Grand Isle in Louisiana. The story revolves around Edna, whose desire to identify her true-self defies the social conventions as they sweep her away in her journey of discovery. Set on the resort of Grand Isle, the setting is perfect scenery for a story revolving around personal discovery and sexual fascination.

    Read More

  • Motherhood In The Awakening

    919 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kate Chopin’s The Awakening was written at the end of the nineteenth century, where many roles for women began to change; therefore, the it appears to have been a turning point for females (“The Role of the Wife and Mother”). These changes in female roles were mostly due to the actions of women themselves, motivated by their desires to break away from the limits imposed on their gender The nineteenth century was a critical point in time for women, in regards to their roles in society (“The Role of the Wife and Mother”). In The Awakening, Edna goes through noteworthy changes in the course of the novel, which reconstructs her into a woman who goes against societal ideals regarding motherhood and marriage . In the 1890s, motherhood was viewed

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Othello's Jealousy In 'The Awakening'

    500 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” shows a controversial protagonist, Edna Pontellier. The character in the novel showed different expectations for women and their supposed roles. One literary critic, Megan Kaplon showed how this novel can be viewed as a struggle of the world or society around her. Edna in the story is trying to find freedom and individuality Kaplon mentions that “one of her most shocking actions was her denial of her role as a mother and wife.”

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: The Awakening By Kate Chopin

    784 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a piece of fiction written in the nineteenth century. The protagonist Edna is a controversial character, Edna rebels against many nineteenth - century traditions, but her close friend Adele was a perfect example in terms of a role of a woman, mother and wife at that time. Chopin uses contrast characters to highlight the difference between Adele and Edna. Although they are both married women in the nineteenth century, they also exhibit many different views about what a mother role should be.

    Read More

More about Gender Differences In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Open Document