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Realism In The Awakening

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The Escape Kate Chopin’s Realist novel depicts a young mother, Edna Pontellier, trying escape society’s constraints. The Romantic traits incorporated into the novel help to show Edna’s struggle for independence. As Edna tries to escape, it becomes clear that the world she is trying to enter is the seemingly simple and beautiful transcendental world. Despite being smart and persistent, Edna is having a hard time escaping from the Victorian duties tying her down. A struggle for an escape was what Chopin wanted when she was incorporating Romantic traits in her novel. One way Chopin does this is by using elements of the supernatural to show how the personified sea seduced Edna. Her connection to the sea grows when Robert begins to talk about how “the moon is shining – the moon must be shining- a spirit that has haunted these shores up from the Gulf” (Chopin 39). The spirit is calling Edna to the water because that is where she can be alone and happy. After from their trip to the sea, Edna allows outside forces, such as the weather, to influence her and the book’s mood in dark and violent ways. One instance …show more content…

As she did this, Edna faced many great challenges, but was able to come over some with the help of Romantic traits integrated in the story. The sea plays a big role in Edna’s journey to becoming free and when as they spent their summer near the ocean, she was able to realize that she wanted to escape and be free through its supernatural and romantic elements. This want escape was lead by transcendental influences from all around her. Once again, the sea is important in this because Edna decides to return to the sea and drown herself so she can be with nature and be free. Although Edna died her story did not die with her. The Awakening can still be seen as the story of a young woman just trying to find her way place in a society that wasn’t right for

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