Societal Norms In The Awakening, By Kate Chopin

As a child care worker I know firsthand what it is to take care of a child and how children react to certain situations; whether it is a pleasurable response or an unfavorable response. Many of the negative reactions result in crying or throwing temper tantrums. However, for a child to learn and grow they sometimes challenge authority by acting defiant and out of control. Consequently, the child becomes aware of his or her surroundings and decides how to behave in the world they live in. Likewise, in The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the Nineteenth Century societal norms affected Edna to act stubborn and childish through her defiance and tantrums towards the pressures of womanhood pressed upon by cultural tradition.

To break the traditions of a womanly role Edna had to first challenge her husband’s authority over her. Edna is sleeping outside waiting for Léonce to come home, and finally he comes home in the wee hours of the morning. Then, Edna wouldn’t come in the house after Léonce called her into the house. Léonce says, “’Edna, dear, are you not coming in soon?’

Edna went to go swimming, but she had suicide in mind rather that swimming. As she was walking towards the beach she thought to herself, “The Children appeared before her like antagonists who had overcome her; who had overpowered and sought to drag her into the soul’s slavery for the rest of her days. But she knew a way to elude them.” (Chopin 159). In order for Edna to defeat the societal norms and not be bound in chains from her husband and traditional womanhood; Edna had to leave her motherly role in the family and she stubbornly went against the expectations of her husband and society. Therefore she had to free herself and she thought the only way to do so was suicide. This broke the pressure of the sexist perspective holding her