The Role Of Motherhood In The Awakening By Kate Chopin

During the 1800’s most women were supposed to follow social standards, and one of them is getting married and having kids not just that but to also take care of them. Women during this time had to take care of their children and do the tasks they had to do throughout the day. Other women who wouldn’t follow these social standards would be looked different and viewed differently. In Kate Chopin’s book The Awakening, one of the topics that she discusses is motherhood. She compares Edna, Adele, and Mademoiselle Reisz with motherhood. Chopin in her book discusses about motherhood. She compares three women and how they are when it comes to motherhood. The main character of the story is Edna Pontellier who is married to Mr.Pontellier and has two children. Edna is described as a woman who is, “rather handsome than beautiful¨. When it comes to being a mother Edna is not the best mother. As stated, “In short, Mrs.Pontellier was not a mother women”(11). This is said because Edna isn’t one to be with her children all day even if she does love them dearly and she wasn’t one to always be taking care of her husband. She is like this because she didn’t want to follow the social standards and started to rebel. Another character that’s in the book is Adele. Adele is described as the

She is a woman who doesn’t follow the normal etiquette. Madame Reisz is unmarried and has no children and she lives on her own. Madame Reisz is an artist that plays the piano, she also inspires and helps Edna to follow her dreams of becoming an artist. Madame Reisz is described as a, “disagreeable little woman, no longer young, who had quarreled with almost every one, owing to a temper which was self assertive and a disposition to trample upon other the rights of others,”(37). Madame Reisz is considered the odd one out because of the life style she chooses to live. She is an independent women that will hold down her position no matter