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The Theme Of Loss Of Innocence In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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Catherine O'Flaherty was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 8, 1850. Kate grew up speaking both French and English. Kate attended the St. Louis Academy of the Sacred Heart, with one year at the Academy of the Visitation. Kate Chopin was an American feminist writer, she wrote two novels, and wrote more than a hundred short stories and sketches. Her great grandmother inspired her to get into French culture and feminism. "Most of the fiction Kate wrote as an adult draws on the nurturing she received from women as she was growing up." In 1899 her novel, "The Awakening, was condemned for its frank treatment of a young woman's sexual and artistic growth. Now it is recognized both for the quality of the writing and for its importance as an …show more content…

Like in "The Story of an Hour" the quote at the end states, "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills." They are referring to when she hears that her husband died she felt a little bit more of happiness than sadness because now she will have freedom and get to live her life with joy. Also in the short story, "Beyond the Bayou", ends when La Folle realizes that the "end of her fear in the world outside of the bayou's boundaries has given her a world of new possibilities".They are stating that she has more opportunities in life if she would just get to be out in the world and not to fear about anything because she is free and she can't be controlled. "The Story of an Hour" "She saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome". …show more content…

She believes that a desire for freedom includes a desire to be free of society's expectations, which is meaning giving something up is the only option to be free in society. Showing a desire for freedom can also include a desire for freedom from a husband, stating that losing someone that has more power over you can lead to a better life in the long run also not having a husband. Having a loss of innocence can also be a loss of innocence of betrayal, meaning doing something to feel like something is going to change but it ends up being tied to betrayal. Using the loss of innocence to be used also for the loss of innocence of death, she felt like she wanted to die to live a better life without someone only to have

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Oppression In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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In the late 1800s, nearly all women were viewed as subservient, inferior, second class females that lived their lives in a patriarchal and chauvinist society. Women often had no voice, identity, or independence during that time period. Moreover, women dealt with the horrors of social norms and the gender opposition of societal norms. The primary focus and obligation for a woman to obtain during the 1800s was to serve her husband and to obey to anything he said. Since women were not getting the equality, freedom, or independence that they desired, Kate Chopin, an independent-minded female American novelist of the late 1800s expressed the horrors, oppressions, sadness, and oppositions that women of that time period went through.

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Symbolism In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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Societal Restrictions In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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When undergoing socially oppressive conditions, many individuals are hesitant to invoke changes in their lifestyle. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening exemplifies how an individual rejects societal restrictions through Edna Pontellier, a nineteenth century woman who is in a passionless marriage with her Creole husband. Being a part of an upper-middle class family, she vacations in Grand Isle, but primarily lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Edna initially submits to the Creole expectations that limit her freedom, but realizes her current status in life is not enough for her and begins to implement changes in her lifestyle. She pursues independence in various ways and defies the typical housewife role she has been playing for her entire life.

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What Is Edna's Allegory Of The Cave

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What Is The Turning Point Of The Woman In 'The Awakening' By Kate Chopin

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A turning point must be a positive word for anybody but in Kate Chopin’s case it was never a good thing. For the time she wrote that story, it was never accepted to question or even to write ideas that is against the societies believes. 1899 The Awakening published by Herbert S. Stone and Company on April 22. The tale is about a young woman (Edna Pontellier) the protagonist of the story, who struggles to find her identity and her artistic ability.

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The Oppression Of Women In The Awakening

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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.

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The Objectification Of Women In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

1254 Words | 6 Pages

In the novel The Awakening, Kate Chopin shocks her audience with a completely different type of lyric than what her audience had grown accustomed to. After the tragic and sudden death of her husband, Kate Chopin published her first novel, At Fault. Two short story collections succeeded the novel, and then soon

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How Did Kate Chopin Influence Society

1377 Words | 6 Pages

She has influenced people all around the world, especially women. She was a prime example of a strong, successful, independent woman. Kate carries her feminist views in her works by showcasing women’s independence and equality. Kate Chopin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, she was born on February 8, 1850 and died on August 22, 1904. Kate was raised solely by her mother which meant her household was dominated by woman.

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Attitudes Toward Motherhood In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

617 Words | 3 Pages

In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, she uses attitudes towards motherhood to convey a contrast in Madame Ratignolle and Edna Pontellier’s mothering techniques. In this book, Chopin describes that women are only useful for marriage, having kids, cooking, cleaning, and other sexist roles. A perfect woman was seen as someone who “worships” their husbands and caters to all. The women’s main goals in life would to be married and have children, and if this did not happen they were seen in society as nothing and that they did not reach their expectation as women. Edna’s rebel towards these expectations allow her to live the life she wants and to find herself.

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The Awakening And Story Of An Hour Analysis

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The melancholy tone Chopin uses throughout the story implies that despite Enda and Louise seeking freedom from societal restrictions their quest for freedom will eventually end in a tragedy. Chopin expresses how Louise and Edna’s journey to freedom led them both to their death . “When the doctor came, they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.” (The Story of An Hour). Due to Louise already having a heart problem prior to her excitement of being free this whole situation became overwhelming for her since she felt so many emotions at once.

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