The Great Awakening Quotes Analysis

Soon after, in paragraph two, the author reveals that Mr. Pontellier treats his wife as an object of importance, rather than a person (10-2). Through

With a new mindset, Edna’s behavior becomes that of a child; she begins to ignore her role as expected from her by society, and starts to develop an atypical behavior. She even immaturely starts to fathom an adventurous and adulterous romance with Robert, not thinking of the possibilities of consequences. Edna soon renounces her family in the sense that she divorces her husband, Leonce, and sends her kids to their grandmother’s without a second thought; she believes her perfect life with them is a mere mirage and is an appearance of what society deems

Aside from Edna Pontellier acting selfish towards her husband, she also put herself before her young children. Mrs. Pontellier’s lack of responsibility for her kids was not similar to most mothers of that time, whose children were usually their whole world. Mrs. Pontellier does not take care of her children and even does not realize that one of her children has a high fever to which Mr. Pontellier says “If it was not a mother’s place to look after her children, whose on earth was it?” (Chopin 4). Chopin describes with that quote how the mothers were seen as the primary and only caretakers of the children during that time and how Edna Pontellier does not wish to care for her kids. Madame Adele Ratignolle, who was Edna Pontellier’s complete opposite, was a beautiful, caring mother and wife.

Edna’s children are different from other children, if one of her boys fell “…he was not apt to rush crying to his mother’s arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up, wipe the water out of his eyes and the sand out of his mouth, and go on playing”. Edna is not a typical Creole “mother-woman” who “idolized her children (and) worshipped her husband” (8) and at times that results in her husband’s claims that she neglects her children. Edna’s children leave her attached to her husband, and even if she is somehow able to escape the relationship with her husband she will never be able to escape her children. She realizes this and whether consciously or not, doesn’t care for her children the way this is expected of a woman in her time period. When Adele Ratignolle reminds her to, “Think of the children!…Oh think of the children! Remember them!” Edna finally realizes her decisions affect her and her children. Instead of accepting her responsibility as a mother Edna decides to give up, and does so by committing suicide.

‘The house, the money that provides for it, are not mine. Isn’t that enough reason?’ (Chopin 79).

In chapter 36, Edna says “we women learn so little of life on the whole” (Chopin 106) which she means that women were not to be independent of their husband and were to follow their husband’s desires and views. This statement is accurate as in the 19th century, women were treated like property/possessions, having to listen to their husbands commands. For example, Mr. Pontellier states “What folly! To bathe at such an hour in such heat… you are burnt beyond recognition” (Chopin 2). Here, when Leonce sees that Edna was sunburned, he scolds her viewing her as an object that has been damaged. Therefore, she is not allowed to pursue her own passions/wants and solely has to follow her husband’s opinions. Through the changes she makes in her life, Edna learns that she wants to be this idea of an “independent woman” to allow her to be free

She feels too consumed by her responsibilities and duties that she acts out in desperation to fulfill her inner needs. Her dramatic behavior results from her shame of not feeling like she fits in with the stereotype of motherhood for her generation, and not wanting to conform she sees her children as temptations to relinquish all her desires and distract her from being the type of woman she wants to be. The way Edna views her children is very biological in sense, as she sees them only as a way to repopulate the world, rather than make meaningful connections because of her fears "And an awakening to find a little new life to which she had given being, added to the great numbered multitude of souls that come and go" (Chopin). This recollection of her past brings about a painful realization that despite her quest for individualistic freedoms, she is still a woman, and certain things in her society are expected of her due to her gender. Edna's sense of individualism is so strong, that even sharing her body with another being is something she truly despises.

courteous husband so long as he met a certain tacit submissiveness in his wife.” (Chopin pg. 57)

55). This elucidates that Edna’s developing self-love caused her realize that she wouldn’t give herself for her kids. Her different view on societal roles, allows her not to give up her individuality. Therefore, even though she would give up the essentials, keeping herself meant more than her children.She understands that her children are expected to important to her, but not important enough for her to give a essential part of her that she loves and defines her.She realized that though “Lenonce and the children” were apart of her life, “they need not have thought that they could possess her, body soul.” Her love for her personality and soul after she discovered herself, was too valuable for her to submit to her husband, children,and to society.This reveals that society has many expectations for women and prepares them for a life of submission to her husband and life in their marriage. Edna’s withdrawal from her family life had her viewed as ill even though she is just trying to find herself. This exhibits that though Edna wants to rid herself of societal expectation for a woman being a mother and wife, society wouldn’t advice

She strives to go against the norm of society and demonstrate her individuality as a woman of the Victorian Era. Edna declines the role of a mother and wife, in order for her to live the life that she chooses. As she chooses to fight for her individuality, she also decides to live out her sexual desires and break out of the limitations imposed upon her from society. Through the atmosphere that Kate Chopin depicts, Edna’s infatuation for Robert and Alcee are revealed when she exhibits her true feelings for them. As a final action to push for women’s rights, Edna tries to pursue her love for art and music instead of following the domestic rules of taking care of her husband and children.

By presenting an autonomous female character who explores her womanhood and expresses her individuality, Chopin brings about tension, especially amongst Victorian women, and most definitely, their husbands. A character like Edna, who did not comply with society’s expectations, brought women to analyze what they believed in, which led to the realization that there was more to life than simply being a housewife, which made this character’s ideals seem of a rebellious nature. Women came to the realization that just like Edna, their place in society was more than simply being domestic servants out of the obligation of marriage. These social taboos caused quite a bit of heat during the Victorian era, where feminist ideas were barely starting to spread amongst the middle and upper class, and while most women’s lives were still quite restrictive and centered around their family, ideals were actually starting to change. This was just the beginning to the first wave of

Women characters also depict the feminist critical approach throughout the novel. Society views women as being inferior to men. For example, The Awakening states that Mr. Pontellier, “… looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage,” (3), which shows he does not appreciate his wife. He treats Edna as if she was an object that he owned, and had full possession of. Although it takes a while for these women to break free, they end up realizing

Chopin challenges the traditional approach many have towards a woman’s duty as a mother through the character of Edna Pontellier. Edna lives in Grand Isle, a place where women are expected have an innate understanding of how to be a mother. In several instances, Chopin points out that women should not be expected to be “mother-women”, which means that a woman should not be subjected to devoting all her time towards the nurture and care of her children. For example, women should only care for their children and relinquish any desires they have within themselves. Children are seen as a woman’s reason for living, because if she is not taking care of her children, there is nothing else she could possibly be doing.

Two characters that play a significant role in Edna’s life have a positive and a slightly negative effect in her awakening. The first character that has a positive and slightly negative effect in Edna’s life is Adele Ratignolle. Adele was a Creole woman who cared for her three children, loved her husband, was beautiful, followed society’s norms, and was respected in her society. Adele positively influenced Edna’s life when she acted as a “mother” towards Edna, by often worrying about her and giving her advice. However, Adele was a negative influence in Edna’s awakening because she tried stopping the “Inner Edna” from coming out. In the novel, Adele advises her to “think of the children" (Chopin 170). She urges Edna to consider the power of motherhood as a special virtue. Adele knew that Edna wanted to be free and liberated from following society’s norms and knew that Edna wanted to be completely independent. This meant that if she chose to let the “Inner Edna” come out she would leave behind her husband and two children, because either way Edna never saw herself as a “mother-women” anyway. In the novel Edna says, “I would give my money, I would give my life for my children, but I wouldn’t give myself” (Chopin 53).

In The Awakening, the mother-women were “women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels (Chopin 19).” They readily relinquished their individual identities. Madame Ratignolle exemplified the role of the mother-woman as she was defined by and found pleasure in her roles of both wife and mother: she “played [the piano] very well, keeping excellent waltz time and infusing an expression into the strings that … inspired… keeping up her music on account of the children… because she and her husband both considered it a means of brightening the home and making it attractive (Chopin 61).” Although Edna revels in motherhood, she believes that there is an ideal truth beyond it. This truth, according to Dyer, cannot coexist with the social, the moral, or even the biological obligations of motherhood (105). Edna, therefore, finds