ENCW 205 Fall 2021
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 21st, 2021
The Awakening is written by Kate Chopin; it tells the story of a female protagonist trying to find an independent identity outside of societal norms and failing to do so. Throughout the book, we see her in the eyes of everyone but herself. In the first introduction to her character, she is not introduced by her name […]
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 21st, 2021
The Awakening begins during a blissful vacation, interestingly not with the main protagonist’s voice or input. Edna is the main protagonist, but instead, Mr. Pontellier’s voice and character are the narrators at the beginning of the book. I think this is very telling as to Mr. Pontellier’s character both as a man and as Edna’s […]
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 20th, 2021
The relationship between Edna and Mademoiselle Reisz was especially interesting to me throughout The Awakening. The man Edna conducted her first physical affair with, Alcée, made a mention about how he’d “heard she’s partially demented,” on p. 127 when, in stark contrast, we saw on the previous five pages how well Mademoiselle Reisz and Edna got […]
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 20th, 2021
When reading “The Awakening,” I took note of the way in which Edna had her revelation. It was not some sudden blow to the head or anything of the sort, but instead a gentle rousing, a coercion to begin seeing the world in a new light. I believe this is a far more realistic depiction […]
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 20th, 2021
[Posted on behalf of a student] The sea plays a crucial role in Katie Chopin’s The Awakening even though it is not a character in the story. In the novel, the sea symbolizes freedom and escape for the main character, Edna Pontellier. Edna feels confined by the roles that she must take on as a woman […]
Posted in The Awakening on Sep 19th, 2021
Throughout Kate Chopin’s The Awakening the issue of — and potential damage from — prescribed gender roles for women is apparent. The main protagonist Edna struggles with the few select roles she is allowed to play as she “awakens.” There were very few roles a woman could play in the 1800s, and by the end of the novel, Edna ends […]