The Awakening

After learning about Kate Chopin in class and reading The Awakening, I was intrigued by her writing and wanted to learn more about her. So, after doing some research I found that she had strong independent women as role models in her childhood and consequently she herself was one therefore this reflected in her characters, like Edna. Chopin only wrote two books and The Awakening was her second, published at a time the feminist movement had only just begun and only gained momentum in certain parts of the country.

More specifically, Edna Pontellier was a women striving for things that her society didn’t believe she should be entitled to including freedom, individuality, love, sex, and equality. I feel this struggle is ageless and every woman has felt this way at some point in their lives - the desire to escape to find more, more meaning, more depth, more worth. For Edna, despite being reminded by her husband that she should be happy and fulfilled by her role as wife and mother to their children, she is unable to find the contentment. It is interesting when Edna realizes in the book that there is nothing wrong with wanting more in her life and that really what’s wrong are the rules she must live by.

I have a few questions…How are mothers represented in The Awakening? What about single/independent women? Do you think Edna is a good role model to young women today and why/why not? If you were to meet Edna Pontellier, what would you ask her and say to her in response to her actions? And If the Awakening were to be turned into a movie today which actress do you believe would do Edna’s character justice? Why?