Essay On Edna Pontellier As A Modern Woman In The Awakening

Birth, whether of children or desires, existplays an active motif throughout The Awakening. Edna Pontellier, as one of the leading characters, is a child discovering her very sense of self. Her attitude toward her children reveals that she is not the typical “mother-woman” the preferable type of woman in Edna’s society. The term, mother-woman is a reductive one which implies a singular purpose or value. The mother-woman is a mother; being one defines and regulates every aspect of her life. (51). The critical elements to identifying Edna’s awakening. One thing that different Edna from other women in the society such as Madame Ratignolle is that she has not accepted her role unquestionably.

The final reason for Edna’s escape from her troublesome life is the failure of her relationship with Robert. Edna was able to find some form of escape through her desire and hope of being with Robert, but when those plans fell through Edna feels as if she has nothing to look forward to, nothing to live for in life. Robert realizes that he and Edna will never be able to have a true

Edna gains metaphorical wings in the form of self-actualization and newfound freedom. However, she strays too close to the harmful and unobtainable thing that is a relationship outside of marriage with someone she actually loves, Robert. In doing so, she brings about her own downfall.

Edna’s deliberate sacrifice is that she chooses a man who has her relive her young fantasies and mind over her husband and family who demonstrate that responsibility and maturity dictate her life. Before Edna meets Robert, the man who reminisces youth, she has her up and downs with her husband but has a consistent and regular lifestyle with her family. She constantly praises her children over everything but however,

Social expectations have haunted people across the timeline, however, have changed as life has progressed. Today, women specifically may be labeled by their body size or the way they speak, being cast out of society and even being subjected to physical and/or emotional abuse. On the contrary, in the nineteenth century women faced harsh discrimination by white men that objectified them and forced them to submit to their husbands and tend to their every need. Today, women would never face to live in such an animalistic way, however many found themselves fulfilling the role without protest and enjoying the simplicity of such a life back in the 1800s. Edna Pontellier, however, refused to be one of these obedient women, deciding to instead

Each of Edna’s romantic relationships are important for each step of her awakening. Her marriage to Mr. Pontellier allows Edna to realize her domesticated role in society. Her relationship with Mr. Pontellier is established in the first chapter as Mr. Pontellier is disgusted by the parrot’s noise and moves away to read his newspaper. Mr. Pontellier is unable to understand his wife and it is acceptable for him to ignore her. He seems oblivious to seeing his wife with younger man walking on the beach and instead focuses on his wife’s damaged skin. “You are burnt beyond recognition,” he added, looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage.” He views his wife as a piece of property which is normal for a marriage in this society. Edna wants to feel more than this, so she goes looking for this in a younger man named Robert. However, this goes against society’s expectation of a devoted wife. “Looking at them reminded her of her rings, which she had given to her husband before leaving for the beach. She silently reached out to him, and he, understanding, took the rings from his vest pocket and dropped them into her open palm”(2). She wants happiness and she finds this with Robert, but her rings reminded her that she is chained to her marriage.

Art has been a part of our lives throughout most of human existence. For thousands of years, people have been creating, observing, analyzing, and enjoying art. Art includes writing, drawing, painting, photography, dance, and music. So, what exactly is the function of art? Art has many efficient uses. For example, the purpose of a work of art may be to communicate ideas, such as in politically, spiritually, or philosophically motivated art. Art can also be used to create a sense of beauty, for pleasure, or to generate strong emotions.

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

She is moved by music. During that summer Edna sketches to find an artistic side to herself. She needs an outlet to express who she is. Edna feels that art is important and adds meaning to her life. After the summer is over and they are back to the city and Edna is a changed woman. She makes many steps towards independence. She stops holding "Tuesday socials", she sends her children to live in the country with their grandparents, she refuses to travel abroad with her husband, she moves out of the Lebrun house on Esplanade Street, and to earn money, she starts selling her sketches and betting the horses. She also starts a relationship with another man Alcee Arobin. He meant nothing to her emotionally but she used him for sexual pleasure. Edna evolved above her peers she did not believe that sexuality and motherhood had to be linked. The last step of her "awakening" is the realization that she can not fulfill her life in a society that will not allow her to be a person and a mother. Edna commits suicide in the ocean at Grand Isle.

Restrictions imposed by society foster the circumstances that hinder people from their full potential. Edna Pontellier lives among a high society of Creoles with her husband Leonce, on Grand Isle in the Gulf of Mexico. Her interactions with key characters on the island stimulate an awakening in which she opens her eyes to a new lifestyle. She steps outside of the typical expectations by defying her marriage and falling in love with Robert Lebrun. This relationship sparks Edna’s interest in becoming an independent woman and guides her awakening. When Edna realizes what her life has become, the awakening comes to a halt. Full awareness of her situation induces Edna’s final decision of suicide. The sense of confinement in society’s implications

Edna's developing mannerisms suggest that she eventually becomes aware that Robert will never overcome the social conventions surrounding them. It is obvious that he views her as Léonce's belonging, strictly referring to her as “Mrs. Pontellier” throughout the book. Though Robert loves Edna, he cannot accept her as she wants to be accepted; as an equal. Instead, he wants to own her, and Edna understands that if she left Léonce for Robert, she would have not been anymore free with him than she currently was. She knows that, eventually, she will forget about Robert, and will no longer be trapped by her feelings for him. Instead, her children were what pushed her off of the edge.

Edna Pontellier is a woman of great needs. Although she has a husband who cares for her and two children, she is very unhappy. She plays her roles as a mother and wife often, but still keeps doing things unmarried, barren women should do: enjoy the company of other men, ignore her children's cries, dress unladylike for the times. The story is set in the late 1800's, when women were to be in the kitchen preparing a meal for their family, giving birth to more children to help with daily chores, or sitting quietly at home, teaching the children while the husband was at work. Edna Pontellier was a woman not of her time. At only 28, she would have rather been out gallivanting with different men, traveling with them, and painting

Edna’s sacrifice of her family also illuminates one of her main values, freedom. In the beginning of the novella, Edna is reserved and demure. However her friendship with Adele Ratignolle encourages her to follow the creole style of expression and become more open and candid with her actions and voice. The friendship helps her learn to value herself as a person with real emotions, rather than a piece of property for her husband. This marks the beginning of her awakening, as she becomes more open with her feelings, prompting her to further her relationship with Robert. They begin to move past the level of innocent flirtation the Creoles are accustomed to, against the advice of Adele, leading Edna to a new sexual freedom as she continuously chooses to spend her time with Robert rather than her family. However, perhaps one of the most prominent examples of Edna’s high value of freedom comes at the very end

Edna has a husband and two children but instead of her family bringing her joy and peace in Edna’s mind they weigh her down and make her a slave. Edna wants to be free from her family and she finds moments of freedom when she swims at grand Isle and hangs out with her lover Robert. As the book continues Edna pushes herself away from her family

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