The Awakening Character Analysis

She leaves the care of her children to her grandmother, abandoning them and her husband when she leaves to live in the pigeon-house. To her, leaving her old home with Léonce is very important to her freedom. Almost everything in their house belonged to him, so even if he were to leave, she would still feel surrounded by his possessions. She never fully becomes free of him until she physically leaves the house. That way, Edna has no ties whatsoever to that man. Furthermore, Edna indulges in more humanistic things such as art and music. She listens to Mademoiselle Reisz’s playing of the piano and feels the music resonate throughout her body and soul, and uses it as a form of escapism from the world. Based on these instances, Edna acts almost like a very young child, completely disregarding consequences and thinking only about what they want to do experience most at that moment. However, to the reader this does not necessarily appear “bad”, but rather it is seen from the perspective of a person who has been controlled by others their entire life and wishes to break free from their grasp. In a way, she is enacting a childlike and subconscious form of revenge by disobeying all known social constructs of how a woman should talk, walk, act, and interact with others.

Edna had to come to terms with her personal transformation by comprehending the layers of her subconscious. Only then would she be able to realize who she truly was and what she desired as an individual. Before she started realizing what was occurring and what she was truly feeling, she let herself be guided by others and their aspirations. “She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had placed herself in alien hands for direction, and freed her soul of

Kate Chopin’s controversial novel, The Awakening, comprehends the frustrations and the triumphs in a woman’s life as she attempts to cope with the strict cultural demands. The protagonist Edna Pontellier challenges the norms of society as she abandons the stereotype of a “mother-woman”. The novel accounts Edna Pontellier’s journey toward a new vision of female and constantly examines and challenges the boundaries of a “mother-woman”. The continuous characterization of Edna throughout the book presents the idea that individuality and freedom of women could not be earned in the inhibiting society that she was trapped in.

Edna’s awakening allows the two distinct female models of society to become clear, and her awakening causes her to feel unable to conform to either model. Edna’s arousal is that which opens her eyes to see her potential apart from her current life. Spending time in Grand Isle unveils a new

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is an artfully written romance novel that takes place during the nineteenth century off the coast of Louisiana. The main character- Edna Pontellier- is put into what would be considered typical circumstances: being viewed as property by her husband, fills her empty days with social visits and the arts, and is a mother. Besides these regularities, Edna Pontellier is unique for her time period. Edna does not necessarily love her children, even views them as a hindrance, nor does she truly love her husband. Edna likes to be her own individual as if born in the wrong century, she strives for the freedoms that her society and life situation do not make available to her. Robert Lebrun- a dear friend of Edna- is the one person that she truly loves in her life. Unfortunately, while Robert’s emotions match Edna’s, he does not know how to properly act in response to them. Conflicted, Robert runs away to Mexico in order to avoid confronting his feelings and leaves Edna lost and heartbroken. During Robert’s absence, Edna’s pull to him does not disappear, rather she finds herself leaving her husband and making her own salary by selling her artwork. Robert, however, does return to Edna only to leave once more leaving only a note to say goodbye. Ultimately, Edna kills herself in response to Robert’s actions.

“The Awakening” By Kate Chopin is the story of a woman learning to follow herself. Kate Chopin creates a character named Edna who is coming to herself about who she truly is. In the story Edna, the woman, moves everything out of her path, in a very rebellious fashion, in order to grow as an individual. Chapter 19 of “The Awakening” is the midway point of the story. This chapter is Edna’s breaking point, where she comes to the realization that she does not need to follow the ways of society.

In fact, the ending is tragic partly because she was not able to learn to balance her responsibilities, her desire for freedom, and how to control her childishly behavior. When she walks into the ocean and commits suicide because she realizes that she cannot make any compromises in her personality. This ending is so surprising because generally at the end of a novel, the main character has learned something or had an epiphany and sacrifices a negative personality trait as a result, however, in The Awakening, this does not occur. the main protagonist, Edna undergoes a significant change in behavior, attitude and overall character throughout the novel. Edna becomes more aware and examines the private, unvoiced thoughts that constitute her true character. Edna's self was noticeably ambivalent for its time: She is neither a brave women nor a fallen victor, her rebellion is motivated more by the self-centered desire to fulfill her whims and wishes than to battle for a great cause larger than

As Edna undergoes an evolutionary journey of transformation she examines the reality and fantasy of her life. This quote evidences her morbid conclusion that life is unfair and chaotic. Like a teenager, she is full of emotional highs and lows as she discovers that she has other choices she can make in her life and recklessly leaps into it; sacrificing motherhood and the sanctity of marriage with a failure that resonates the hopeless she feels life offers. Edna’s depiction was extremely indecisive and restless. She develops a resentment toward life as if it has rob her of some imaginary happiness.

The journey of Edna’s awakened self mirrors the narrative of her first swim in the ocean. The experience begins suddenly, and Edna is swept up in the joy of it. She continues, oblivious to her direction or position. She loses track of those around her, and is lost in the sensation. Suddenly, she realizes that she cannot sustain herself; she is out too far, and does not know what to do. This is the point Edna is at after Robert’s rejection. This feeling is what leads her to go back to the ocean at the end, and swim out until her physical condition mirrors her spiritual

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 recognizes the difficulties of living the life she desires and the necessity of living by the exceptions of those around her. She first recognizes this as she bathes in the ocean, throughout the summer, off the shoreline near Grand Isle, Louisiana, and experiences or feels a sort of rebirth or a new feeling or yearning. That night she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over- confidence”(loc

During Edna's time on Grand Isle she learns about freedom of expression from Adele, which ultimately leads Edna to reject the subservient life she is living. Edna wants to be liberated from her previously formal behavior and her repressed emotions and desires. From her friendship with Adele she

Edna wants to be happy in life yet she can't do that by being a loving husband and wife. So, she begins by leaving her happiness and sacrificing it to not be held back. This

It is inevitable for people to seek change throughout their life. In the novel The Awakening written by Kate Chopin, this desire for change is most noticeable in Edna, a young woman trapped inside of a crumbling marriage, who searches for freedom from her husband in 19th century Louisiana where women were considered property once married. Kate Chopin uses symbolism to further the motif of the search for freedom as Edna’s characterization evolves through the imagery of birds, water, clothing, art, and sleeping, Chopin shows Edna’s hope towards a new life of freedom. Chopin uses birds to show Edna’s situation and change of character.

Another interesting aspect of the novel is irony, which seems to play a significant role throughout the story.  Although we read about Edna’s awakening, she seems to be sleeping during most of it.  As George Arms notes, “When she first openly seeks out Robert and takes him--again amusingly--to Sunday morning mass, she is drowsy at the service . . .” (200).  Edna  sleeps the day away at a nearby house.  Then, as Arms also points out, Edna is awakened “to an erotic life not through Robert, whom she truly loves, but through Alcee, whom she uses merely as a convenience" (200).  But when Robert returns, she informs him that he had been the one to awaken her.  So who was it really?  Then there is the irony found in the use of her children, whom she “has little intimacy, and her husband accuses her of neglecting them.” (201). Yet she would die for her children according to her own words.