The Motikening In Kate Pontellier's The Awakening

As the novel unravels, Edna feels she is confined by her gender roles as a mother and wife. She constantly tends to her children and husband’s needs and neglects her own. The Symbolic Interactionism

1. Edna’s position in life is a wife and mother as well as being a trophy wife for her husband; she is someone that he can show off and shower with gifts in return for her undying affection. It appears he is greatly concerned with her appearance more than how she feels when he comments that she is “burnt beyond recognition” while “looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage”(4). Edna is expected to carry out duties that fall under the Cult of Domesticity, such as caring for her children, tending to house orders, ensuring that she is always respectable-looking and ready for visitors. Mr. Pontellier

Edna was unable, at this time of this quote, to even stand up for herself in stating that, despite superficial gifts, her husband was not a wonderful husband. Only a short time later, in an example of astounding character development, she was able to stand up to her husband himself! The contrast between her character at this outtake of the story, and her character later on in this section is evident. Compared to that point in the story, she appears extremely submissive. Another thing I noticed and thought about relating to this as I read is how, in the early chapters of the book, such as the one this quote is from, Mrs. Pontellier was always referred to as Mrs. Pontellier; however, as the section goes on, more and more she is referred to as Edna, almost as though she is gaining identity outside her marriage. It reminds me of in real life when some people who changed their name for a marriage, change their name after a divorce in a display of gaining back their identity and moving on from the past. The author, through beginning to mention Edna by her name later, as opposed to in this outtake where she only calls her Mrs. Pontellier shows Edna’s growing

In The Awakening, Edna Pontellier a wife and mother of two was at first very uptight and obedient as was the way of American culture. She was clearly unhappy, but diligently fulfilled worked toward fulfilling her role of a ‘mother-woman’. As a result of her husband’s absence due to his preoccupation with work, Edna spent most of her time adapting to Creole customs that she picked up from Adele Ratignolle, a woman who was admired for being the epitome of a ‘mother-woman’. Edna even engaged in an innocent romance with a character named Robert whom she later fell in love with. During the family’s summer vacation Edna experienced an ‘awakening’, she ignored the existence of her children and frolicked with the chivalric men of the town whom she shared physical attractions with. The shared companionship between Edna and Robert stirs up emotions she had never felt with her husband. She even started to take up her past time of painting as she had enjoyed during her youth, and often relived memories of her joyful youth experiences. Edna’s husband noticed a shift in her attitude and distance, and sought advice from Dr. Mandelet. The doctor instructed Mr. Pontellier to let his wife’s defiance play its course and she would come back around. He does as instructed, but her antics only became more severe.

Edna has a difficult time finding herself while living with her husband. Her actions show by not caring what she wears, not listening to her husband and even hanging out with her actual love Robert more than her workaholic husband. However, this whole time Edna just wants freedom, She wants to be able to do what she wants to do without being demanded to do it.

With a husband and two children at the age of twenty eight, Edna Pontillier realized that the mother-wife life was not for her. With her new found independence Edna’s husband was unsure of how

Edna has the “fortune” to be considered the “sole object” of her husband’s “existence.” This is at best confusing, since Mr. Pontellier spends the greater part of his time exiting: for work, Klein’s hotel, etc. It stands to reason that Edna would develop a resentment toward this man who claims to cherish her to the point of obsession, yet performs a ritual “leaving” as if it were second nature.It was interesting to note that Edna and Leonce had only been married six years---one usually perceives an “awakening” to occur in conjunction with a “mid-life” crisis of sorts, and Edna and Leonce were young, vibrant people with small children.

She has been contained within a lifestyle that is dictated by her husband and her children. Her marriage is not one that consists of any romance; it merely exists. Her friendship with Robert is more eventful than the times she has spent with her husband, Lèonce. Only when Edna decides to go for a symbolic swim does she realize all of this. This swim is like a rebirth, a new baptism, a sexual awakening. Edna has realized that in order for her to lead a happier life, she must depend on herself, she is now out on her own. Edna grows closer with Robert and distances herself from Lèonce in an attempt to satisfy her hidden romantic dreams, which haven’t surfaced since her childhood. As Robert announces his departure to Mexico, Edna finally realizes her feelings for him. She struggles to fill the void in her love life by associating with Alcèe, another flirtatious young man. Edna seems to favor the attention given to her by men other than her husband, a scandalous inclination during her time period. In the ways of her sexual struggles and desires, Edna resembles a more modern woman, perhaps even one represented by today’s society. She goes through men quickly, having more than one affair. This type of behavior would have been frowned upon in the 1800s, but today it is much more commonplace. Edna was alive during the wrong time period for this type of

Personification 1: “She was what Nova Scotions called a Cape Island boat and was designed for the small inshore fishermen haddock and hake” (MacLeod, 2) The author uses personification to show that the boat acts an important role in the narrator’s family, just like one of his family

For instance, when it is brought to the attention of her husband Léonce that she did not receive callers on her reception day and did not consider her absence as something noteworthy, Léonce argues with her saying that “…it’s just that such seeming trifles that we’ve got to take seriously; such things count (51).” Mr. Pontellier’s mindset serves as a reflection of what the upper-class society believed in that time period; for example, he believes in keeping up with appearances to maintain a healthy social image. Edna’s refusal to follow through with what her husband wants her to do bewilders him because a woman in Edna’s position is expected to follow through on such social customs. Mr. Pontellier experiences nervousness because he does not want to be looked down upon by society. Later in the novel when Edna purchases the “pigeon house,” Léonce encounters another instance in where he finds himself concerned with the way society views his family’s lifestyle. Edna’s act of buying the small house was a major act of independence and defiance to her husband as well as society. Her husband, fearing the remarks of the people, is not in favor of this decision; Mr. Pontellier “hoped she had not acted upon her rash impulse; and he begged her to consider first, foremost, and above all else, what people would say… he grasped the situation with his usual promptness and handled it with his well-known business tact and cleverness (93).” It is evident that Mr. Pontellier is immensely concerned with how the public views him and his family. In that time period, a wife moving out of her house to live alone was unheard of; to save face, Mr. Pontellier organizes for the remodeling of the house to keep the public from discovering the truth. When Edna strays from the norms of society in order to gain her independence, she is met with an opposing force

After Mr. Pontellier returns from a business trip, Edna after spending the day with Robert says that she is feeling an “indescribable oppression” towards her husband. Mr. Pontellier treats Edna as an object. In the book it says that Mr. Pontellier “looked at his wife as one looks

As Edna starts to change her attitude and behaviors throughout the book, the attitude and behavior her husband Leonce has towards her changes as well. The reader never gets to experience what the Pontellier’s marriage life was before this alternation in the way they interact. When Mr. Pontellier begins to scold her for acting out of place, or doing odd things, Edna begins to realize that a life where she is restricted in her actions is not one she wants to live. The closest person in her life

The following journal entry was recovered from the shoreline of Grand Isle, written by Edna Pontellier before her suicide in the late 19th century and recovered by her paramour, Robert Lebrun, moments after the event. The letter, which serves as her suicide note, does not include a formal recipient- a blank is left in its place as though she had meant to add a name, but had not found any one person to be suitable. However, she does write about, and at some points addresses, several people who played key roles in her life when she tells her story. In her final thoughts, Edna detailed the workings of her mind as she reached her breaking point, writing about her distant husband, Leonce Pontellier, her confidant, Mademoiselle Reisz, her brief lover, Alcee Arobin, and the man she wished to spend her life with, Robert Lebrun. Edna was an outcast, and this final recountment of her life may very well to hold the key as to just how much that affected her, elucidating her ambiguity.

and a brief description of the young woman. Then he tells the reader about the “

The narrator is unknown to the readers but describes Catherine’s, and other characters inner thoughts, that would otherwise be reserved to them. Although it is Catherine that is made the main focus, “Catherine’s feelings, as she got into the carriage, were in a very unsettled state; divided between regret for the loss of one great pleasure, and the hope of soon enjoying another”, her narrative representation is sympathetic and pleasant but the third-person structure also allows for Catherine’s nature to be presented without confusing the