In The Awakening, Kate Chopin brings out the essence of through the characters of her novel. In this novel Edna Pontellier faces many problems because she is an outcast from society. As a result of her isolation from society she has to learn to fit in and deal with her problems. This situation causes her to go through a series of awakenings that help her find herself, but this also causes problems with her husband because she loses respect for him and the society she lives in. Throughout the novel she is faced with unfavorable circumstances which confuse and eventually kill her. Kate Chopin uses Creole Society in the 1890s as a basis for her novel and expresses it through Creole women, personal relationships, and etiquette.

The Awakening is a book based on French Creoles and their lifestyle which is expressed throughout the novel. Creoles were French Creole Society descendents of French and Spanish Colonists of the 1700s. They had strong family ties because of Catholicism and were a tight community because they where considered outcasts of Anglo- American society. Clement Eaton says that

"the Creoles, to a greater degree then Anglo-Americans, lived a life of

Shaffter, Mary L. "Creole Women." The Chatauquan 15 (1982) : 346-347. Rpt. in

Rpt. in "The Awakening": An Authoritative Text. Ed. Margo Culley. New York: Norton, 1994.122-125.

French-Creole women are thought of and shown to be very well rounded admirable women. They have many talents, skills, and a special way of life. "Creole Women are artistic by nature; they paint and play and sing" (Shaffter 137). They not only speak French, but usually several other languages also. In their speech they are usually very clear and articulant using gestures to ensure their point. Women in the Creole culture tend to be beautiful with a dark complexion, long black hair, and deep dark eyes (Shaffter 137). Walker describes Chopin's context of the story through this quote:

sensation and careless enjoyment. They loved to dance, gamble, fish, attend feasts, play on the fiddle and to live without much thought of the morrow." Eaton 252

In all, The Awakening, vividly describes French-Creole culture and gives a strong feeling of it's Society in the 1890s. Women individuality and independence seem to be a overlying theme in this story. Chopin also describes Creole women, personal relationships , and the etiquette of Creoles throughout her Novel. Creole Society has a very close community that results in a fun and comfortable society. That was definitely shown in The Awakening , but not felt by Edna Pontellier who was just trying to find herself for her whole life. When she get intermixed with Creoles it showed her what she was missing, but was not able to grasp so that she could fit in to society for once.

Young, John H. "An Etiquette Advice Book Sampler." Our Deportment, Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society. (1882): 56. Rpt. in "The Awakening": An Authoritative Text. Ed. Margo Culley. New York:

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Approximate Word count = 2032
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)