Setting in The Awakening
Edna Pontellier in The Awakening by Kate Chopin is much like a modern woman in today's society. In today's terms Edna would be considered a rebel. Unfortunately, the restraints of her society caused Edna to extricate herself later in life, and when she got to the point of her awakening, she could not turn back. Edna being able to realize her place in the world was uncommon, and not accepted during her time period. Edna opposed the traditional roles of society that kept many restraints on the women of the 1800's. The setting of this story caused the conflict and also caused the ultimate result of Edna committing suicide. In the 1890s society was quite different from the way we view it today. Most cultures put emphasis on responsibility and duty. This did not change for Edna, she had to assume the responsibilities and duties of a "mother-woman." The traditional society of the 1800s assigned women to the duties of tending to the home, caring for their husband's every need, and bearing children. Edna however wanted to stray from her motherly responsibilities and achieve her desire of personal fulfillment. Edna slowly began to awaken from the life given to her by society that had held her comatose for so long.
Music played a large role in this story, particularly Mademoiselle Reisz's music. Edna named one of Mademoiselle Reisz's songs "Solitude." Mademoiselle Reisz played her music with great feeling and art, which evoked pictures in Edna's mind and her passions of her body, arose once again. These pictures and passions contributed greatly to the continuing development of Edna's artistic growth, which continued to lead to her self-discovery. "When she heard it...figure of a man...a distant bird winging its flight away from him"(Chopin 44). The music that was brought to her by Mademoiselle Reisz stirred up a deeper meaning in Edna's life. This is the point at which she felt her new being forming. In the end, not only did she realize that her new life had no place in this world, but that she would be happier in the sea, where there were no restrictions placed on her and the possibilities could be endless Perhaps Leonce was too caught up in material possessions to fulfill his wife's need for a loving relationship. Leonce was very willing to give his family candies and chocolates, as well as a lavish home to live in with all necessary decorations. Leonce felt that it was very important to spoil his family with materialism rather than love. "Both children wanted to follow their father...promised to bring them back bonbons and peanuts."(Chopin 8). Leonce could not see that his family, mainly his children, wanted him to be a part of their lives, not candy or toys. Mademoiselle Reisz influenced Edna greatly in the novella. She had the independence that Adele completely lacked. Reisz's life, however, lacked love, while Adele's abounded in it. Mademoiselle Reisz's loneliness made it clear that an adequate life cannot build altogether upon independence. Although she had a secure sense of her own independence and individuality, her life lacked love, friendship, and warmth. Edna realized that although she respected Mademoiselle Reisz, she did not want to become lonely and unloved as Reisz had. t the book it was very clear that there was no love in Edna and Leonce's marriage. At the beginning of the novella when Leonce came home from Klein's ho
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Approximate Word count = 1455
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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