The Awakening
What is an awakening? Throughout the novel the Awakening, by Kate Chopin, this term is defined through the actions of the main character, Edna Pontellier. Edna lived in a time and place where she felt oppressed by the role that society had given her. She felt her only obligations were to be submissive, a loyal wife, and a devoted mother. However, Edna did not want to accept this role, so she subconsciously, and almost in a dream-like state, began to revolt against the regulations of society. The novel can be compared to a dream, in the sense that Edna constantly experiences emotions which are uncommon and finally wakes up when the ending has come. Edna comes to realize that her society is unjust and hypocritical in their beliefs on religion. Two common themes in this novel, which cause Edna's awakening, are symbolism in society's structure and spirituality. There are many example of symbolism in the novel, which highlight Edna's feelings of being lost in society and forced to accept a role. In the beginning of the novel, the parrots in the cage represent Edna in a unique way. "A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over: 'Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Saprist
Spirituality is symbolized in several forms throughout the novel. There are constant references to religious beliefs, woman, beauty, and nature in latent quotes. For example, "'...It is like a night in a dream. The people about me are like some uncanny, half-human beings. There must be spirits abroad tonight.' i! That's all right!' He could speak a little Spanish, and also a language which nobody understood..." (Chapter I ) This quote compares the parrot directly to Edna herself. No one can understand the language of the bird, and no one can understand the emotions that Edna is experiencing. Edna is giving a cry for help, but is not getting a response because no one realizes what she needs. Another example would be when Edna learns how to swim. Edna is fully clothed the first time she learns how to swim. The amount of clothing represents the burdens and responsibilities she is facing from being a loyal wife and accepting her role as a woman according to society. Next time Edna goes swimming, she goes in a bathing suit. The lesser amount of clothing represents a time when she begins to be freed from some of her responsibilities, and starts her move towards freedom. The final time Edna goes swimming, she is completely naked. She is naked because she is freeing herself of all of her responsibilities and ending her role in society permanently. She accomplishes this in the only way she sees fit, by taking her own life. However, Edna experiences a "re-birth" when she is in the ocean and contemplates swimming back to the shore. She lacked the physical strength to do so and drowns in the ocean. Although it was an act of rebellion, this also represents that Edna did not have what it takes to live
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1160
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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