Alexandra Truong

Professor Waggoner

Intro to Womens Writing

6 March 2014

Blog Post Option #5: Critiquing The Awakening

The Awakening by Kate Chopin- though it was one of the earlier works we read this semester- has been by far my favorite. To me, the message that Chopin was trying to convey one of breaking social norms as well as being independent and honest as an individual rather than conforming to what society believes one should be, act, and even feel. The medium in which the message was presented was a deep, realistic, and relatable rhetoric. 

While I did not completely agree with the ending in which Edna “releases” herself to the sea in order to become “free”, I understand Chopin’s purpose for writing her in a manner. The ultimate freedom- both mentally and physically for Edna was inevitably to let herself drown in the ocean. It could be seen as her telling the audience that she was not only physically tired that she let herself go, but also just mentally exhausted with what society, her husband, family, and even friends expected from her. I appreciated her rebellion against the social norms that she was put up against when she pursued her passion of painting and moved away from those who normally surrounded her. Although I do not necessarily agree morally with her actions in taking a lover, I can appreciate Chopin’s boldness and blunt attempt to prove that being able to give in to one’s wants and desires above what others may expect is admirable. 

I would highly recommend this work to others for many reasons. Not only did I find it to be a semi easy read with a captivating plot line, I found that the characters were easy to relate to. Furthermore, I enjoyed that the piece of literature was more than a story- it had layers that many readers could relate to and understand. I think the ability to convey messages threaded within an entertaining story line above all else speaks volumes about an author. Such ability in my opinion is grounds for great literature because not only does it serve the purpose of entertainment but also truly evokes emotion and thought out of the reader. 

The Awakening is a piece of literature I would recommend to a friend. I appreciated the story and the message behind Kate Chopin’s eloquent wording. I truly think that many readers, not only women could find a way to not only appreciate this work, but also relate to it.