Felicia Steele, Blog Option #5
The
Awakening written by Kate Chopin tells the story of a woman who gradually
attempts to find her voice in upper class, 19th century Louisiana. Edna Pontellier is a married woman with two
children and an ideal husband who seemingly leads the perfect life according to
high, southern society standards. However, her internal turmoil is what makes
this particular piece of literature stand out.
Chopin uses a common theme of water
in various scenes of the novel. Particularly, at the beginning of the novel
when the characters are spending their summer in Grand Isle, Mrs. Pontellier
learns how to swim while at the beach one night with the rest of her party. As
stated, Edna is “intoxicated with her newly conquered power (Chopin 27).” At
the end of novel, Edna returns to Grand Isle to swim out once again but not
return. There are many debates about whether Chopin was addressing a dire since
of desperation when Mrs. Pontellier commits suicide or if this is her ultimate
act of freedom. I believe Chopin wrote her piece purposefully and made it to
where women reading the novel would be relate the mean to their own personal
life. Only she know exactly what was being thought as she finished her story.
Perhaps it is my Catholic
upbringing that makes me feel the way I do about Edna Pontellier but I feel her
suicide was nothing more than a desperate ploy for attention, something she
would not have to share with her husband or children. It also strikes me as
ironic that she commits suicide the day after Robert Lebrun leaves her saying, “I
love you. Good-by – because I love you (Chopin 106).” This gives off the
impression that Edna commits suicide in order to guilt trip Robert for his
betrayal.
Despite my opinion of the main
character, Edna Pontellier, I would recommend this book to people. I feel it’s
important for women now to understand women “back then.” As a woman, I feel a
kinship to other women and feel we must develop a since of camaraderie to “have
each other’s backs” if you will. On a scale of one to five, I’d give this piece
of literature a four. While I enjoyed the plot and story Chopin conveyed, I was
not a fan of the way women were deemed property nor did I agree with how the
alleged progressive, woman, Mrs. Pontellier, was portrayed as flippant and
moody. Overall, I say it’s a wonderfully written, metaphorical novel that’s
definitely worth reading at least once.
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