Outward Conformity In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

Ever since Edna’s awakening, her life has become more black and white on melancholy days and more colorful and vibrant on bright, jolly days; there was no in between. For example, when Robert left for Mexico, Edna realized that he had “taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything.” (Chapter 16) She was distraught by the fact that the man she was infatuated with for the past couple of weeks who stayed by her side for most of the hours in each day just left without any excusable explanation while her marriage to her husband was completely accidental and on the brim of falling apart. There was a big difference in how Edna accepted her marriage with Léonce in the beginning compared to the end.

Edna 's inability to surrender to the notions of society causes her think in illusory ways that are unsustainable. It seems inevitable that Edna, at some point, will arouse from the dream that she is living; Edna 's decease was imminent from the moment of her awakening. Throughout the book, it is clear that Edna is searching for contentedness; however, it seemed the more she longed for contentment, the more she—paradoxically—exhibited contemptuous behavior. This is exemplified by the thoughts of Mr. Pontellier:

Her other wifely duties bring her no excitement, only disappointment. The gender set rules hinder Edna’s character in many ways. These norms limit her freedom, but more importantly, it compels her to feel trapped within a society bound by expectations. Furthermore, it influences her outlook on life and perhaps the state of her personal life, which causes her to be more self- involved. And if this selfishness continues, it may be detrimental to her family and herself.

All these changes Edna made were so meaningful and represents her actual personality. Before her awakening she didn’t show anything of her true personality along with millions of women. Many people judged and mistreated her, but no matter what the obstacles were in Edna’s way she tried overcoming them the best way she can. Not only society was countering her ways of thinking, but also her husband, Leonce

Discovering her emotions and recognizing the repression in which women endure all their life, Edna makes the decision to be a free human being with ownership to no one. Edna boldly declares to Robert that she is “no longer one of Mr. Pontellier’s possessions to dispose of or not” (146), expressing her choice to be an influential person rather than simply a prize of Mr. Pontelliers. With the importance of materialistic images in the Creole society, Edna choosing to be a person rather than a possession that Leonce bought and paid for is viewed as an action deemed unwomanly and inappropriate. While throughout the novel Edna commits actions that relay the theme of independence, Chapter 36 is the first time when Edna affirms that she believes herself to be a single woman. Edna chooses to throw away her husband, children, and every material item she has in return for her own independence and voice in the world.

Another side of her inner self showing was when she was refusing to get out of the hammock “With a writhing motion she settled herself more securely in the hammock. She perceived that her will had blazed up,” (Chopin 31). This expresses her attitude against her husband in which she does not care if she disobeys him. In conclusion, Edna has two very distinct personalities when it comes with what is on the outside and the inside of

In the 1800’s, the societal niche of married women was clearly defined: they were meant to devote every aspect of their lives to their husbands and children. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, struggles to adhere to these standards, and eventually rebels against them. The harsh standards placed on Edna and other women in the novel are like the cages around the metaphorical birds Chopin uses to represent them. Edna's unhappiness in her societal role is realized in the ocean, which symbolizes this awakening and her attempt to escape the gender roles of the nineteenth century.

Edna continually questions whether or not she is destined to live a life of subordination or if she can find her own freedom. Edna Pontellier’s defiant nature is brought out

Some of Edna’s most obvious decisions immediately question her weakness to handle pressure. Edna’s inability to show compassion and care for her children challenge this normalcy for a mother of the time period; Edna considered her children “like antagonists who had overcome her; who had overpowered and sought to drag her into the soul's slavery for the rest of her days” (Chopin 115). The children almost seemed like a burden, or a detriment to her. Edna’s doctor visit nearly foreshadows this mindset, where the doctor notes that

Every situation has it own point of view. In the novel, Edna attempted to convinved herself that whateer dishonesty she was doing was not wrong. She seems to be drowning herself in her own issues. throughout the novel, she commits moral crimes such as maintaining a false marriage.

Edna even says herself, “I would give up the unessential…my money…my life for my children, but not myself.” For her life, Edna realized that means her marriage and physical life. As far as her marriage, Edna was never truly happy with her marriage with Leonce. Furthermore, Edna states she truly cares for her children, but sometimes her search for herself may conflict with this. This then further discourages readers even more due to the fact that this gives insight to her actions, and somewhat justifies them.

In the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Edna is forced to face two different obligations in life, one to follow her passions and be an individual, and the other to be practical and follow the dictations of society. Through Edna’s struggle of passion versus practicality, it becomes clear that being an individual is better than conforming to society. It is better to be an outlier. Edna’s passions often get in the way of her duties in society, causing

Moreover, when her children tumbled, she will not pick them up just let them get up on their own. In contrast to Adele, Edna is not contributing herself to her family as well as Adele. Edna tries to fit in as the role to be a good mother, but, she cannot definitely, to be a mother-woman cannot fulfill her eagerness to be a special, independent and egocentric person. In Chapter XVI, Edna said to Adele, she would give her money and her life to children, but never herself. And that is what she is trying to understand and recognize.

First of all, Edna wanted to break her place in society as she was part of the “mother- woman” status. Chopin used round character to describe Edna’s dramatic change throughout the novel as she has the “ability to publicly flirt” and go with other men, even though she was originally

This socially constructed identity is the first of the many that Edna grapples with in the text. It is the identity of women within the time period of the text. In the words of Dix, Edna’s identity is meant to be that of a typical American wife who will control the home, children and entertain socially yet remain obedient to her working husband (146). ‘Looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property’ (Chopin 4). The