The Awakening Written by Kate Chopin

Koz Notes Presented By Sydney Cameron

Summaries/Commentaries

Part I Chapters 1-4

Summaries Edna and Leonce Pontellier are

spending time in Grand Isles. Edna spends time with Robert Lebrun while Mr. Pontellier spends time at Klein’s hotel playing billards. When Mr. Pontellier returns to the pension, he scolds his wife about neglecting their children. Edna spends the rest of the night in tears because she is not satisfied with her marriage. Mr. Pontieller leaves the next morning to do business in the New Orleans Financial District. Mrs. Pontieller spends quality time with her friend Madame Ratignolle when Mr. Pontellier is out of town.

Commentaries I like the metaphor that

Chopin opened the book with because it is so simple, but it makes a strong point. I can relate to feeling like a caged bird under my parents wings, and wanting to break free in the world to do my own thing. I did not like Leonce’s attitude towards Edna because he doesn’t respect her as much as she should be respected. He treats her like his boss instead of her husband.

Part II Chapters 5-6

Summaries Mrs. Pontellier , Madame

Ratignolle, and Robert spend the day together. Edna gets annoyed with Robert’s playful flirting with Madame Ratignolle. Mrs. Pontellier has an awakening as she goes swimming at the beach. Edna realizes she has some much things in the world awaiting and she feels trapped in her marriage.

Comment Chopin uses these

chapters to develop the character and relationship of Robert Lebrun and Edna. I like that Chopin uses the sea as the place where Edna seeks freedom because I love going to the beach to swim to relax and break away from my wordly issues like Edna. I like the fact that chapter 6 (the chapter where Edna becomes aware of her development) is short and straight to the point.

Part III Chapters 7-8

Summaries Edna and Madame

Ratignolle spend the day together. Edna admires Madame Ratignolle for being so devoted to her family.Edna reflects on her childhood and recent events of her life. Madame Ratignolle advises Robert to stop flirting with Edna.

Commentaries Madame Ratignolle is a

great friend to Edna, and she is definitely a great role model to what Edna “should be” in that society. I couldn’t understand why Ratignolle is so comfortable with the ligestyle she lives. I would be just as unhappy as Edna if I was in her shoes. I don’t think Ratignolle has a right to tell Robert to stop his flirting with Edna. I believe it is one of those situations where one should mind their own business.

Part IV Chapters 9-10

Summaries Robert convinces

Madamemoiselle Reisz to play the piano for Edna. Edna decides to go swimming to relax and enjoy themselves

Commentaries I like the fact that Robert

does anything to please Edna compared to her dictator husband. I was surprised when Edna decided to go swimming for the first time because she does not like swimming. I was even more surprised that had the nerve to go swimming during the night time because that’s even scarier than going swimming during the day.

Part VChapters11-14 Summaries

Edna demands respect from her husband. Robert and Edna go to Cheniere. Robert and Edna returns home in the evening. Mrs. Pontellier spends the rest of the night thinking about the day.

Commentaries I admire Edna’s scream for

independence as she declares to her husband that she will not let him to speak to her any which way she feels. You can see the change in taking over. It surprised me how oblivious Mr.Pontellier is to Edna’s love for Robert because he thinks it’s casual Creole flirting . Anyone else I know wouldn’t be so comfortable with their wife spending time with another man, always enjoying his company, and flirting.

Part VI Chapters 15-16

Summaries Edna is disappointed when

she finds out Rober is going to Mexico. Edna begins to swim more often

Commentaries I do not understand why

Robert would just leave for Mexico when Edna’s is falling in love with him. I did not like the fact that Robert’s good bye to Edna’s was so bland and he treated it like it was a regular “Good-Bye.” I did not like that Edna let Robert’s departure negatively affect the rest of her time at Grand Isle. She should try to have fun with her family or Madame Ratignolle regardless who is there.

Part VII Chapter 17-19

Summaries Leonce gets nervous about

the Pontelllier’s not fitting in society. Edna starts to abandon her duties as a wife. A visit to Madame Ratignolle’s house leaves Edna disappointed in her life.

Commentaries Leonce should not worry

about what people think about his wife or family because it is because it is none of their business. I like Edna’s bold decision to deny her responsibility as a wife, but what kind of woman denies her motherly duties. try my best not to compare myself to others because then I become unhappy with what I don’t have. So I was not surprised when Edna realized she was even more unhappy with her life and marriage after talking to Madame Ratignolle.

Part VIII Chapter 20-24

Summaries Edna desires to hear from

Robert. After reading a letter from Robert at Madamemoiselle Reisz’s apartment Edna becomes depressed and she cries.Edna’s father helps to eliminate some of the tension between Edna and her husband.Leonce leaves for a business trip to New York. The Pontellier children visit their grandmother and Edna is at home by herself

Commentaries Edna’s desperation for

Robert to contact her is unbelievable. She would do anything to speak to him because she is love. In my opinion, Edna becomes weaker ever time she thinks of Robert, and she goes to her weakest point when she reads the letter. I don’t like the fact that her happiness depends on Robert but it’s how any woman would react so it is acceptable.

Part IX Chapters 25-32

Summaries Edna meets Alcee Arobin, and

he is higlhly attracted to her. Arobin tries to seduce, and first she rejects him, Eventually, Arobin successfully seducing Edna another day, but she still thinks of Robert. She decides to read Robert’s leader to Mademoiselle Reisz. Edna decides to move out of the house and host a dinner party celebrating her departure. Leonce puts an announcement in the newspaper that explains the house is getting remodeled to save himself from their neighbor’s wuestions.

Commentaries I was proud when Edna

made the decision to move on from Robert, but she wasn’t completely ready to let go of him. I commend Edna for making the decision to move out the house to break free from her husbands possessive grip. However, I don’t like the fact she is leaving her children. Leonce would obviously do the cowardly thing of trying to save face.

Part X Chapters 33-39

Summaries Edna stops meeting up

with Arobin when Robert comes back in town. Robert and Edna both Admit that they love each other more than life itself, but their intimate reunion is disturbed by the announcement that Madame Ratignolle is about to give birth. Edna goes to Grand Isle to return the the same location where she discovered the need to find herself. Edna commits suicide by swimming to far out.

Commentaries I was relieved when Edna

stopped having an affair with Arobin. Edna was brave to admit that she was in love with Robert. I find it ironic that Madame Ratignolle’s birth is what interrupted their moment together because she warned Robert not to talk to her in the first place. I was surprised and more than disappointed when Edna committed suicide. Suicide is the most cowardly thing someone could possible do in a situation like Edna’s.

Biography

Kate Chopin Kate Chopin was born on February 8,1850

in St. Louis as Catherine O’Flaherty Her father Thomas O’Flaherty was an Irish

immigrant that died in railroad accident. Her mother Eliza Faris was a descendant

from French Creole aristocrats Raised by her mother, grand-mother, and

great-grandmother

Kate Chopin• Attended The Sacred Heart

Academy • Supported the Confederacy

during the Civil War (“Littlest Rebel”)

• After graduating from school she became a debutant in the

St. Louis Society• She was “beautiful and clever”• Married Oscar Chopin in 1870

and had six children• She felt immersed in her life

Kate Chopin Kate had an affair with Albert Sampite (made

an appearance in her writings as “Alcee”) Kate started to write more when her mother

died in the late 19th century. In 1889, She published her first poem “If It

Might Be” First Novel At Fault published in 1890 First Collection of short stories titled Bayou

Folk.

Kate Chopin Chopin enjoyed reading

literary works from Guy de Maupassant who writing was just as scandalous.

The Awakening was considered the first feminist books.

Many people found The Awakening “unpleasant “

Chopin questioned the idea of marriage

Kate Chopin died from cerebral hemorrhage on August 22, 1904.

Critical Analysis

Theme Self-Awareness/realization: The book is describing Edna’s

journey through life as she realizes that she is not happy.

“Mrs.Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in tt universe s a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her…” Alienation: Edna alienates herself from her family and loved

ones to find her;

Order vs.Freedom- Edna refuses to only be recognized for her beauty by her society. She would like to be an independent individual

Initiation: Edna rebels against her husband and has an affair with Alcee Arobin and she is in love with Robert Lebrun.

Setting• Grand Isle Resort : sets

the mood for Edna’s awakening

• Pontellier Residence in New Orleans : most of Edna’s rebellion takes

place here.• Edna Pontellier feels more

comfortable at the Grand Isle Resort because that is where she meets her lover Robert Lebrun and

had her awakening,• It took place in 1899,

when the women’s movement initiated

Characters Edna Pontellier: The main character and

protagonist of the novel; A 28-year old woman with two children; she’s trying to discover who she is and what she wants.

Leonce Pontellier: Edna’s husband;in his early 40’s; does not treat Edna as an equal; cares what people think about him and his family

Robert Lebrun: the compassionate man that is in love with Edna Pontellier ; 26-year old;the son of the owner of the Grand Isle resort where the Ponteller family spends their summers.

Adele Ratignolle: A close friend of Edna’s ; Edna admires her for being able to be dedicated to her husband and family.

Style/Technique

Figurative Language: Symbolism

“A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over: ‘Allez-vous-en! Allez-vous-en! Sapristi! That’s all right!” : The parrot is a metaphor for Edna’s life. Like the parrot, Edna is trapped by her husband and children. She is expected to reflect her husband’s beliefs like a parrot repeats everything their owner says.

Figurative Language: Symbolism

The books comes full circle when Edna swims in the sea.

Edna develops a true sense of being when she accepts herself for who she is.

The sea is like an escape for freedom.

Imagery “Mr.Pontellier wore eye-glasses. He was a

man of forty, of medium height and rather slender build; he stooped a little. His hair was brown and straight, parted on one side.”

“Mrs. Pontellier’s eyes were quick and bright; they were a yellowish brown, about the color of her hair. She had a way of turning them swiftly on an object and holding them there as if lost in some inward maze of contemplation or thought.”

Diction All the characters are well-educated and

they all speak proper. This is a formal novel.-For Example “ ‘Well, send him about his business when he bores you, Edna,” instructed her husband as he prepared to leave.’ ”

Structure Syntax

Chopin uses simple sentences, however there are a couple of collegiate-level words.

It’s written formally Organization

-Chronological Order-The Story begins with Edna being scared to swim and ends with her swimming until she can’t return to shore.

Sound Devices “A certain light was beginning to dawn

dimly within her,...” ( alliteration)

Point of view Third Person It’s told from Edna’s point of view

Tone The tone is sympathetic

-not only toward Edna, but also all the women during that time period that did not feel free.

Mood When Edna feels trapped

in her husband’s grip she feels depressed, and the mood of the novel is depressed

When Edna is happy because she is spending time with Robert Lebrun or Madame Ratignolle, then mood of the novel is lightened.