The Awaking
The Awakening
Kate Chopin
1899
Historical Prospective:
The Awakening was published in 1899. The Nineteenth Century was ending. Industrialization, urbanization, and changing social norms were coming in to play. Darwin?s theory of evolution was being debated, and the Women?s Suffrage Movement was continuing. These social and economic factors play a large role in the writing of this book. The author, Edna Pontellier, seems to be trying to find herself in her society.
Theme:
The theme of the book is self-discovery and discontent. The theme also includes rebellion, growing up, and becoming free.
Characters:
Edna Ponteilier-Main Character-The book describes her as a 28 year-old woman that is handsome instead of beautiful. She is the character that does the awakening. Since she felt confined as a mother and wife, she began to rebel. Although she really cared about her children, she eventually killed herself.
Leonce Ponteilier-Edna?s husband-He is of Creole descent, which plays a factor in his view of how his wife should act. (?Creole women were very conservative, perhaps the most conservative group in the nation?-WWW.ocv.cou/eigweb/eng 384/to/.time.htm) He treated Edna more like a piece of property than his wife. He does not know exactly what is going
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