The novel is a commentary on the constrictions of society on women, and Edna’s journey is a symbol of a woman’s need to break free from the expectations of her society. Through Edna’s journey, Chopin paints a picture of the difficulties that women face in a patriarchal society. The Awakening is a powerful exploration of one woman’s struggle to find her own identity and freedom. In the end, Edna is unable to find the freedom she so desperately desires and chooses to take her own life, in a symbol of her newfound freedom. With the help of her friend, Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna realizes that she must be true to herself, and she can no longer conform to the expectations of her society. Edna refuses, and the two eventually have a heated argument that leads to Edna’s decision to move into a smaller, independent home of her own.Īs Edna continues to explore her newfound freedom, she begins to realize that her life as a wife and mother has been nothing more than a facade.

Edna’s husband, Léonce, is not pleased with her behavior and warns her to stop seeing Robert. She begins to take art lessons and falls in love with a younger man, Robert Lebrun. Edna quickly becomes enchanted by the city, and the novel follows her journey as she begins to explore her newfound independence. The novel begins with Edna and her family vacationing at the Grand Isle, a resort community in Louisiana. The novel follows Edna as she begins to question her traditional roles as a wife and mother, as she explores her newfound independence and finds her true identity in the process. Edna, who is originally from Kentucky, is living in New Orleans with her family. The Awakening, written by American author Kate Chopin in 1889, is a novel that centers around the life of Edna Pontellier, a married woman with two children. How many languages has The Awakening been translated into?.Has The Awakening been adapted into a film?.What is the main theme of The Awakening?.

Kate chopin the awakening 1899