The Awakening

Although this book may have been the cat's meow in its day,
today it is one huge bored yawn. The characters were cardboard and
not a bit relatable. You do not identify with anything about
these privileged ladies , and you do not even care what happens to them.
So sorry I wasted both my money and my time.

I tried getting the advertised ISBN number for The Awakening twice and the store still managed to screw it up. Why list the book as a version that it is not?!! The listed ISBN was 1438260997, but what I recieved was 1438260990. I needed the exact version so that I could share the same page numbers as my reading group, but now I have to scramble to find what we are talking about. Very dissapointing service. The customer service rep sent me a generic e-mail (probably computer generated) saying that the same mistake would not happen again, but it did. I am never using this website again.

Although this was a free book, and I am trying to find my way through the digital reading arena, it was not even worth the zero price. I wish I could delete it from the library (I WILL figure this out)

This book was assigned to my 14 year old grand daughter to read in AP english. It contains multiple incidents of the main character cheating on her husband. She finally kills herself. The other choices for books were worse. I read the book, too, so I could talk with her about the subject matter. She wrote her report along the theme of "Nothing new under the sun, just being done by different people", as my mother used to say. With so much "good" literature out there, this book? Why not a biography of a good role model that's well written?

I read this feminist classic (for the first time, amazingly) in a splendid Simon & Schuster hardbound edition from 1996, which is not listed here; I mention it only because it so strongly shaped my expectations. Beautifully printed, on generously-sized pages of thick paper, it was a joy to read and to hold. The tone was set from the start by the gallery of period photographs offered as a preface. Beginning with a dark and painterly photo of wind-blown pines on the barrier island of Grand Isle, where much of the novella is set, it moved on to views of the Bayou country, a New Orleans street, women in drawing rooms taking tea or listening to music, dark interiors, a sun-bleached veranda, and a glorious sea-bathing scene like a French Impressionist painting. Together, they are a time machine, transporting us to a different place and era, Southern Louisiana at the very end of the 19th century. Kate Chopin's book was published in 1899.

And you read it like a period piece at first too. It opens in Madame Lebrun's guest house on Grand Isle, where families from New Orleans would take one of the cottages connected by walkways to the main house, the wives and children staying for the entire summer, their husbands working in their New Orleans banks or brokerages and joining them for weekends. A relaxed routine of trips to the beach, meals in the big house, and informal gatherings in the evening devoted to music, recitations, or playing cards. The young Madame Edna Pontellier, the Kentucky bride of a Creole businessman, is there with her two young children and their quadroon nurse, with young Robert Lebrun, son of their hostess and half-a-dozen years her junior, dancing attendance, fetching fans or cooling drinks, and reading to her when requested to do so. Nothing is meant by it; there is nothing to hide from her husband; it is just part of the life of a young and pretty lady of leisure. A life punctuated by picayune problems and restrained celebrations, all of which Chopin describes with sly humor:

-- The ice-cream was passed around with cake -- gold and silver cake arranged on platters in alternate slices; it had been made and frozen during the afternoon back of the kitchen by two black women, under the supervision of Victor. It was pronounced a great success—excellent if it had only contained a little less vanilla or a little more sugar, if it had been frozen a degree harder, and if the salt might have been kept out of portions of it. Victor was proud of his achievement, and went about recommending it and urging every one to partake of it to excess.

I notice that one edition of the book describes it as a "classic tale of infidelity," as though it were a bayou MADAME BOVARY. But it is not that. Edna Pontellier's Awakening is not about taking a lover, but about realizing herself as an independent human being, her own mistress and the property of no one. I expected this. Some years ago, I adapted Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" of 1894 into a chamber opera. In this, a woman's devastation at the news of her husband's death in a railroad accident turns within the hour to the jubilant realization that she is now free. By comparison with that two-page story, the nine-month span of the novella seemed at first an indulgence, less effective because so much less compressed.

But I didn't take account of what Chopin was doing on the inside, and how the slow development is essential to its effect. For while apparently focusing on trivia, the author is really looking beyond them into her character's mind. There is a scene about a third of the way into the book when another guest, the diminutive and vaguely malevolent Mademoiselle Reisz, a professional musician, is prevailed upon to play the piano. Once more, Chopin uses her gentle humor to pin Madame Pontellier's butterfly taste:

-- Edna was what she herself called very fond of music. Musical strains, well rendered, had a way of evoking pictures in her mind. […] Another piece called to her mind a dainty young woman clad in an Empire gown, taking mincing steps as she came down a long avenue between tall hedges. Again, another reminded her of children at play, and still another of nothing on earth but a demure lady stroking a cat.

But Mlle. Reisz's playing has a totally different effect upon her:

-- The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen tremor down Mrs. Pontellier's spinal column. It was not the first time she had heard an artist at the piano. Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth. She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather and blaze before her imagination. She waited in vain. She saw no pictures of solitude, of hope, of longing, or of despair. But the very passions themselves were aroused within her soul, swaying it, lashing it, as the waves daily beat upon her splendid body. She trembled, she was choking, and the tears blinded her.

For a moment, Mlle. Reisz made me think of Madame Merle in Henry James' THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1880), another work in which a young wife comes to question the married state. But Chopin's character turns out not to be malevolent at all, and indeed she becomes a confidante for Edna as she returns to New Orleans for the winter and begins to spread her wings. It is a brilliant trajectory, soaring into the light, especially when her husband goes off to New York for several months, leaving her to her own devices, and her mother-in-law takes the children for an extended stay in the country.

Now the photos at the start of this edition no longer seem like period tableaux at all, but symbols of repression, hints of escape, harbingers of disaster. Not imposed on the text, but brilliantly selected to reflect its inner symbolism. For this may be Kate Chopin's most brilliant stroke of all: not merely to show an inner life blossoming within the confines of period convention, but to suggest that the bright arc of that inner life is not the simple ascender that first appeared, but twinned with its dark and inverse reflection. It is not until the final page that you realize what Chopin has made: a study of a psychological condition that is commonplace now, but I can't think of ever being treated in fiction before. Not a period piece at all, but something strikingly modern in a way that transcends the simple "tale of infidelity" promised in the blurb, or even the pioneering feminist tract, but that goes deep inside the soul.

Fortunately, knowing nothing about the book other than its title, that closing chapter took me entirely by surprise. But only as I was looking back through the text to find my quotations, did I realize how carefully Chopin had in fact prepared both the complexity of her inner portrait and its eventual resolution. If you have already read the book, look back at the very short early Chapter 6. If you were like me, I bet you read right through it the first time with barely a flutter. But look again now and see how it really captures the entire future course of this magnificent and deceptive novella.

This novel's main function is to serve as a case study in how lives are destroyed by selfishness and self-centeredness. The main character, Edna Pontellier, is a self-absorbed neurotic who is not nurturing even with her own children and openly admits she would never sacrifice herself for their sake. As the story progresses, Edna more and more allows her desires and her feelings of entitlement dominate her life. She eventually allows her sense of ennui to overrule every voice of reason, thus destroying her own life and the lives of those around her.

It is easy to understand why this book was originally discarded, as its "heroine" is a despicable human being. Its modern rebirth as an ur-feminist novel makes perfect sense, given that feminism is largely the ideology of affluent, entitled women who see selfishness as a virtue.

This book is poorly written, and is a terrible story of a selfish young woman who ends up being a dead beat mother and a whore. I do not recommend this book to anyone. I am not sure why it is considered a great American classic.

It's been a long time coming for this book, The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I'm past the peak of my social life to say the least and I'm not a feminist looking for some seminal literature to validate arguments I can have with a boyfriend who's trying to train me. But in getting at least a little back in touch with my feminine side, I did not find the book overbearing whatsoever. Chopin is a master of suspense and anticipation. This is fairly high psychological drama. The male characters in the book are not stubborn, clueless, spineless, or some stock model from a modern beer commercial or pathetic sit-com.

There are a few too many characters, eventually, and their place is complicated by names I struggle to read aloud. There is also an extraneous venture into a sister's wedding that gets in the way of the real plot. The setting is very important as well; Chopin's patience pays off, meaning that while she's writing about the sexual frustration of a married character, the beach, the porch, and the city coalesce to produce all a woman would want. Except she's a modern woman, so don't even try.

A question to ponder. The better question is how does one live with joy and gratitude after being awakened to new emotions, feelings and passions after years of commitment, loyalty and love to another? An awakening at some time in life (if even for fleeting moments) is a likelihood. The questions of 'what-if..." and 'why now....' will probably follow. A person's reaction will define his/her character as will his/her course after a weakness is revealed.

Edna Pontellier was a selfish woman from her awakening forward. I detested her, thought she was a blubbering baby much of the time and I found it hard to feel sorry for her because of how immature she acted. Had she been more sympathetic I might have felt more pity for her situation of being stuck with a man she did not love.

Published 43 years after "Madame Bovary" (1856) "Awakening" (1899) is a lesser version but very similar. The Awakening is, of course, set in the US, specifically in south Louisiana. The French names are similar. The affairs are similar, but the later novel is not so much steamy and seems more aimed at the female's point of view in the late 1800s toward sexual repression in a place that was undoubtedly more chauvinistic and backwards than France in the mid-1800s.

I enjoyed the book for a view of life during that period and the raw emotions exposed to the salty air. I know this is frequently used (or always) in feminist studies in academia, so I've always wanted to read this, if for nothing else, to broaden my horizons.

Kate Chopin is one of my favorite authors. A woman ahead of her time by almost a hundred years, this story is of a yearning woman in Louisiana, who has, what the society would think at that time (and perhaps by some people even now), a perfect life. She ‘s married to a decent enough husband (but with absolutely no sense of what his wife wants, or might, or could want), friends, a nice ‘conservative, sheltered, Victorian life.

(Ha, writing this, and knowing what we know now, it’s no wonder she gets edgy!)
But she is hopelessly lost, wanting she knows-not-what. But she does want to be a real, grown-up person and that was frowned upon, to put it mildly in 1899.
Born Kate O’Flaherty, into a wealthy St Louis family, of French and Irish catholic background, she had six children but her husban died early. She turned to writing and was only sensational at it. But her views of women caught in Créole life of the time, pushed cultural, religious and women’s (and men’s) issues. This is a writer for people not (simply) a feminist as some portray her.

If you are not familiar with Chopin, I urge you to try The Story of an Hour, a stunning short story about a woman who learns, first of her husband’s sudden death and has a wildly positive reaction, until she learns the report is false. I think you’ll become a fast fan. The Awakening is touching, brave and fascinating.

Edna Pontellier is burned out before the age of thirty. She married her Creole-born husband because he asked her, had two children with him because it was what came next. This summer, however, everything changes when Edna’s family vacations in a New Orleans resort and she befriends a lot of interesting people – Madame Ratignolle, who has it all, Madame Lebrun, the calm, collected control freak, and Mademoiselle Reiz, the acid-tongued old lady with a gift for the piano. And, of course, there’s Robert Lebrun – close to Edna’s age, available, and, as Edna soon realizes, rather in love with her. She begins to feel similarly about him.

But summer ends, Robert goes on a (perhaps purposely) long business trip, and Edna goes back to her grand, cold New Orleans house with her family. But she’s a much different person. She wants to paint more and pay calls less; she wants to see less of her husband and more of her more progressive friends, especially the womanizer Alcee Arobin. But through her new feelings of independence, she still can’t help but wonder: when will Robert return?

Back in 1899, when this book was written, it was considered shockingly forward-thinking – although people usually just called it “shocking.” The idea that a woman could exist outside of her home life, husband, and children – or even that she would want to – was revolutionary and upsetting to many. However, now that most of what Edna considers daring and bold is commonplace, I decided to judge “The Awakening” not on its message, but on its plot, characters, writing, etc.: in short, as a book. It was definitely interesting, definitely engrossing, but in some ways, I’m sad to say, I found it lacking.

First of all, I didn’t like Edna. That surprised me; this book is supposed to be feminist, and I consider myself fairly feminist. But that really had nothing to do with me not liking the main character. I didn’t like Edna because she came off as selfish. Yes, I understand that she’s been repressed, I understand that she needs to be able to express herself. But it shouldn’t come at a cost to anyone else. Edna does what she wants, when she wants, thinking of her friends’ welfare only when it’s convenient for her. This even extends to her children, who she theoretically adores but, in practice, doesn’t want in her house. Her eventual treatment of Robert especially made me stop caring, and the ending (in which I assume we are supposed to sympathize with Edna) just made me groan very, very loudly.

Although the Edna problem was pretty major for me, it was one of my few issues with the book. Sure, most of the male characters aren’t fleshed out (with the exception of Robert), but the female gems more than make up for it. I did think the writing was low-quality at first, but I soon got accustomed to and even began to like the simple yet evocative prose. And, of course, New Orleans in the 1890s was a fascinating place to visit, if only for a few hours, in the comfort of my own room.

If you don’t mind snotty protagonists and liked the sound of the above paragraph, give “The Awakening” a read. Even if you hate bratty women as much as I do, read it anyway. It’s a classic, and you know what? It almost deserves the name.

Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" was first published in 1893 and I was surprised to find this novel a fascinating read. I have experienced some of
the main character's awakening, so it resonated with me. I find Chopin's depiction of sensory revelations accurate. In this novel, the author used
music as the device to reach Edna....Prior to that arousal, Edna seemed somewhat stiff and stoic and emotionally detached from her mate and
her children. To this reader, Edna's arrested development was a tragic flaw. Once she responded to music, she acquired more depth and interest.

This work struck me as pioneering for its time. The author's language is engaging and the other characters, while less developed, are interesting. Chopin's ability to deal with such a provocative story for its time demonstrates Chopin's bravery, causing one to wonder if "The Awakening" may be somewhat autobiographical.

Read my wife's copy. My take of this work is that is well written, in the female style and emphasis on clothes and incidental descriptions that are missing from novels written by men of the same era. Dickens, Stevenson, etc. No doubt this is a precursor to woman's feminism of today. As a critic of that movement, I would make the observation, after having children and grandchildren of my home, that this is a story of anyone who wants everything, and not knowing the costs of obtaining the creature comforts, happiness, and freedom that seems to be the goal of most of today's life styles.

Its my observation that I do not observe much happiness in those who have found freedom to do what they want, without consideration for their families or friends. by doing their "own thing." Kate Chopin, her pen name, was no doubt a trend setter, but I wonder what she would think of the generation of older women, many single with children since wanting a child, without "being owned" by a man are finding that most of those children, growing up with the example of "doing their own thing" often does not include taking care of their mother, and certainly not their father whom they may or not know. Owing to the centuries of development of our species, and despite claims that are contrary to those evolutionary events, men can life better without women because they are more concerned with making money and having sex than having a child. If some men desire to eventually have an heir, they will avoid those who "wanted it all". The only older women I see with young men are those woman who have found a gigolo. Not many can afford them. If there is an argument that men do not prefer younger, attractive and softer women, I have become blind in my old age. I also took some biology courses to know that men can be biological fathers far in excess of woman. I will admit to all of men's faults regarding the imbalance that men want to own objects, including their women. Most do not want to be owned. They don't want to rent a car. They want to own one. A new one, at least that's what they prefer. I'm glad I read this. It helps me fill in some of the questions into the feminine mystique.

A neglected wife engages in a flirtation while on holiday with her family and realizes she can't go on with her loveless marriage. For a woman of the Victorian era, leaving a husband and children to pursue your own happiness was unthinkable and the woman who tried would be a social outcast.

Chopin's prose reflects the ennui of Edna's life. It is only with Robert that she truly feels like the woman she should be. Unfortunately, Robert is not willing to throw current mores to the wind and returns to Mexico, leaving Edna to brave the social tidal wave alone.

A rather bittersweet ending; freedom comes with its price and Edna has gone too far to return to her gilded cage. A gem from a time when women were property and their identity revolved around their spouse and household.

Imagine you were married to a man (or woman) who treated you like a piece of property, like you were a house that had to be maintained-not even like a dog that could be adored. Edna Pontellier doesn't have to imagine. At age 28, she is married to Leonce Pontellier and has two children. She is on autopilot, never coloring outside of his clearly marked lines.

Let me give you an example of how insufferable Leonce is: So, Edna wants some time alone and is relaxing in a hammock outside, when her husband walks up and says are you coming in to bed. And she's all no thanks I'm gonna chill here. And he's like ok and sits by her drinking and smoking a cigar. He gets another drink, lights another cigar. After a few hours she's like I guess I'll go to bed because this joker won't leave me alone. She goes in the house and asks for formality's sake are you coming to bed. And he's all when I finish this cigar.

He always has to win. A.l.w.a.y.s. It's infuriating, and not in a charming-Rhett-Butler-way.

Anyway, the family spends the summer on the Grand Isle off the gulf coast of Louisiana, where Edna befriends Adele and where she meets Robert, both contribute to the snow-ball effect of her "awakening."

Adele is a chaste married woman who is very much in love with her husband and devoted to her children. She is what Leonce Pontellier considers to be "the ideal woman." Despite her purity, Adele is a Creole woman and very outspoken. She says things that Edna's more reserved manner deems unrefined, yet Edna soon learns to appreciate Adele's idiosyncrasies and adopts some of her outspokenness.

Robert and Edna spend ample time together on the Isle, bathing, talking, just laying about in the sun. Their adoration for each other grows quickly; however, it takes Edna a while to figure out what she's feeling (of course!). And the awakening begins! But her husband's presence really dulls the whole romance. When Robert realizes that he is in love with a married woman, he packs up and abruptly moves to Mexico.

After he is gone, Edna's awakening is still developing. She learns that she doesn't ever want to sacrifice herself for anyone, including her husband and children. Edna would give her life for her children, but herself is a sacred thing that she seeks to protect. She begins to shed her old nature and embodies the New Woman. Edna moves out of her husband's house, has an purely physical affair (while Robert is in Mexico), and takes up painting, which she used to do before she got married.

This novel was revolutionary for its time. Chopin overturned Victorian era novels by really focusing on a woman's inner life, her sexuality, her rationale, and her yearning for independence. A woman sleeps with a man she doesn't love! *Gasp* A woman wants five minutes to herself! Well, I never.

A lot of folks think Edna is selfish and I would agree to some extent; but, who isn't selfish? For Edna, the only way out, the only way to fight is to make herself the top priority. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence would try to escape a loveless marriage and an unproductive life like Edna's. Plus, I refuse to buy into the idea that when a woman has children her life must be forfeited. And I'm stepping off the soap box...

As much as I liked this book and recommend it to everyone, all I could think at the end was, thank God that was over 110 years ago.

I am actually saddened by the range of responses on this book. Mostly, I disagree with those who say the book was daring only then, but not now. Just look at the hostility of some of the reviewers now! One Christian reviewer attacked Edna as being an unworthy immoral woman. Several others were mystified that she should abandon her husband and children when they weren't really bad (ie husband not beating her, etc.). Several others pop-psychologized her and diagnosed mood disorder or depression, obviously in need of drugs. Clearly the woman is unhinged and mentally ill. Let's sedate her!

The very fact that people are still so disturbed by this character's choices is the whole point of Chopin's book, and it is completely applicable now. The point is that she is asserting her right to personhood. The underlying societal assumption is that the natural course of things is that the man and/or society 'owns' the woman (hence people now saying he treats her well, as if this is relevant), and that a woman must sacrifice herself, her being, for her children, and is a monster if she does not. For you to see how sexist our society still is, all you have to do is replace Edna with a man. THere are countless books and movies in which men are married but their relationship with their wives and children is secondary, and instead the books/movies focus on their growth as a human being. It is expected that men 'sacrifice' their home life for their own life. Of course, it might come at a cost (to the women), but the cost is expected and accepted. Men go to war, go on journeys, fight bad guys, become heroes, conquer women, etc. etc etc. The whole point of the book/movie is the man finding himself. This outlook is so pervasive we don't even think of it and think of it as normal.

This book can be directly compared to Madame Bovary, only Madame Bovary, written by a man, is not called "The Awakening;" and Bovary is 'punished' by horrible death at the end. For Edna, her end was her choice. And yes, perhaps she isn't strong enough, as her older artist friend warns her. If she were strong enough, she would leave everyone behind. But that's the point--that it requires inhuman strength to flout societal morality. Look at Kate Chopin, whose wings were clipped completely after the assault on this book, and who never wrote another novel and died in her 50s. Edna did the most she could, swim as far as she could, and if by swimming, she drowned, so be it. This is the point of the book. It is a brilliant book that is very relevant today. How many women still marry because it's expected of them, how many put their own needs last, and how many remain in miserable marriages because they 'think of the children?"

The details of this story reminds me of a black and white movie and how she Chopin would describe objects or situations throughout the novel like the BonBon's the chocolates she had received and realizing that she loved her husband. The content though of affair and separating parents is the 21st Century. In the early 1900's couples didn't have affairs. Women basically did what they were told. Katie started to catch onto how she was being treated by her husband and is this all that is to life? Living every day the same, when my husband leaves he gives me goodies to show his love. She realized that is not how she wanted to live to be like every other women in the 1900's. This is when she "awake" from the cloud she was under. After the affair Edna starts to paint to relax and to finally escape the affair, Leonce, and her twins. To finally find her purpose in life and to finally be happy. In the 1900's if a woman did this act she had a lot of courage because women always had a man by there side because the men made the money and the wife was the maid. Yes which seems very sexiest but this is one of the woman that realized that there is more to life then being the mother or the wife to this man. That she can be recognized as Edna. Kate Chopin was very advanced in her writing in terms of meaning. She wanted more out of life and she sure got it because she acted. This was a very encouraging great novel even though it was written long ago. Still applies to families today with struggles that could be prevented if we focused on it rather then leaving it to go. Even when Edna had an affair with Robert when her husband Leonce came home they tried to get over what had happened but didn't work. All in all great inspiring read by Kate Chopin.

The John Goodman character in "Treme," a university professor despairing at the irreparable damage Katrina has done to the delicate web of New Orleans culture, talks at some length in a classroom scene about Kate Chopin's novel, emphasizing, if memory serves me, the impact of The Awakening on contemporary readers.

The novel's theme of an individual woman's, or person's, "awakening" and self-realization are timeless. That its consequences in terms of her behavior were scandalous at the turn of the 20th century is interesting for the student of literature, but for us simple readers it is really more a question of how Edna Pontellier's change in attitude made it, in the end, impossible for her to live in the bourgeois society of New Orleans' upper class.

I had gathered from the Goodman character's remarks in Treme that she was ostracized from society for her behavior, but it never comes to that. Her departure precedes a full-blown scandal.

Even with this dark, brooding side, the novel is completely charming for the contemporary reader. The view of an exotic Creole society -- apparently Chopin's stock in trade for her contemporary readers -- is as enchanting now as then, perhaps more so because it has truly vanished.

The vivid and lovely descriptions of summer on the Grand Isle and much of the life back in the city do transport the reader to another time and place. The author exploits her lush setting to the hilt: "She went and stood at an open window and looked out upon the deep tangle of the garden below. All the mystery and witchery of the night seemed to have gathered there amid the perfumes and the dusky and tortuous outlines of flowers and foliage."

The view of Edna's inner life, the struggle there, are lyrically described: "There were days when she was very happy without knowing why. She was happy to be alive and breathing, when her whole being seemed to be one with the sunlight, the color, the odors, the luxuriant warmth of some perfect Southern day. She liked then to wander alone into strange and unfamiliar places. She discovered many a sunny, sleepy corner, fashioned to dream in. And she found it good to dream and to be alone and unmolested."

Edna's husband is cold and detached, but not unsympathetic. When Edna, in an early sign of rebellion, refuses to come to bed but remains outside one evening, he plants himself possessively near her and smokes cigars until the chill drives her in. When she takes advantage of his extended business trip to move out of their house into a place of her own nearby, he immediately sends workmen into the abandoned house to begin a major renovation that offers an explanation for her move that avoids scandal.

Edna's would-be lovers, Robert and Alcee, are young and callow. Her women friends reflect each one the complex motives roiling her soul -- except none betray the passion that Edna feels rising in her.

A wry humor and gentle irony also ripple through the narrative. Mademoiselle Reisz, a spinster pianist with an enigmatic connection to Edna, is also a figure of fun with a bouquet of violets in her hair and a pile of cushions on her dinner seat.

Edna's yearning for freedom is poignant. Other characters point out its childish and selfish nature, but that makes Edna no less sympathetic to the reader. In the end, her inability to reconcile her awakening with her society is immeasurably sad.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a feminist fictional novel written in 1899. The novel caused quite a scandal for stepping out of societal norms and broaching a feminist point of view. In 1899 there was not a lot of authors that had approached this point of view before.

Edna Pontellier was a married mother of two, who through the course of the story experiences her own awakening. Edna’s family vacations at Grand Isle, which begins the course that changes everyone’s future. Edna is married to Leonce, who is completely devoted to his career. In his attempt to be successful and provide material items for his family, he fails to recognize that he is not meeting his wife and children's emotional needs. Edna also has failed to realize just how suppressed she actually is until they vacation. Edna meets several key people who help her self discovery process occur over the course of the summer. Adèle Ratignolle is one of Edna’s closest friends and epitomizes the perfect wife and mother. Adèle encourages Edna to maintain her proper role as wife and mother. Mademoiselle Reisz is an excellent pianist who inspires Edna in an artistic way. Mademoiselle Reisz has a solitaire artistic lifestyle that Edna longs for. Lastly, Robert Lebrun becomes Edna’s love interest and awakens a new zeal for life within her.

Robert is the son of Madame Lebrun, the owner of Grand Isle. Robert choses a woman every summer that he establishes a summer relationship with. Edna and Robert began to spend a lot of time together and develop a relationship over the course of the summer. Edna is influenced in several ways by all of the people she meets. Robert recognizes the impropriety of the relationship and leaves for Mexico to remove the temptation of the relationship for himself and Edna. The effects of the summer and the changes that have occurred to Edna follow her home, where she continues to grow unsatisfied with her life. She bucks her way of old life and continues to become more selfish with her time and her personal decisions. Edna eventually purchases her own home and has an affair with a known womanizer. Robert reappears and the love affair seems impossible to Edna. Edna decides to end her own life by drowning herself in the ocean.

While reading the book there is a very clear and persuasive message that the author is making that supports the “awakening” that Edna is experiencing. While reading the book it was easy to begin to see how the grass appeared greener on the other side. Edna’s growing independence and self realizations were intriguing and exciting. Her growing affections for Robert were justifiable. However, there was always a growing doubt that Edna was on the right path in my mind. The “awakening” she experienced was making her miserable in her own shoes and encouraging her to seek happiness outside of her marriage and her children. Edna became more and more self centered and sought only what was best for herself. I think that we must question any path that we are attempting to go down when the whole is not being considered. It occurred to me that Edna was not actually on a path of “awakening”, but rather a path of self destruction. She took her life and removed all of the joy of her current circumstances by replacing it with a longing for Robert. In 1899 marriage was a covenant that was not broken like it is today, societal norms did not allow Edna the freedom to get was she desired. Edna’s eventual suicide manifests the complete ruination of her life. We begin the story with a married mother of two, who is vacationing at an upscale resort. We end the story with a broken, desolate woman who is no longer happy with her role and chooses to end her own life.

Further reflection upon the book makes me wonder if Edna may have experienced some levels of depression. Given the ending to the book, you could presume that here was some depression that Edna was dealing with. It was clear to me that the author is in favor of a more feminist point of view. I however question why the author chooses to end the book in this manner. I would not recommend this book, and would give it 2 out of 5 stars. There were many aspects that were interesting and that I enjoyed reading but in itself the book encourages individuals to be reckless. Robert chooses a different woman every summer, that should be a huge red flag to Edna. Edna chooses to pursue her feelings for Robert even though she is married and the mother of two boys. Edna also chooses to obtain her own home and quit caring for her children. Lastly, Edna has an affair with Alcee Arobin knowing there is no emotional connection and the devastation to her family. Edna was on a path of destruction and made several changes that destroyed her. I did not enjoy the book and especially did not care for the ending.

If you are going to read this book, I would guard against allowing yourself to romanticize about what a different path could look like. Is this book feminist or encouraging selfishness?

The lot of women in the 19th century wasn't a terribly impressive one -- many of them had been reduced to babymakers and inoffensive "property" for the men.

And Kate Chopin caused a massive scandal when she wrote about one woman who drifted from societal normal in "The Awakening," leading to a world of exploration, love, and ultimately tragedy. Her misty, vaguely dreamlike writing can pull a reader into the world of 1900s New Orleans and its society, but her heroine sometimes feels more like a vessel than a fully-realized person.

Edna Pontellier is the wife of successful New Orleans businessman Léonce, and mother of two lovely young boys. Yet she is dissatisfied by her life, and feels no connection to the other wives and mothers, who idolize their motherhood and subservience. And when she encounters handsome young Creole Robert Lebrun while on vacation, she begins to "awake" to the feelings she has left behind during her marriage.

Distancing herself from Leonce and her sons, Edna begins exploring art and emotions that have been denied her by the strictures of her society -- as well as an affair with the flirtatious Alcée Arobin. She even moves out into a cottage of her own, much to the horror of those who thought they knew her. Her romantic feelings have not moved on from Robert, but his return makes her realize how different she has become...

Kate Chopin's most famous work is often cited as a sort of proto-feminist work, with a woman rebelling against the male-dominated role she has been given. The fact that a story about a woman abandoning her husband and kids caused such a scandal only adds to that belief.

But that's a rather restricted label to give such a versatile author, and "Awakening" is a book with too many facets to be so restrained. In many ways Chopin resembles a Southern version of Edith Wharton, exploring the stultifying society that she once dwelled in, and the often-tragic consequences of people -- particularly women -- who dared to step outside those unforgiving boundaries.

Chopin's lush writing elevates this story even further, weaving an atmospheric, vaguely dreamlike web around everyday New Orleans. She makes readers feel the heat of a summer's day, the remote beauty of a party, the eerie majesty of an empty sea. And though "The Awakening" is infused by a feeling of languid dreaminess, Chopin creates a feeling of tension and inevitability that grows as the book goes on. It's almost a shock at the book's finale, when that tension releases in a quiet burst of poetic language.

And to her credit, Chopin is able to make her points about women and society without setting up straw-men. Such characters as "angel of the house" Adèle Ratignolle and the stuffy Leonce (who sees Edna as his personal property and expects her to obey) are examples of the usual society of the time, yet Leonce is a fully realized character who loves -- but can never understand -- his wife.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that Edna herself is at times rather thin as a character. While she has many conflicting desires, she sometimes seems like a mere vessel for all those desires to be displayed over time. But there are some scenes where she does seem like a fully realized person, such as when she meditates on her lack of housewifely virtues, is struck by wild mood swings around her sons, and befriends Mademoiselle Reisz.

"The Awakening" is more than just an early feminist novel -- it's an exquisitely written story about the roads that our own desires can take us down, and the tragedies that can come from it. A must-read, if nothing else for Kate Chopin's powerful writing.

As The Awakening opens during the languid days of summer we find Edna Pontellier, Kate Chopin's main character, drifting aimlessly as if through a wide expanse of ocean or a great field of grain. Edna is on vacation at Grand Isle with her husband and two young sons. She often feels the weight of her responsibilities and the casual cruelty of her husband and becomes disconsolate, but she has attracted the attention of Robert Lebron who becomes her constant companion. Edna has a tendency towards infatuation and becomes quite smitten with Robert. She makes friends with others vacationing on the island while her husband returns to New Orleans during the week and begins her metamorphosis.
She tells her friend Adele that while she would give her life for her children, she would never give up her own self.

As Edna returns to New Orleans she begins to spread her wings and to cast of responsibilities like the shell or casing of her chrysalis and flit about on her own selfish quest.

Critics of Kate Chopin's time were aghast at the book and called it "sordid" and "unhealthy," but modern day critics see the beginnings of feminist thought in the book and laud it as an early feminist novel. This modern reader wonders if it is more of a parable of sorts.

Kate Chopin is a thoughtful novelist who slowly develops her characters and stories and is gifted at developing the scene as the following illustrates:

"The walk to the beach was no inconsiderable one, consisting as it did of a long, sandy path, upon which a sporadic and tangled growth that bordered it on either side made frequent and unexpected inroads. There were acres of yellow camomile reaching out on either hand. Further away still, vegetable gardens abounded, with frequent small plantations of orange or lemon trees intervening. the dark green clusters glistened from afar in the sun."

In many ways The Awakening is truly a lovely read, but its main strength is its ability to provoke thought and discussion and that is why I would recommend it.

This was beautiful; the kind of book that makes you realize just how much more powerful fiction is when there is so much you cannot say and have to use every creative fiber to express yourself. I'd heard all kinds of things about The Awakening before reading it, since it was controversial at the time of publication in 1899 and has been elevated to a cult classic of sorts. It's even more stunning when you realize WHY it was so controversial. Since the synopsis indicates that it's about a married woman who desires another, younger man she meets at a summer resort, I thought it would be along the lines of Lawrence - and The Awakening is often spoken of in the same breath as Lady Chatterley's Lover - and there would be all the imagery and language issues you'd assume would come with a story like this and that association, but that's not it at all. There's not a single forbidden word or scandalous passage. It's more like a long dream sequence or a Bronte poem, so beautifully told it's like music for the heart and eyes. That sounds trite but I truly was moved by Chopin's sparing and lyrical use of language. That kind of artistry is a reminder of why I love reading. There are so many poor and mediocre books out there that I almost forget sometimes what it's like to experience the joy of truly brilliant writing.

Edna's attraction to Robert may be the catalyst - the `awakening' of the title - but actually just marks the dawning of a new overall awareness in herself, and it becomes much more complex than the mere appeal of another man. Rather, she comes to realize that she is not fully living life; that she's not entirely sure who she is, and feels stifled by society and its expectations. She has an intense, painful longing to free herself. The fact that the discontent of a fictional female character was such a topic of scandal is, to me, the most telling. Obviously nobody in those days wanted to hear, even in fiction, that a privileged wife and mother might be dissatisfied with her life and want more; that she might harbor passions and undercurrents of feeling not befitting a proper lady of society, and that she might actually attempt to discard what is false or unsatisfying and be true to herself.

I disliked the way it ended, which I won't give away. I see why the author took it there, I suppose. It's worth noting, too, that Kate Chopin had up to that point been a fairly distinguished writer in American literary circles, but was figuratively cast out after the publication of this book and died in near-poverty and obscurity. It was apparently a topic the masses just weren't ready for at the time.

It's hard to believe that The Awakening and Other Selected Stories was written in the 1880s. Not only is the story still incredibly relevant, but Ms. Chopin's writing has a bite to it that I haven't seen in the majority of her male contemporaries - let alone the women.

The Awakening is a ~100 page novella which takes up about half of this collection. It's the story of a woman slowly realizing that she doesn't particularly care for being defined as a wife and mother. She'd rather have her own time, her own adventures and create her own heartbreaks. Which is exactly what she does.

Chopin's stories are well known for being very controversial at the time they were published (and in fact many of them were not published until the '60s - not because they wouldn't have sold but because they were simply too racy) and it's not hard to see why. She writes about women who enjoy sex, women who cheat on their husbands and women who are generally bull-headed and willful.

I enjoyed this collection not just because it was one of the first feminist texts, but because the writing was solid. I've read plenty of literature from the turn of the century and certainly it typically sounds like it. Aside from some interesting swear words, the writing in this collection was fresh enough that it could have been written much more recently.

Some marriages do not work - sometimes they commence well enough but people drift apart. In this book, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, watches her marriage dissipate for nontraditional reasons - ultimately ending with traditional tragedy.

None of the classic reasons for failed marriage exist. Husband was not violent toward her. He was not demanding upon her. In fact, he granted her as much slack as any man of that time period would ever have allowed. He was a good man. "As the devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of realty, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance or dreams."

Like "Wide Sargasso Sea" this entails the life off continental United States and customs of those identified as Creole. Unlike Sargasso's emotionally abused wife, Antoinette, Edna is 28, turning 29, and is just . . . just . . . very confused. Her 40-year old husband seeks to aid her in this time of maturation, but is really helpless. Beautiful and unsure of her previous decision to marry, she is wooed by others - all knowing that societal customs will not allow her to engage in illicit passion unless she makes a rash decision to leave her anointed responsibilities to her children and husband. What will she do when her lover, Robert, returns? "Do? Nothing, except feel glad and happy to be alive." But is this enough for Robert? Is it enough for her?

Of course not. "[S]he felt the old ennui overtaking her: the hopelessness which so often assailed her, which came upon her like an obsession, like something extraneous, independent of volition." Her life became a lingering heart-breaking bore.

She is neither free nor in servitude. She is neither chattel of; nor an equal to her husband. She is a prisoner of her emotions, not of societal constraints. She lives in a relatively free society, and is permitted to roam about relatively freely. But, she is not happy with this. Little can engage her sensibilities in this period of malaise which is constantly questioned by hormonal and philosophical desires. She wants a divorce although her husband did nothing wrong. But, in her days - the 19h century - divorce was not an alternative. Moreover, her husband and her society are Catholic.

So she had to lead the remainder of her life with self-hatred - about how she got where she is and where she is going with what she has. She reasons, "I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier's possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose." And, so she shows the most demanding act of volition: suicide.

My Bantam edition came with a forward by Pulitizer-winning author Marilynne Robinson ("Housekeeping" and "Gilead") who wrote, "'The Awakening' should be read as a meditation on the experimental basis of romantic consciousness, the sense that the world has a numinous life that is addressed to human perceptions and that it has a meaning humankind is competent to interpret. . ." Robinson is correct, and this book is truly generations ahead of its time in addressing this extremely undiscussed topic of female self-recognition against the male's world of control.

This book wasn't quite what I expected. I've heard so much for so long about how it was a highly controversial and often banned book about a woman's sexual awakening, the first to openly address the subject. So I was expecting something highly erotic, but I wasn't accounting for how vastly mores have changed in the past 100+ years. To the modern reader, it's not even PG!

If it had been written recently, I would have only rated it 3 stars. It reads like a pretty standard romance novel of today. I gave it an extra star in recognition of the enormous courage it took for anyone - and especially a woman - to write so openly and honestly in those days about a married woman's infatuation with another man. And for the portrayal of a woman who took her life in her own hands to leave her husband and live independently, which was unheard-of in those days. And for the fact that it was so far ahead of its time - imagine, an author foresighted enough to write a modern romance novel prior to 1899!

I was disappointed by the ending, though. Without saying too much about what happens, it negates the (early) feminist message of the entire rest of the book, leaving the reader with the impression that Chopin is giving us the message that if a woman tries to be independent, catastrophe will result.

That being said, it is an interesting portrayal of Victorian life in the American South, and especially of a married woman's adulterous, and perhaps obsessive infatuation with a man much younger than her boring husband. Understandable, yes, but still wrong, and although I admired Edna's spirit, courage, and independence, I didn't like her much as a character. I didn't like her selfish disregard of her commitments, especially to her children. I actually liked her husband much better than her, in the end. Edna's marriage was loveless, but she went into it knowing that and willingly choosing it. Her husband was controlling and absent at first, but as she withdrew further and further from him he changed. He really worked at the marriage (unlike Edna), even to the extent of allowing - even helping - her to do whatever she wanted, which was another thing unheard-of in those days.

But I didn't need to like Edna to enjoy reading the book. It is beautifully and lyrically written, and is a deeply perceptive portrait of what it feels like to be a woman with an overwhelming crush on an inappropriate man.

(221 pages)

The lot of women in the 19th century wasn't a terribly impressive one -- many of them had been reduced to babymakers and inoffensive "property" for the men.

And Kate Chopin caused a massive scandal when she wrote about one woman who drifted from societal normal in "The Awakening," leading to a world of exploration, love, and ultimately tragedy. Her misty, vaguely dreamlike writing can pull a reader into the world of 1900s New Orleans and its society, but her heroine sometimes feels more like a vessel than a fully-realized person.

Edna Pontellier is the wife of successful New Orleans businessman Léonce, and mother of two lovely young boys. Yet she is dissatisfied by her life, and feels no connection to the other wives and mothers, who idolize their motherhood and subservience. And when she encounters handsome young Creole Robert Lebrun while on vacation, she begins to "awake" to the feelings she has left behind during her marriage.

Distancing herself from Leonce and her sons, Edna begins exploring art and emotions that have been denied her by the strictures of her society -- as well as an affair with the flirtatious Alcée Arobin. She even moves out into a cottage of her own, much to the horror of those who thought they knew her. Her romantic feelings have not moved on from Robert, but his return makes her realize how different she has become...

Kate Chopin's most famous work is often cited as a sort of proto-feminist work, with a woman rebelling against the male-dominated role she has been given. The fact that a story about a woman abandoning her husband and kids caused such a scandal only adds to that belief.

But that's a rather restricted label to give such a versatile author, and "Awakening" is a book with too many facets to be so restrained. In many ways Chopin resembles a Southern version of Edith Wharton, exploring the stultifying society that she once dwelled in, and the often-tragic consequences of people -- particularly women -- who dared to step outside those unforgiving boundaries.

Chopin's lush writing elevates this story even further, weaving an atmospheric, vaguely dreamlike web around everyday New Orleans. She makes readers feel the heat of a summer's day, the remote beauty of a party, the eerie majesty of an empty sea. And though "The Awakening" is infused by a feeling of languid dreaminess, Chopin creates a feeling of tension and inevitability that grows as the book goes on. It's almost a shock at the book's finale, when that tension releases in a quiet burst of poetic language.

And to her credit, Chopin is able to make her points about women and society without setting up straw-men. Such characters as "angel of the house" Adèle Ratignolle and the stuffy Leonce (who sees Edna as his personal property and expects her to obey) are examples of the usual society of the time, yet Leonce is a fully realized character who loves -- but can never understand -- his wife.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that Edna herself is at times rather thin as a character. While she has many conflicting desires, she sometimes seems like a mere vessel for all those desires to be displayed over time. But there are some scenes where she does seem like a fully realized person, such as when she meditates on her lack of housewifely virtues, is struck by wild mood swings around her sons, and befriends Mademoiselle Reisz.

"The Awakening" is more than just an early feminist novel -- it's an exquisitely written story about the roads that our own desires can take us down, and the tragedies that can come from it. A must-read, if nothing else for Kate Chopin's powerful writing.

A controversial book of its time "The Awakening" tells of one woman's liberating journey of self-awareness and awakening in 1890s New Orleans. The spiritual and emotional development of the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, progresses slowly but surely throughout the novel. Through her mentor, Mme. Reisz, she slowly awakens to her emotional fulfillment of her spiritual being.

Chopin uses illustrious and descriptive language to paint a portrait of a woman undergoing a metamorphosis. No longer will Edna think of herself as a mere possession (as was the Louisiana law at the time), but as an individual - a strong, independent individual. Although there is little action, the spiritual and psychological transformations are relayed in a thoughtful, articulate manner.

It is understandable that this book was controversial in its time. Indeed, some aspects of it would still be controversial by today's standards. On the surface, this is a book about a married woman suffering a mid-life crisis, who abandons her husband and young children to pursue a life as an artist, partaking of the pleasures of adulterous affairs. Even today, few people would recommend that lifestyle choice. However, in context with the times, this is a powerful book about one woman's struggles to overthrow the shackles that bound her to her family. Apparently, this is a bond that she would not have chosen herself, but was pressured into by the constraints of Victorian society. Perhaps Edna is not after a solitary life without her family, but is pursuing a life of free will and free choice, one in which she has the ultimate authority.

Undoubtedly, Edna suffers as the result of her choices. For isolation and solitude are more prevalent than love and acceptance. Although her adulterous relationships may provide a temporary pleasure, they ultimately leave her empty and hallow. Her unrealistic expectations of romance go unfulfilled. The symbolism of the birds throughout the novel provides a chilling foreshadowing of Edna's eventual tragic ending. Indeed, she cannot escape the cage of Victorian mores.

Although I am certainly not the target audience for this book, I found it an interesting read. It is a well-written book and uses rich, descriptive language. Although some readers may disagree with the motives and actions of the protagonist, no one can fault Chopin's powerful message and masterful use of the English language.

The lot of women in the 19th century wasn't a terribly impressive one -- many of them had been reduced to babymakers and inoffensive "property" for the men.

And Kate Chopin caused a massive scandal when she wrote about one woman who drifted from societal normal in "The Awakening," leading to a world of exploration, love, and ultimately tragedy. Her misty, vaguely dreamlike writing can pull a reader into the world of 1900s New Orleans and its society, but her heroine sometimes feels more like a vessel than a fully-realized person.

Edna Pontellier is the wife of successful New Orleans businessman Léonce, and mother of two lovely young boys. Yet she is dissatisfied by her life, and feels no connection to the other wives and mothers, who idolize their motherhood and subservience. And when she encounters handsome young Creole Robert Lebrun while on vacation, she begins to "awake" to the feelings she has left behind during her marriage.

Distancing herself from Leonce and her sons, Edna begins exploring art and emotions that have been denied her by the strictures of her society -- as well as an affair with the flirtatious Alcée Arobin. She even moves out into a cottage of her own, much to the horror of those who thought they knew her. Her romantic feelings have not moved on from Robert, but his return makes her realize how different she has become...

Kate Chopin's most famous work is often cited as a sort of proto-feminist work, with a woman rebelling against the male-dominated role she has been given. The fact that a story about a woman abandoning her husband and kids caused such a scandal only adds to that belief.

But that's a rather restricted label to give such a versatile author, and "Awakening" is a book with too many facets to be so restrained. In many ways Chopin resembles a Southern version of Edith Wharton, exploring the stultifying society that she once dwelled in, and the often-tragic consequences of people -- particularly women -- who dared to step outside those unforgiving boundaries.

Chopin's lush writing elevates this story even further, weaving an atmospheric, vaguely dreamlike web around everyday New Orleans. She makes readers feel the heat of a summer's day, the remote beauty of a party, the eerie majesty of an empty sea. And though "The Awakening" is infused by a feeling of languid dreaminess, Chopin creates a feeling of tension and inevitability that grows as the book goes on. It's almost a shock at the book's finale, when that tension releases in a quiet burst of poetic language.

And to her credit, Chopin is able to make her points about women and society without setting up straw-men. Such characters as "angel of the house" Adèle Ratignolle and the stuffy Leonce (who sees Edna as his personal property and expects her to obey) are examples of the usual society of the time, yet Leonce is a fully realized character who loves -- but can never understand -- his wife.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that Edna herself is at times rather thin as a character. While she has many conflicting desires, she sometimes seems like a mere vessel for all those desires to be displayed over time. But there are some scenes where she does seem like a fully realized person, such as when she meditates on her lack of housewifely virtues, is struck by wild mood swings around her sons, and befriends Mademoiselle Reisz.

"The Awakening" is more than just an early feminist novel -- it's an exquisitely written story about the roads that our own desires can take us down, and the tragedies that can come from it. A must-read, if nothing else for Kate Chopin's powerful writing.

"The Awakening" is a wonderfully ambiguous book that resonates more powerfully if one considers it in its historical context. Its publication in 1899 ostracized Chopin for the remainder of her life (she died in 1904) and for the mores and social values of the time it was a very scandalous work. Based on some of the reviews I have seen posted, it can still invoke the ire of readers. I have a feeling Chopin would be pleased.
Chopin's protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is a woman in a daze. She has a comfortable life, a loving husband, and adoring children. And something is missing. "The Awakening" is the story of Edna's realization of what she wants out of life, and her pursuit to get it. Her story could be from 2009, except it isn't. It is 1899, and women should be happy with material wealth, nice kids, and a good husband. And Edna was, until her inner passions and desires are awakened by a summer flirtation.
What makes this novel so excellent for reading and discussing is that you can see Edna as a women brave enough to liberate herself from society's bonds, or as cowardly and selfish in her hedonistic pursuits. And the text supports both interpretations. It is almost as if Chopin is admitting to her readers that even she has ambiguous feelings about her premise.
This is not a text with a lot of action; the most important movement is in the character's heads. But if you want a text that will make you think, force a deep and close reading, and yield new insights (not all of them positive, Edna is not an especially likable women) every time you visit it, then "The Awakening" is for you.
A great selection for book clubs, or classrooms, as the imagery and symbolism in the text allows for limitless interpretations.

I'd never read Kate Chopin before, but The Awakening seemed like a good place to start. The premise of this book seemed interesting. Set in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, this classic tale tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a proper wife and mother who lives a rather passionless life with her husband in a cottage near the beach. She becomes rather aware of herself and that there has to be more to life than what she has experienced. And so, she experiences a sexual awakening when she has an affair with a younger, unmarried man. And that is just the beginning of her journey, which includes getting rid of her husband and children to continue on her route to self-discovery. But will she find happiness in a world where women are oppressed and an uninhibited nature is considered wrong?

The most interesting part about this novel is that life sort of imitated art. Edna has a sort of tragic ending in this novel, and so does Chopin in some way. I read in the foreword that this book was banned when it was first published in 1899 and that Chopin's reputation was ruined as a result of writing this. She was ostracized and her writing career came to a screeching halt. Little did Chopin and others know that this would become a classic, a prime example of the beginning of the women's movement and the beginning of literature in the form of women's erotica, which is now so popular there are several imprints devoted to sensual stories written by women for women. I loved reading this book because Edna's transition is slow and realistic, no abrupt changes here, and the sexual tension is almost palpable. This novel sort of reminds me of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and it also has some similarities with Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary. But The Awakening is a classic in its own right and I'm glad I gave it a whirl. I've been rereading classics like crazy as of late and it was refreshing to read this one for the first time. I recommend it to fans of unique Victorian literature.

I once tried to read this book, quite some years ago, when I wasn't ready for it and I didn't finish it. But today, many years older (and hopefully wiser), I finally understood it. And it was everything. While I didn't actually like anyone in the book, I have to admire Chopin's determination to write something like this, to write Edna's boldness in wanting to be more than just a wife and a mother.

To say Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" is a tragic novel about an unhappily married woman who liberates -- or attempts to liberate -- herself through an extramarital affair would invite an inevitable comparison to "Madame Bovary," so let's get this out of the way first: Like Flaubert's antiheroine, Chopin's Edna Pontellier is selfish and puts her own needs ahead of those of her husband and her two little sons; but she is a more sympathetic character because she is more deserving of her desire, which is true love rather than a romantic and materialistic fantasy world.
The story begins on Grand Isle, off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico, where the Pontelliers are spending the summer at a pension run by a woman named Madame Lebrun. Mr. Pontellier, a successful New Orleans businessman, is thoroughly devoted to his wife Edna and sons, provides for them a high standard of living, and is generous with gifts; but he is a snob who likes to be assured that his wife isn't associating with anyone commonplace or doing anything that would lower their esteemed social status or compromise their "financial integrity." Edna, annoyed and estranged by his attitude, seeks solace with Madame Lebrun's good-looking but slacking son Robert; but before their relationship has a chance to turn into a full-fledged fling, he impetuously runs off to Mexico to seek some kind of employment.
Later, languishing at her regular residence in New Orleans, Edna socializes with her friends Madame Ratignolle and the wizened Mademoiselle Reisz while her dutiful husband is off somewhere making money. The Reisz lady has been getting a steady stream of letters from Robert, and Edna naturally wonders with chagrin why he hasn't been writing her. Robert does return eventually, however, and his presence now, near the end of the novel, establishes his true significance in her life: the love that "awakened" her out of a lifelong dream, a love that her husband, with all his riches, could not offer her.
On the surface this may sound like trite romantic fluff that, if written today, would barely raise an eyebrow; but taken in the context of the 1890's when a woman was considered to be nothing other than a wife or a potential wife, it has very deep implications about sexual revolution and the propriety of marriage as an institution. Most appealing to me about this novel, though, is its style, which combines keen psychological insight with a sort of impressionism that anticipates Virginia Woolf. Augmented by the steamy, swampy, Creole-spiced southern Louisiana setting, the novel achieves a fever pitch of eroticism.

I read this book in a single day after reading an interesting article about Chopin and her work in "Harper's." Previously, I had read nothing by Chopin except her short story, "A Matter of an Hour," some years ago.
This story, a protest against the idea that all women must discover their deepest fulfillment through marriage and family life, is presented in a scrupulously even-handed manner, though it was considered shocking in 1899. Edna Pontellier's husband, though rather insensitive, is certainly not cruel and in fact goes out of his way to furnish their home in a way that makes Edna the envy of other married women whose husbands are less generous. Edna's children are charming, and they love her. Her mother-in-law, if not exactly close to Edna, is hardly her antagonist. Edna's best friend, Mrs. Ratignolle, is treated as a paragon of a loving wife and mother, truly happy with her husband and devoted to her own family life. Mrs. Ratignolle also has the sense to warn off the shallow young man who has begun a meaningless flirtation with Edna at a popular vacation resort; she realizes that what is meant merely as an idle diversion to the young man is something that Edna has begun to take far too seriously.
The tragedy is that while Edna gets just enough insight and awareness to realize that she is a distinct, worthwhile entity in her own right and not merely an appendage of someone else, or a subset of a group, she then turns around and lets her happiness be defined by whether or not a different man loves her. This derails her progress from being a path of growth into greater self-awareness and personal autonomy, to being merely a record of failed extramarital romance.
Again, Chopin is very even-handed; she does not hide Edna's immaturity from us, but neither does she lash her; the reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions.
This book should be read alongside Wharton's "The House of Mirth," Sinclair Lewis's "Main Street," Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler," and Strindberg's one-act play, "The Stronger."

Heroine:  slender/average
     Edna Pontellier has reached a crisis point in her life. Wife of a successful businessman and mother of two young children, she feels as though she is losing sight of herself and is suddenly possessed with a desperate desire to become her own woman.
Because of this, the annual summer family jaunt from New Orleans to Grande Isle takes a different turn from past years as Edna, yearning for something new and different, becomes attached to the resort owner's handsome young son.
Lost and bewildered Edna cannot decide what to do; stay with the man she married, go with the man she loves, or make a new life for herself on her own.
What worked for me:
     I can see why this story is used in women's studies classes to get a better understanding of life in the middle and upper classes of Victorian society, as well as cultural differences as far as racial and religious background. "The Awakening" vividly paints the Deep South's social structure during that era.
Size-wise Edna sounded to be slim to average. Her very good friend Adele was quite plump however, and the author frequently lauded her soft beauty. (However then as now there was still a sense that "big is beautiful" only extends so far, as was underscored by a particular passage with a very abundant woman being physically described in less-than-glowing terms.)
What didn't work for me:
Edna was the only character who seemed real to me; the rest were cardboard cut-outs. However this may not be a lack of writing proficiency on Ms. Chopin's part, but rather a way to illustrate how cut off Edna was from others. People who seemed unreal to the reader may have also seemed that way to Edna.
Personally, I feel ambivalent about the ending. From an artistic point of view it was quite valid, and perhaps it was socially valid in that day and age as well. But I couldn't help but be frustrated with Edna for not finding another way to resolve her situation.
Overall:
An interesting book for anyone who wants to better understand a well-heeled woman's place in Victorian society, but as a pleasure read this novella might be a bit dry and the ending somewhat unsatisfying.

Both negative and positive "customer critics" of Kate Chopin's The Awakening are partly right. Ms. Pontellier, as a sensitive, thinking human being, chafes under the restraints of a male dominated world. She longs for the sexual and emotional freedom of men and her frustration ultimately leads her to make an extreme decision(I am vague here out of consideration for those who do not want the plot given away.) She is also partly frustrated however by the often transitory and impermanent nature of love itself--her condition is thus partly a human condition, not just an oppressed woman's condition. I believe Kate Chopin is aware of both those factors. This awareness is part of what makes this a work of literature rather than a mere propaganda piece or mere pulp entertainment. However, there is yet another factor that Chopin is only partly aware of and that is the oppressive nature of class society. Edna Pontellier is a pampered bourgeois woman who realizes her own "comfortable" enslavement but habits of selfishness due to her class upbringing leave her unappreciative of the proper social perspective that would make her more cognizant of a proper balance of one's rights and responsibilities as a member of society. I mean society in general, not high society. She is not fully aware of the fact that her leisure is contingent on the exploited labor of others and that she does have responsibility to her children if not her husband. All of these contradictory factors are swirled together and and some readers will fail to appreciate how entangled they are, choosing instead to pick one piece of the puzzle and ignore the rest. The result is a black or white view of the book and/or its main character. Chopin is ahead of her time (1890s)in some ways and rather typical of it in other ways. The swimming metaphor is well-developed, complex and ultimately tragic and ironic. There are also many insightful descriptions of emotional states. The Awakening certainly broke some new ground in exploring feminist themes but it is hardly a model for enlightened feminist conduct. This book is recommended with reservations.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is the story of a woman who is not enjoying her married life. The story begins with the narrator telling us quite a bit of detail about the characters. We learn about Mr. Léonce Pontellier, and his wife, Mrs. Edna Pontellier, the character who will be "awakened" in the story. It is important to know that she is the only person in the story who is not a Creole. The Pontiellier's spend their summer on an island off of New Orleans called Grand Isle with their children. We later find out that Edna is not enjoying her husband, but all her friends think Léonce is a perfect husband.
When they later go back to New Orleans for the winter, Mr. Pontellier has to go to New York for business purposes and the children go away with his mother. Mrs. Pontellier does not want to go. During this time, Edna moves to another house without her husband's approval. She begins to "awaken" and see other men, but her first love has always been Robert, a man she met on Grand Isle last summer. But Robert went to Mexico for a job, but probably he goes because he loves Edna but does not want to enter into an affair with her. Later, Alcée Arobin is another man whom Edna flirts with.
Mrs. Pontellier also has a couple woman friends. One of those friends is Adèle Ratignolle, who is a married Creole woman with many children. She is quite different from Edna because she enjoys her married life. She also knows Madamoiselle Reisz, an unmarried musician who Edna likes to visit and to listen to her play the piano. Mrs. Pontellier gets the idea about doing some painting from her. These fine friends of her guide her to her "awakening" which changes her life.
Throughout the story, things are going on in Mrs. Pontellier's mind. She's constantly evaluating her married life with Léonce and the children. Although she loves the children, Edna is unable to commit her life to them. The main theme of this story is that she is struggling within her own boundaries trying to awaken herself. She is married to a Creole, but not one herself, which adds to her life trouble of being with an incompatible husband. Perhaps some women around the turn of twentieth century were coping with similar struggles, but with no feasible solution.

Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" has led to many different response since 1989. Some think this is great and, even, inspirational, others point out that it is silly and meaningless. In my opinion, this is a masterpiece. To truly understand this book, we must look back to when it was first published. Not only was the novel a shock, but also very inspirational throught the years. Many women have done like the protagonist, Edna, and taken their chace to live a better and independent life.
The books tells the story of a repressed woman, who lives under the husband opression. She is bored and feels that she has to do something meaningfull with her life. Surrounded by snobish people, Edna feels alone, despite all the `friends' she has. During one summer she is taken aback when she realizes she is in love with one of this people. It takes her a time to come to terms with this, but once she does, her life has a completely new breath. Robert, the man, seems to be more afraid than Edna, and runs away. Edna's solitude only increases her desire of changing her life. Robert's returm may be the event she has always expected.
The characters are quite strong and well written, even the supporting ones. Of course Edna is the most developed one, and she faces the same fears of any other human being in any time or place. Perhaps, the men are a bit silly and confused, novertheless realistic. Robert and Mr Pontelier -- the ones who surround Edna most of the time-- are particularly intriguing: they love her, but can't tell why.
All in all, this is a very interesting novel: both as a character study, and also as a portrait of a period of time. However, women's condition haven't changed so much as one could expect it to. Many women nowadays face the same feelings, and the conditions that Edna did.

28-year-old Edna Pontellier-married woman, mother of two-who's beginning to feel the clutching hand of constraint on her throat. Edna is artist trapped with no means of letting her creativity flow. A summer trip to Grand Isle changes Edna as she promises to never give herself away and begins to make changes in her life.
Edna is the earliest form of the trapped mother and wife. She's a woman who dreams, but feels that she can't possibly live these dreams being mother and wife. She has so many fears and uncertainties, and these are manifested through her moods and her attachment to a man from the Isle and again to a man who lives in the same city as she. It was sad to see Edna drowning under the pressures of her life.
However, I felt at times it was lacking and somewhat contrived. In the beginning, I thought Edna to be stronger than she really is, but later in the book I thought Edna to be trite. She made her choices. No one made her marry or have children. She chose to do so, and then she chose to ignore these duties, lavishing her affections on Robert and Alcee.
I think this is supposed to be one of the 500 great books written by women. I agree and disagree with that decision. I'm sure during the time this was written (1889) it was a great scandal, and it was probably one of the first books to be written about a married woman who felt trapped. However, I don't see much great about it other than being a founding mother (or should that founding mother) for other books about the same subject.
This is a beautiful story, but contrived at times. There are better stories out there concerning the pressures of being a mother and wife, but I give Chopin her due for being one of the first.

"A Creole Bovary," is how Willa Cather described Edna Pontellier, the restless female protagonist in Awakening, a book that shocked and scandalized genteel folk when it appeared in 1899. No one has adequately explained then, why Madame Bovary's name (which appeared in 1856) rolls off tongues easily today. Not so that of Mrs P, whose disdain for marriage and explicit reluctance to give herself to her children were too close to reality. Some things had best remain in the shadows even in fiction.
Flaubert's Mme Bovary has adulterous affairs at a level that makes Edna's discreet dalliance seem negligible (by today's standards). Although, played out with different details, both adulteresses, ultimately overwhelmed by despair, submit to forms of self destruction.
In Flaubert's time, critics acclaimed him and his masterpiece. Kate Chopin, dutiful mother of six children and widowed young, never knew that her novel would survive to this day. Kate died depressed of a brain hemorrhage five years after the Awakening drew such ostracism. She never wrote again. Why, in the hands of a man (a Frenchman) did this nearly identical archetype of a character draw acclaim? In the hands of a woman, it was labeled "moral poison."
I find it hard to believe that the criticism was due to Chopin's too explicit depiction of adultery. I think what disgusted the genteel reader was the even more explicit denial of marital bliss. And that having children does not a fulfilled woman make. Edna Pontellier, in her late twenties, is married to a Creole stockbroker and mother of two young children. Early on in the novel, we witness her awaken sensually. She loves her in-the-body experience of learning to overcome her fear of open water, thanks to the would-be lover who awakens her to the freedom that lurks beneath the surface of fear and other constraints. Unlike Emma Bovary, Edna is driven as much by libido as by a clear and demonstrated artistic impulse. She draws---people and scenes. The more her body awakens, the more her muse awakens, and the more she yearns for time alone to create. She craves the company of the man who awakened her sexually. The plot is simple. The crux of the matter is explained when Edna tells her friend and alter ego, Mrs. Ratignolle, the devoted wife, that she would never sacrifice herself for her children, or for any one. "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself." Mrs. R lives in a "padded cell" (my words) of her lush body and has no idea what Edna is talking about.
Like Mme Bovary, Edna must get her comeuppance. You would think that a punitive ending would satisfy the polite society. But it doesn't because Edna never repents of abandoning her children and boorish husband. Some of her last words are, " . . . perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life."
Notwithstanding that passage, the language and syntax of Chopin's novel are somewhat dated and quaint. But her theme and message are as relevant as ever.
Tango: An Argentine Love Story

Edna Pontellier is, by no means, a perfect woman. She acts out: promiscuously, scandalously, inappropriately.
But that's okay, because Edna is not supposed to be the epitome of female independence. I think that's what a lot of people miss: she's not meant to be perfect. Her actions are not meant to be idealized. The Awakening is simply a story of a woman journeying through life while realizing her independence.
Her mistakes or perhaps less-than-noble or irrational actions are not meant to be taken as what independent women should do. Chopin is not saying, "if you are an emancipated woman, feel free to sleep around." Rather, Edna is simply lashing out as she truly feels how oppressed she is by society. Edna is human, she is not perfect. As such, she acts imperfectly and "tests the borders," so to speak, in her quest for freedom. I believe that she eventually realizes that independence and freedom cannot be found in a man's pants, and that is when she truly 'awakens.' But she can't realize that's not where freedom is until she looks there, right?

I didn't like this book when I first read it. I thought it was boring and dull. As I thought about it, though, I realized how much value this story holds and grew to love it.

Of all the novels that tried to portray an alternate side to Victorian society, Kate Chopin's The Awakening is one of the few to survive and one of the best. Few books more accurately describe the reality of life, how it ebbs and flows. Chopin created a set of highly-believable, rounded characters who live and breathe, who are full of contradictions and sometimes act impulsively and irrationally, just as we do. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist, is one of literature's great female characters: complex, multi-faceted, and, above all, believable. This novel is much more, and also much less, than the feminists who point to it as their Bible make it out to be. The ending is one of literature's great ambiguities. Is Chopin advocating female independence? Condemning Victorian domesticity? We'll never know, of course, which is a large part of the reason this book continues to fascinate. On top of all this, the novel is beautifully written. Chopin writes spellbinding, poetic prose that stirs and enlivens the soul. Her descriptions of the New Orleans area are breathtaking. A short, but captivating read, this can be plowed through fairly quickly, but it is highly-enjoyable and leaves the reader with a lot to think about for a book so short. It comes recommend for all readers of classic literature, not just feminists; it is nothing less than one of the best books ever written by a woman.

That something is wrong with the Pontellier marriage is self-evident, especially when one compares the dinner between the Pontelliers in Chapter 17 with that of the Ratignolles in Chapter 18. The Pontelliers may share a house, but do not seem to share much else. Edna has no interest in the elusive "business" engaged in by Léonce, and he seems to have no thought that his wife might have an interest outside of their home. The added confusion that Edna feels about Robert--an infatuation, even--implies a future in which changes will be made. At the end of Chapter 18, all it would take, it seems, is the return of Robert to induce this change.
Why should Edna be so inclined to risk her domestic safety? Léonce represents stability--if an enforced one--that is the respected idea of society. But Edna's temperament towards the creative arts (seen in her enjoyment of music and her drawing) implies an impulsive streak in her, a possibility for abandonment that might lead to her passions revealing themselves. Edna seems to be oblivious to the necessities that fund her lifestyle, so even poverty is not necessarily a hindrance to throwing over her marriage in a fit of passion.
Given the foregoing, one might think that Edna would be tempted to leave her husband. While she might challenge the "conventions" of her state and status, I think that she will stop herself from that final leap off the cliff of respectability. Just as she "awakens" to her newfound ability to swim and immediately tests herself by swimming farther offshore than is likely safe for such a beginner, she is able to recognize the danger in her situation and summon the strength to return before any harm is done. This bathing scene strikes me as both a perfect metaphor for her discontent and desire to push the limits of her situation, but also a foreshadowing of the events to come. Edna is decidedly unhappy in her life, but is she suicidal (i.e., mad enough to destroy her safe life)?
I concentrate on Edna for hers is the main perspective of the story, although we do obtain a limited amount from Robert's point-of-view. We are not privy to the true reason for his sudden departure, but the combination of the warning issued by Mrs. Ratignolle, the comments made by Marguerite, and his own faltering farewell speech indicates that he removes himself for the safety of distance from Edna, realizing that their relationship is growing to be more than simply polite companionship.
All in all, at midway through The Awakening, the subject seems to be the disillusionment of loveless marriage, in contrast to what Edna terms "life's delirium" in the last paragraph of Chapter 18. From the point-of-view of her friends and acquaintances, Edna's life seems perfect: a doting husband, two lovely and healthy children, a household with the domestic amenities, a house that is perfectly appointed. Underneath this surface perfection runs a weak thread, a flaw in the looking glass, which is the life of the mind. Edna's consciousness does not mirror this outward happiness seen by her friends, and it is this inconsistency that threatens to shatter the picture of domestic bliss. This emphasis on the mind makes The Awakening a precursor to the modernist style. While it still expresses the story of Edna through a flat, third person narration typical of the past, its psychological method is a harbinger of novels to come.

Kate Chopin's tale of a married woman discovering herself--apart from her marital identity--still resonates. Set in 1890s Louisiana, Edna Pontellier meets a young man on Grand Isle while vacationing with her husband and two sons. Mrs. Pontellier is young, beautiful, genteel, and wholly innocent of herself. That is, she is what she was raised to be--an obedient wife and mother. Ah, but this Summer, something stirs within her, some unknown creature which she had scarcely dreamed of, begins to squirm and demands "Recognize me; don't let me wither." Her defiance of social standards is subtle at Grand Isle, then blossoms into a revolution once she and her family return to New Orleans. The question of her marriage becomes clear: She does not love her husband. And what of that young man she met at Grand Isle? Robert LeBrun, young, handsome, well-mannered, and remarkably sensitive to Edna Pontellier's desires . . . she has fallen hopelessly in love with him. Kate Chopin's writing is sensuous, to wit: "The sea was quiet now, and swelled lazily in broad billows that melted into one another and did not break except upon the beach in little foamy crests that coiled back like slow, white serpents." This story is something to savor.

"The Awakening" is ruthless in its complete exposure of social oppression and in its avoidance of hypocrisy. Although the novel was written more than one hundred years ago, most if not all of its themes are relevant today.
"The Awakening" examines both women's social position and the perception of that position from the point of view of both genders. When Robert makes his first amorous overtures to Edna Pontellier a mutual friend warns him to act carefully because Edna will not behave in the same manner as other women. She is warning Robert, that Edna will respond to him in an independent and emotional fashion instead of playing the role dictated to her by society. This becomes clear when Robert returns from his self-imposed exile and informs Edna that he wants to ask her husband's permission to share her. Edna mocks this proposal and tells Robert that her life and her feelings are hers alone to give not her husband's. Unfortunately, Robert is unable to love Edna in a manner that is not socially sanctified. In fact, Robert prefers the absurdity of sharing Edna with her husband to having Edna give herself to him of her own volition. To Robert the choice must still be the husband's not Edna's. His affection for Edna is both shallow and inextricably conditioned by social parameters.
The most difficult part of the novel is Edna's decision to commit suicide, knowing she will leave her children behind. From an emotional perspective this is probably difficult for any reader to endure. But it accurately conveys Edna's plight. No man and very few women are capable of accepting Edna on her own terms. They cannot even conceive of her as an independent person so much as an eccentric.
Edna's suicide is not meant to promote suicide as a means of female social emancipation. Instead, it demonstrates that if a woman really wants to escape the pervasive restrictions imposed on her by men, she has few, if any, alternatives. While the legal and social status of women has improved considerably in the developed world, I wonder to what extent men really view them independently of social convention? And in the end, don't the men get a raw deal in this novel? Edna's husband is never able to grasp who she is. Her lover does not even know whom he loves or why? Most of the men in "The Awakening" are in love with the perception of a woman more than with the woman herself. I feel sorry for them.

The Awakening is one of the great books of the American Canon. It was surprised for many years because Chopin was a woman who wrote openly about women's sexual feelings when women were not supposed to have such depraved things.. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it still suffers from that in an era when women at one time did not have the vote, there was no such thing as marital rape, and women still, still do not get equal pay for equal work. All that aside, The Awakening is the American version of Madame Bovary, which in my opinion was the finest novel ever written. If you want to, measure yourself against the story of a woman who was in a dead end marriage emotionally and could not find an outlet because suffering was her due reward. Intellectually then, as a fine, fine story beautifully told,, and with the literary joie de souffrance of Bovary, The Awakening remains one of the finest novels ever written by not just an American but an American woman. Call it To The Lighthouse with a heart beat. If you read this and do not get your breath taken away, you need to learn a little bit more about literature. One of my top ten books of all times

Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" is the classic novel about women that "Madame Bovary" purports to be but isn't. It's not just a "woman's" novel, though, it perfectly (and poetically) captures the inner life of a solitary person who is forced to live for the sake of others. And while this has been a distinctly female position for a large part of Western history, it is a position that can be identified with by just about anyone in our current age of employee internet-use monitoring. This is a twentieth-century tale of discomfort with and reaction to antagonistic surroundings. For those of us who don't feel the need to procreate in an overpopulated world, Edna's (and presumably Chopin's) discomfort with children will make sense. For those of us who may not always know exactly what we want out of life, this story will strike a chord.
Kate Chopin's writing is deliberate but not labored. She is particularly successful at depicting ambiguity in a way which is highly descriptive and communicative. This is a skill which I can't praise highly enough, and it culminates in an ending which is absolutely perfect. While criticism could be raised against "The Awakening" as another apology for the suicidal artist, Edna's literal and symbolic escape is less pretentious than Harry's in "Steppenwolfe," nor as indecipherable as that of any of Joyce's creations. Kate Chopin's novel is truly a classic in the sense that it should be a part of any survey of American literature. The Norton Critical edition is the best way to go, too, with helpful biographical information and literary criticism. If you want a more enriching experience with this novel, I'd highly recommend this version.

"For the first time she recognized anew the symptoms of infatuation which she felt incipiently as a child, as a girl in her earliest teens, and later as a young woman. The recognition did not lessen the reality, the poignancy of the revelation by any suggestion or promise of instability. The past was nothing to her; offered no lesson which she was willing to heed. The future was a mystery which she never attempted to penetrate. The present alone was significant; was hers, to torture her as it was doing then with the biting conviction that she had lost that which she had held, that she had been denied that which her impassioned, newly awakened being demanded" (XV)
Kate Chopin created a work on individualism, on self; Self is what is being awakened, it is the solitary soul. In Chopin's time there were many such Ednas, women struggling to become something more significant than a prized possession but not knowing how. Creative expression through brush or pen was held as little more than another form of capricious coquetry.
The development of Edna's character is tragic. Edna acknowledges her pull toward individualism, she knows it to be true and right. But Edna is only just beginning to understand and doesn't know where to go with it. She discovers there is no place for her to go, and so chooses death over conformity. I'm certain Chopin's message was to illustrate individuality and worth separate from spouse, family, religion, etc., as well as to demand that self-worth and individuality be recognized before entering `the social fabric of connectedness and sustain the dream and the illusion.' Edna awoke in a cage with no escape, except one. She was buried in a sea of right and wrong, both within herself and without. Edna was eventually overcome by the impetus of her awakening: sexuality. But because she became aware, awakened, did not necessarily imply that she would act out on her feelings. Her illusion of Robert grew in his absence. Edna became certain of her need to consummate. She was lost. What could have been a jumping off point into self and growth and giving, instead became a dash for freedom. Freedom was first Robert and then no one.
The early 20th century critics' comments were fascinating. Of special note was John May's essay on Chopin's masterful use of textile imagery. Chopin became an artist on sensuality. I also admired Ringe's notes on symbolism: The Lady in Black who was lost in God combined with the couple lost in love, contrasted to Edna who never could achieve loss of self in love for another -- this symbolism is consistent throughout. George Arms makes a strong case that the children represented a stable society and unbroken home. Edna turns to the children time and again in her confusion of self.
Larzer Ziff noted well how Chopin rejected `family' as the equivalent of feminine self-fulfillment -- it is a way to emphasize the equal worth of self in all people not just men... part of the awakening process.
I disagreed with Spangler, that Edna's suicide diminished her character. Suicide was an inevitable end for the person struggling to recognize her significance independent to all others, ...and losing. Edna's displays of strength and self that Spangler admired so much, I saw as efforts at understanding. The fact the Edna almost understood but kept slipping made her slide all the more tragic.
Wolff's Freudian analysis is well thought out and deep -- maybe too deep. Edna's attempt at fusion seemed more a result of her confusion at being adrift. Though I loved the analogy of a newborn with the birth of a soul.
In all, one must first know themselves as a solitary soul, and then join the connectedness of those around them.

This short story is appropriately named as it tells of a young, married woman, who is the mother of two small children, and is depressingly unhappy with her life. Edna Pontellier settled into a life of wife and mother with little enthusiasm. Her husband expects a homemaker, but that role is far from Edna’s mind. He tells her on more than one occasion that her children need a loving, attentive mother and she has not displayed that often enough. She spends the summer at Grand Isle with her dear friend, Madame Ratignolle, who is the epitome of wife and mother. During her stay at Grand Isle, Edna Pontellier falls in love with the owner’s son, Robert Lebrun. Her feelings and desires awaken within her, which have been asleep for many years. The stereotypical life she is bound to live no longer binds her.

I felt sorry for Edna Pontellier that she felt the need to settle into a life she did not love. It was almost as if she were a slave within her own life that she could not break free from. Many times throughout the story, she displayed emotions of severe depression, which was not something that was widely treated during those days. In addition, her actions angered me as the topic of infidelity is not a favorite of mine. Breaking free from invisible chains is empowering, but the provoking reason in this story goes back to deception. Edna is a woman who puts herself before everyone, even her children, without any thought as to the pain it may bring to her family. Infidelity has become a popular topic of today’s books, movies, and television programs. During Chopin’s life, it was widely frowned upon. She took a huge risk in writing this story, and felt the repercussions for a long while.

Kate Chopin’s, “The Awakening”, was written in 1899. The book has several printings, one of which is through Barnes and Noble Classics which include some of Chopin’s other works.

THE AWAKENING is Kate Chopin's best known work, and it is also the last novel she produced, largely owing to the fact that it scandalized Americans when it was published at the end of the 19th century. Critics were dismissive; Willa Cather suggested it was a Bovary wannabe. It enjoyed a revival with the coming of feminism in the 1970s, featured on women's studies' syllabi and as a frequent pick for feminist reading groups. The question begs, "Is it still fresh or is it a period piece?" I say it's still fresh, a classic worth reading beyond its obvious affinity for women's studies. Given its short length and velvety, vivid prose, it is also an easy read, so there's no reason not to give it a go.

This is the story of a 28-year-old wife and mother in fasionable New Orleans Creole society of the 1890s, who begins to respond to socially unprogrammed feelings about her desires in life. She gives into feelings for a man not her husband, resists her husband's efforts to control her life and indulges her artistic side. She sets herself on a difficult trajectory that requires, as a friend tells her, strong wings. Whether those wings are strong enough forms the tension of the novel. Don't read any critical introductions or biographical detail before reading this book, because most give away the ending. Chopin is a master story teller and a deft literary writer. The story of a woman trying to salvage the self in a social pressure cooker was not totally unheard of in the late 19th and early years of the 20th century, and it has had several outings in the last 3 decades, but Chopin writes as if she were the first and last to tackle the theme, and her twists are original. The eye on the affluent Creole society and the character development are superb.

I read this book in high school and had the opportunity to read it in a women's literature course in college last summer. The Awakening is by far one of the best books I have ever read and I have read hundreds of novels. I truly believe that most every woman can see part of herself in Edna Pontellier. Out of the thousands of significant women characters that have been depicted in novels, Edna is certainly one of the most complex as well as realistic. Her emotions were raw, REAL, and completely unabashed and honest. Chopin included so many "tabboo" topics, including lesbianism. I can read this book over and over and still never get tored of reading it. I will always see Edna as a woman who wanted to come to grips with her own sexuality and independence. Although I did see her as selfish, I ultimately realized that she felt trapped in a society that stressed women as being the nurturers and taking care of their husbands and children...they could not dream or fufill the dreams that they had. Edna desperately wanted to cross this boundary that was set upon her society during that time. The ending was so emotional to me personally that I never fail to cry every time I read it. This book is incredibly emotional and original. Chopin realized that women should not have limits. It is just sad that society during Chopin's time did not think that women should have any other choices.

Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of Kate Chopin's "The Awakening," lives in New Orleans in the 1890's. She seems to have it all--two lovely children, physical beauty, an extremely comfortable lifestyle, and good social standing. However, one summer, Edna experiences the aforementioned "awakening," and she realizes that her life is vapid and devoid of meaning. She is a trophy wife who has no real connection to her husband. She loves her children, but she is not extremely involved with them. Who is Edna? What does she want? She wants to experience life to the fullest, without constraint. She wants personal freedom, without the need to conform to the social mores of her day. However, she does not want to harm her children while seeking her own personal fulfillment. Edna's torment leads to a deep depression. The reason that this book has attracted so much attention is that it was written a century ago, long before women had heard of "liberation". Chopin's writing is eloquent and moving. She describes Edna's agony in a way that is surprisingly modern. Although it is difficult to sympathize with a woman who is not mired in poverty and who has a great deal to be thankful for, I understand that she feels stifled by a lifestyle that does not suit her. It is astonishing that a woman, writing in the 1890's, would articulate this radical viewpoint. She must have received a great deal of criticism at the time. This book does have some flaws. Some of the key characters are not fully fleshed out. Robert, Edna's close friend, is a handsome and affectionate companion, but little more. Mr. Pontellier, Edna's husband, is an insensitive lout, who treats his wife in the way that he would treat a pet. These caricatures weaken the book. I get the feeling that Chopin is so anxious to convey her "message" that she feels the need to stereotype the men in Edna's life. However, "The Awakening" is a book that articulates a viewpoint that is way ahead of its time, and for that alone, it is worth reading.

A century ago Kate Chopin shocked the literary establishment and the world of Creole society with her controversial short novel: she dared challenge the rigid rules of Victorian America in 190 pages. THE AWAKENING is perfect for a classroom discussion on emerging Feminism or for Women's Studies in general. One hundred years later this book still promotes heated debate among readers, for it can be considered on various levels. Chopin's style is deliberately ambiguous at times--leaving readers with many unanswered questions.
Set in Creole America (New Orleans and the steamy Gulf Coast waters), this tale appears simplistic on the surface, dabbling along with little discernable advancement of plot. But do not be deceived by the apparently calm surface, for beneath the lazy days and lifestyle of the idle rich lurk hidden currents of treacherous temptation, as a young woman comes of Emotional age and resents her caged existence.
While vacationing with other members of New Orleans Society on Grand Isle, Enda Pontellier feels the faint stirrings of her own sexuality, chafing in her prescribed role as obedient wife and devoted mother. There must be more to life than just this vaapid stagnation of the soul. Her attraction for a perennial beach beau--assumed harmless by all husbands--leads her to desire more from life. The men may be portrayed as stereotypes, but Edna emerges as a sensuous and intelligent young woman who attemps to deal with her frustrations. Yet as she struggles to become a woman, she often surrenders her will, seemingly content to float with the fluctuating tides of fate and chance. No longer satisfied to serve as a mere ornament in a casual marriage, Edna sacrifices her reputation, her family and even more--to prove to herself and one other that she does possess the courage to be an "artist." But does the cost prove too great?

The first time i read Ellen Gilchrist, i was taken aback by the notion that a mother could find her own children boring. Granted, i was very naive when i read that. I was mostly drawing from what i had seen as a daughter. For my mother, motherhood is an all-consuming experience, which eclipses any other aspect of her life. So it is no wonder that to hear Ellen Gilchrist utter such unbelievable statements sent me for a loop.

Then i became less naive, and realized that there are many nations when it comes to female roles. If in the 90s i was scandalized by a literature mother with little maternal instinct, i can only imagine the turmoil that The Awakening might have caused a hundred years before. And probably motherhood was the least of the issues people had with this book. Edna Pontellier finds herself, at 28, lost and unfulfilled. She is married, has two small boys, but yearns for something more. She becomes infatuated with a younger man, Robert, whom she meets during vacation. This novel does not have a happy ending.

The copy i have has a quote right on the front cover: "Speaks to me as pertinently as any fiction published this year or last." I agree with Linda Wolfe. Although the scenery is different, the customs and manners long past, the core of this book is still true and valid. The only caveat is that in today's age even the most traditional of women have a million more options than the most progressive of 100 years ago. You do realize how far we have gone as women, and what a raw deal our great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers have had to endure for generations on end. Hooray to Kate Chopin for having the guts to tell it like it was (and is for some unfortunate souls).

Kate Chopin: "The Awakening"

"Awakening" (In Chopin C. "Awakening and Other Stories" Random House, New York, NY: 2000) involves issues of feminism whereby Edna Pontellier, the center of the American Creole/New Orleans story, often and perplexingly reflects on her role of mother-of-two who is married to a well-off and often traveling (for business or pleasure) brokerage-business husband (Leonce Pontellier). The community views Leonce as the epitome of the ideal husband, for Leonce greatly adores and provides for wife and children, he is quite consistently concerned about the welfare and happiness of his household. Yet Edna does not look at Leonce as her choice of husband, she says their marriage was accidental, that as she was growing up there are particular men that came around her that she would have wished to take her hand. Leonce is disciplined, insistent and low-toned, often dissatisfied about Edna's attention to the children and other household issues, more so because he is often away on business and Edna has a lot of help, Leonce sometimes causes Edna to walk off and cry. Perhaps Edna was the precursor of the modern era American woman...one who is prevalently independent (or at least longs to be), one who has more power in making decisions about what she prefers, one whose identity is not predominantly defined by wealth, looks, family, husband, or children. In her state of psychological disillusionment ("An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with vague anguish" [179]), Edna's love for the two boys she gave birth to is uncharacteristically distant, the mother's instinct seemingly weak, the kids have more fondness for their father. "If one of the little Pontellier boys took a tumble whilst at play, he was not apt to rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort....Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman..." (181). The author Chopin hence paints a picture of a soul plagued by a mixture of feminist and psychological issues. It is to be remembered, that even in this age of feminist liberation, providing men who love and care for their wives and children are still held in high esteem and are still in high demand. Chopin implicitly displays that female emancipation and longing can be of numerous forms. Further, Chopin often compares and contrasts main characters in terms of their beauty and body textures/ forms, illustrating that this issue has been strong in the United States for centuries. "[Edna] was rather handsome than beautiful...face...captivating by reason of a certain frankness of expression and a contradictory subtle play of features" (174). Chopin writes of Edna's companion and friend Adele Rattignolle (as somewhat contrasted with Edna) that, "...her beauty was all there, flaming and apparent...two lips that pouted...the grace of every step, pose, gesture... (182). Many writers have noted that Kate Chopin was not a suffragist and did not join any feminist movements; and indeed, many feminist writers reduce the value of the esthetic features and comparisons of women, aspects that can remind of Hollywood vagueness.

Eventually, Edna wants to leave her family big house and settle "...in a four-room house along the corner" (294). A woman who had great difficulty at learning how to swim, one who is still sophomoric at it, Edna will ultimately find disturbing comfort in introspectively walking alone to the sea, in taking off all her clothing, reflecting on her life and swim into and allow herself to be swallowed by the sea, a fatal blow to the self-possession and psychological emancipation that she sought. Edna was born a reserved child, she was miserable and felt stifled, her marriage and sketches did not reach the standards she wanted them, there was something lacking in her "ideal, loving family; her comfort and big house," the lustful affair with the lad Robert the conspicuous and philandering son of Madame Lebrun the property owner was full of gaping holes and would not last. Edna did not fit in the conventional mode of the beginning of the 20th Century American dream woman. She instead provides a window into what the woman, over the numerous decades to come, would perhaps evolve into as the individualist and the emancipated female.

In "Awakening," Edna Pontellier is supposed to be one of the most fortunate women in the world. She has a present, fidel, hardworking and earning, capable, loving husband, who sired with her two male kids, she does not have to go outside of home to work. Yet, she is dissatisfied with her status quo, a rich homely situation that many women crave to be in. The narrator is telling us that women are complex persons, each of individual personality, one size does not fit all; needs and interests, and ambitions of each woman vary. Edna is horrifyingly distant from the two boys she gave birth to. "If one of the little Pontellier boys took a tumble whilst at play, he was not apt to rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort....Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman..." (181). But indeed women (and female animals) have been known to neglect and even kill their children, reasons for which vary from psychological to dislike for tending to offspring. Women have been known to chase down and drown their children in bathtubs (Andrea PiaYates, in 2002, drowned all five offspring in a bathtub; she has had a history of post-partum depression and psychosis), or let a car-ful of their children roll into a river and get them drowned (Susan Smith, in 1994 did this to her two sons). Edna Pontellier had two sons, she drowns herself in the end. Women have been known to leave their enviable husbands and children in a comfortable life, and fall for a top-notch criminal who is locked up in prison. Edna mentions wanting to leave her comfortable home and enviable family, and living in a smaller habitation down the street "...in a four-room house along the corner" (294). Post-partum depression has been mentioned about women, and in Edna's case it seems to have become indefinite. Many women, even in the contemporary times long for biological or at least adoptive motherhood. Still, there are those who opine their biologically begeting children as one of the most unfair ways a woman is exploited as a painstaking residence of a baby during gestation. Human gestation is a trying experience, compared to that of most other species (consider squirrels and rabbits). Human fetuses comparaatively have many defects, miscarriages are common. At the same time it is a man who shoots the fertilizing sperm into the woman; he acheives orgasm easily and does not have the burden of carrying the child to chilbirth and keeping a sleep-ridden eye on the child. The fathers of the child sometimes wander away, abandoning their offspring. Edna portrays that a woman can want much more than a family of children and a husband, perhaps she was a lesbian who had not discovered herself as one. She was at least discontented with her husband Leonce who comes off as conventional, disciplined, and inflexible. This dicontentment is understandable...it happens. But why the distance from her offspring, and then the lustful interest in the young man Robert, eventually adultery? Edna will always be an enigma! Perhaps Edna suffered from multiple-personality disorder, something psychological irked her. Perhaps she longed to be the independent free woman, one who had the freedom to love or have sex with her choice of person, the precursor of the 20th and 21st Century independent and upstanding woman free to express her sexuality and stick to her preferences. Edna, many times in subtle ways, brings forth into question, feminism in the context of individuality, sexuality, marriage, freedom and choice, reproduction and child-rearing, spousal attachment and power, and the context and role of marriage in a woman's life. Edna brings it out that each female is of unique individuality, of personal talent and likes that beg to be fully uncovered so she need not be comfortable with how society compartmentalizes women, more so as wives, mothers, home-makers, and as cherished articles of beauty and ownership.

The protagonist of this excellent novel is commonly seen as a victim of the repression and hopelessness of women's desires for autonomy in middle-class American society around the end of the 19th century. This view is easily justifiable, and Chopin does give the reader plenty of pointers toward this interpretation.
But a different and also arguable view is that Edna Pontellier is not so much a victim, but rather a failure. Just what is her problem? Her husband is well off and considerate. He married her for love, and now finds himself with a wife whom he "meet[s] in the morning at the breakfast table." He tells her about his day and she doesn't listen. She's popular among her social set. She has plenty of servants. Even when she unilaterally declares her independence, dropping her social life, neglecting the children and the household, brusquely telling her husband "Let me alone, you bother me" and apparently denying him the pleasures of the marriage bed, he tolerates and indulges her in an even-tempered manner, merely asking for but not even insisting that she manage the household better. She then moves into her own house, leaving her husband behind, and he tolerates that too.
Whatever her problems, what is her program? She lives on fantasies of unrequited love; she lacks empathy for others (including her children); she's egoistic to a fine point. She acts on impulse; her desires are vague. She comes to know what she does not want - to belong to any man - but cannot formulate or pursue what she does want beyond incoherent, fanciful and impractical fragments. She won't pay her dues as wife and mother - even though those dues are very light. She realizes that she doesn't want to belong to any man, and she hasn't the courage to be alone. She takes some steps to change her life, has some partial success, but when she's rejected by Lebrun, the younger man who is too honorable to have an affair with a married woman (whom she has already realized she doesn't want either) she just quits. She's a malcontent without much of a program or much of a spine. The novel's title suggests an irony: Edna wakes up but doesn't know what to do in the world to which she awakens.
Edna's vague desires seem to be for a kind of de-humanized autonomy. Husband, children, friends, society - she experiences all these as constraints. She yearns to re-invent herself, but in a world with no attachments at all. This doesn't exist in life, and so - again without really realizing it - she chooses the only option that will free her from all those clingy attachments - death. At age 28, she gives up. Unable to do anything positive, she commits an act of complete rejection - of everything she has and anything to which she might aspire.
What's going on? If Chopin had wanted to write a simple exposé of woman as victim - the impossibility of a woman's desire for autonomy -- she could have made Edna a bit more gutsy, a bit less dreamy, a bit more positively purposeful. The literature of the time was full of women as victims - Emma Bovary, Anna Karenina, Manon Lescaut, Marguerite Gautier/Violetta Valéry, etc. etc. etc. None of them were half as sappy as Edna Pontellier. Has Chopin deliberately crafted something deeper and more sophisticated than just a screed about how tough it was to be a woman?
And there are still other possible interpretations - for example the very common one of the woman who acts immorally and is punished for it (see most of the heroines mentioned earlier in this note). Chopin has written a complex and ultimately ambiguous story. Is Edna a victim or is she a failure? Is she justly punished or unjustly repressed? Chopin has given us a game of reader's choice, including the richer appreciation that Edna is both a victim and a failure, both repressed by social norms and punished for violating them. Let the reader enjoy!

Today this book is a minor classic of American literature and hailed by feminists all over the country. Many women identify with the main character Edna and her lack of fulfillment with marriage and motherhood. It was this and the theme of adultery in the book that enraged conventional Victorian sensibilities when it was published in 1899, occasioning shock and angry response from book reviewers all over America. The book was even taken off some library shelves and the author was barred from the prominent literary club of which she was a member. All of this caused her humiliation. Unfortunately, author Kate Chopin lived to write only one other novel, and died a few years later.
By today's standard, "Awakening" is a tame portrayal of the "new woman" who struggles to be free of traditional fetters, traditional roles, to be her own individual, a woman longing to satisfy her hidden dreams and forbidden romantic passions.
David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Chalk off another classic that I expected I might like much more than I actually did!

Edna Pontellier came across like a woman who was totally "self-absorbed" more than an early 'feminist' in the truest sense.

Her husband observes "He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, evinced so little interest in things which concerned him, and valued so little his conversation."

She valued so little...even her children, that I couldn't find any sympathy for Ms Edna Pontellier or her longing for passion than eluded her because she didn't seem capable of giving of herself in truth to anyone.

But the writing was rather engaging in places and so I gave it 3 stars instead of 2.

Wow! This book was assigned for our sophmore class as a companion to Jane Eyre, which we had just finished. The class as a whole liked Jane Eyre because not only is it brimming with metaphors, it is also entertaining. I eagerly started The Awakening anticipating a vivid, inviting story; however, the story was far from entertaining. The plot seemed contrived and the charecters, exaggerated. After finishing the book though, I understood why the book was my teachers favorite. I understood why I felt the characters to be contrived; it was because I didn't want to believe that the story was true. I didn't want to believe that the protagonist's plight was imaginable. The pieces started to fit, and I realized what a tour de force the book was. This was the same reason that critics lambasted the book in its initial release, and even forced Chopin to repudiate her book. They saw it as a personal attack on society and therefore themselves (which it is). They didn't want to believe, much like I did... But once you see....

Classic novel about human authenticity and freedom. Edna finds herself living a life shaped entirely by familial and social expectations of her as a woman, wife, and mother. But beginning with listening to a musician play the piano, she awakens to her true self and begins to branch out to achieve independence. But even autonomy turns out to be complicated and confusing, and the distinction between giving up one's life versus giving up one's self becomes crucial. This is a work ahead of its time and a key work in both pre-existentialist fiction and feminist literature.

I can see why this is described as an early feminist work, however I did not see this excellent book in this light, no doubt due to being male. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel for the quality of the writing, the excellent characterization, the period and the setting. However I found myself impatient at the slow pace of the heroines activity or should I say inactivity in moving toward her goals. To me this is the tale of someone who for the times in which she lived had everthing that was available to her but was unable to achieve satisfaction. In the story the heroine wants to reject even her children to achieve another life she is unable to define, she is confused and frustrated with tragic consequences. To my mind her sex is not the crux of the novel, the complexities of life and how individuals achieve or cannot achieve self fulfillment regardless of gender are the subject explored. Well worth reading regardless of your interpretation.

I know, I know. It's been heralded again and again as one of the best books of the century. But as literature, I find it problematic.
Historically, it is a landmark. It is a woman writing clearly, honestly, and powerfully about women's identity in a time when that wasn't only NOT the fad it's become, but it just wasn't done. So it gets major kudos for that, for being a fresh voice a hundred years ago and still having some relevance today. Few books can do that.
But as literature, it's problematic. The spirituality of Edna's awakening is often way heavy-handed. The journey of discovery she takes is simple -- maybe oversimple(Her husband and children conveniently go away at just the appropriate moment for her continued growth.) And philosophically, it throws grand hints at things without ever coming down on anything. The ending, besides being just plain too fast, is either poignant or disappointing. I felt unsatisfied.
If you want a historical landmark, read this. If you want a more honest female journey novel, read Zora Neal Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" if you want better philosophy/literature, read Camus.
Two stars for bravery and boldness. There are a lot worse books out there.

I want to give this book more stars than three, because the writing is so incredible. My daughter and I read read this together for her literature class. She got tired of me exclaiming about how beautifully the author had described emotions, ocean breezes, etc.

That being said, I couldn't like the story, because of the mother's selfishness. I always find it unnatural when a mother seems to have little or no feeling for her children. Chopin does a beautiful job of describing a woman's desire to be more than wife and mother, but I could not sympathize with her heroine.

Striking an inadvertant blow for personal independence, Edna Pontellier is a wealthy New Orleans housewife who is unhappy with the physical and emotional constraints placed upon her by 19th century civilization. Unlike most other fictional heroines of the day, Edna isn't rescued by a handsome stranger; instead, she virtually abandons husband and children to seek her own bliss. Sure, there's another man in the picture--men actually, but Chopin's startlingly vivid prose is not employed for pat endings. Carried away by her own internal music and by the sea itself, Edna begins to live life on her own terms.
The book was squashed by male critics of the time because of its positively racy subject matter. A St. Louis reviewer even went so far as to label it unhealthy. Sadly, the infamy marked the end of the author's brief career. Rediscovered only in the last twenty or thirty years, Chopin's brand of vivid lyricism and captivating imagery is not to be missed.

Edna Potellier is a women who thinks of her self as an autonomous human being. She lives on an island called Grand Isle. She is a wife and a mom. One day an upper-class Creole family came on vacation. She ran into a young man named Robert. Slowly the two fall in love. One day they decided to swim to another island. After a while she fell asleep, when she woke up Robert was gon. She was sad and she moved to New Orleans. She tried to look for Robert, but he wasn't there. So she went to a racetrack to bet on horses. She ran into another young man named Arobin. They fell in love, so they slept together. She heard that Robert was going to return. The next day she went to go see him, but he was not there. She felt lonely. At the end she drownes her self for love.

My favorite part in the book is when she meats Arobin. I like this part because she felt lonely and her husaband or boyfriend weren't there to comfort her. Then came Arobin and she felt wonderfull. I also felt happy for her because she had someone to talk to. The reltionship got out of control and that was the bad part.But I believe that this is the best part in the book.

I found this book at my cousin's house. He told me it was a great book for me. My friends also read this book. Some said it was good while others said it was bad. So then I ...read some of the book reviews that were really helpful. This is how I got introduced to this book. I recomend this book if you are the type of person that like up and down parts to books. For example someoneone's happy and they die.That is up and down parts to books.

The Awakening is a short, well-written novel by Kate Chopin that delves into the "oh my G-d! I'm married! I have kids! Now how did THAT happen?!?!"-type of trauma many women probably feel from time to time. By today's standard the story isn't terribly original, and the subject matter has been better addressed in more current novels. But The Awakening was the first.
While Kate Chopin handles the subject matter with sensitivity, her writing style is a bit ... prosaic. I can understand why other reviewers feel The Awakening is only useful as a sedative, which is unfortunate. Sticking with this (brief) novel through its mid-point is rewarding; the last half, while still slow paced, is quite interesting as our poor housewife tries to come to terms with her mid-life crisis. And The Awakening has a most surprising and moving conclusion.
So The Awakening has aged rather well these past 100 years. And even a guy (like me) can appreciate the somewhat feminist subject matter. Worth a look.

Saralee says
The Awakening is a part of many required reading lists and is also a fashionable choice for book club discussions. Why is this novel that was written more than 100 years ago relevant today?
During the 1890s, if you were a part of the well to do Creoles of New Orleans you spent your summers at Grand Isle - a resort for those who could afford it. Edna Pontellier is there with her husband, their children and their servants. As the story opens, Pontellier is on the beach with Robert Lebrun and her husband is deciding whether to dine with his family or if it would be more socially beneficial for him to spend the evening at his club. We soon learn that appearances and social position are what matters most to Pontellier's husband and as long as she abides by those rules, she will get along just fine. When she decides not to abide by the rules, the story becomes interesting and the book significant.
Kate Chopin was one of the first to write about women outside of their mandated roles as satisfied domestic companions. She boldly wrote about what a woman feels like who discovers sexuality and independence and it was courageous for her to write this book. Pontellier was raised as a Presbyterian in Kentucky and it was on a whim that she married her husband who was part of the Creole Catholic establishment. Her character enjoyed taking risks but was heartbroken with the consequences.
What did you think about Pontellier's relationship with her children? Was she selfish or bold by putting her needs first? What do you think she did that offended society most? At what age should someone read this book? How did you feel about Pontellier's last act of defiance? Did her character win or lose? Why did this book end Chopin's promising career as a writer? I recommend reading a text of The Awakening that includes both the context and criticism. The context will help you understand what all of the French phrases mean and also explain Creole society and the background in which the story takes place.
Larry's language
The Awakening is all about Edna Pontellier and her moral, sensual and personal growth and development. This 1899 novel by Kate Chopin is very modern in its tone and in its honest treatment of human feelings and emotions. While proper society in the 1890s was still very Victorian in its outlook and pronouncements, its citizens were human to the core, as Pontellier demonstrates.
She is trapped in a dull marriage in New Orleans in a social climbing, status seeking family where - instead of summering in the Hamptons or a mountain retreat - she and her husband and their servants vacation at Grand Isle. Like a good husband in that society, he leaves Pontellier each week to return to the city to make money. While he is gone, she enjoys the company of the other families in a social setting where rigid rules govern the proper behavior and emotions that may be expressed regardless of true feelings.
Pontellier's social rules instead are far more like a modern country club environment where certain manners are demanded, at least in public, until the lights are low, drinks are flowing or the spouses are absent. For Pontellier, these rules rapidly give way to her expression of her inner desires and thoughts.
What are the boundaries for an individual and for a society in the expression of personal desires? Was Pontellier only lusting in her heart or did she actually sin? Morally, is there a difference? Do you think modern authors like Erica Jong or John Updike treat sensuality and marital rules differently than Chopin?
This was a shocking novel in 1899 but today Pontellier's turmoil and dilemma would be neither unusual nor frightening and perhaps that is why modern man and woman usually succeed in handling these situations in a far better way than Pontellier.

Kate Chopin's long-forgotten novel about a respectable married woman coming to grips with her own desires and her own sense of self is well worth a reading, although Chopin's short stories are perhaps more entertaining from a modern viewpoint. Almost an American "Madame Bovary", " The Awakening" sets the plight of Chopin's hapless heroine against the colorful details of late 19th Century New Orleans, skillfully interweaving Chopin's recurring theme of the tensions between the traditional Creole way of life and the more aggressive American culture. The author's themes of boredom, lack of fulfillment, and our often slow realization of our own personalities and limitations are touching and effective in their presentation. All in all, a moving and undervalued work by a significant American Woman author. (Those who seek to draw moral judgments on plot ideas such as adultery, lying, etc. probably shouldn't be reading fiction anyway. As it is concerned with human emotion and human frailty, the more morally judgmental among us might be better off sticking to non-fiction.)

I have been going through many of the classics on my commute to work by listening to audio books. I have thoroughly enjoyed most, but this one did not capture my interest.

The story itself was well written and did a good job exploring a character with problems. That is common in literature, but I couldn't connect with most of the characters in the book. I was glad it was short or I may not have finished it. I have a tendency to like books that I learn principles from or at least learn to relate to peoples weaknesses and I came away with having neither happen to me.

The reader did a good job and she differentiated between the characters well. It could tell who was talking just by how she read. That is something that is important to me in an audio book.

A century after the publication of Kate Chopin's novel, its themes -- a woman's awakening to the full potential of her sexual passion and her sense of being smothered by marriage and motherhood -- have become the staple ingredients of 'chick lit'. It is thus easy to overlook how revolutionary and shocking the events and ideas of this story must have seemed at the time. Then, the book was banned from public libraries; now, it is required reading in public schools.
In many ways, both in theme and treatment, it resembles "Madame Bovary". Although Chopin lacks Flaubert's scope and breadth of vision, she reaches deeper into the soul of her heroine. Her style is restrained and elegant and some modern readers, accustomed to a pacier and more explicit treatment, may grow impatient at times. But there is beautiful writing here, embodying rich characterizations, strong evocations of time and place and thought-provoking moral ambiguity. An undoubted masterpiece.

This book has become a feminist lit classic for a reason. It follows the story of Edna, a woman living in Louisiana and married to a Creole, through the span of a little less than a year. In that time, she experiences the "awakening" the title tells about--falls in love (not with her husband), leaves her home and family, and discovers her calling as an artist. On that level, the book works.

But as an actual *story*, well, not so much. Frankly, I found Edna less than sympathetic, especially in her actions towards her children. The ending is abrupt--I won't give it away--and a huge let down after the rest of the book. In essence, the book is building up to...nothing.

All in all, worth reading--but mainly so you can say you've read it. It's good, but nothing special. I read My Antonia around the same time as this, and I much prefered My Antonia. They are sort of similar, so if The Awakening sounds like something you might like but you aren't sure, try My Antonia instead.

I have always heard Chopin praised as a writer, and The Awakening touted as one of the first truly feminist works. Her writing style is unique. It's spare and detached. I neither liked or disliked the characters, and I believe Chopin meant us to read her book that way. It was a strange experience considering the plot. Her description are beautiful, her word choice excellent. How else could we feel we so understand her characters, while not feeling anything FOR them?
That's not completely true, though. I did become fond of Robert, and definitely came to dislike the main character, Edna. Totally self-absorbed, showing herself to be without any self discipline or control, Edna's 'awakening' took place with no concern for others. She freely admitted that she only cared for herself. That's one reason I can't think of this as a book on feminism, unless you use that term to mean women doing whatever they feel like at any given moment, however much they may damage others.
Don't let that make you think I felt The Awakening was a waste of time. The style alone makes it worth reading for those who don't only care only about plot. The simplicity of the relatively short book is an interesting contrast with all that goes on inside. Just don't go into it thinking you're opening a typical novel, and perhaps you won't be disappointed.

Chopin did a pretty brilliant job at intentionally creating such a jarringly ambiguous book. Everyone knows, spoileralert, that Edna Our Heroine swims out into the open, freezing waters of the sea, (more than likely) drowning herself in the Awakening's last lines, but is Edna's choice a strong one or weak? is she a courageous hero, savior to her family--her children and their reputation especially--or a pusillanimous yellow-bellied adulteress, wrongly breaking against the grain of her community's strongly Christian traditions and values? Kate Chopin, a traditionalist herself who most definitely would lean towards the latter interpretation, was gracious enough to say "screw that" and create a great piece of literature that could at any second be interpreted both ways. Chopin did a grand-swell job in creating each character. Well, except maybe Edna's purposely-neglected children and this Arobin fellah--a supposed playboy. I don't know who he thinks he is, but his appearance was an embarrassment. How any young women who aren't damaged and in a particularly vulnerable mindset as Edna was after Robert's running away to Mexico fall for his nice guy clingy i-love-you-please-please-please-love-me-back-please?-i-refuse-to-leave-until-you-please-say-you-love-me?!?!? baloney I'll never know.

So anyway Kate Chopin ain't for me. I was bored. Like, really, really bored. Most of it just felt so darned unremarkable and uninteresting, at least if you're choosing to ignore the historical context like myself, and the symbolism and foreshadowing with the ocean and the doves and c. was heavy-handed(--IMO). (I'll concede that the ending was beautifully crafted and was a joy to read--and not just because it was the end.) Since the teacher of the lit. class I read this for surprisingly does not include teaching among his great passions, the '91 film adaptation was played in place of any serious discussion. I caught only bits and pieces of the last 20 minutes because I was too busy reading As I Lay Dying and being a Cool Person in a lone dark corner, and, beyond the awesome and gratuitous display of tatties, it was awful awful awful.

60%

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The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude, to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.
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[Written November 2009 for LibraryThing. Since I've grown attached to this type of story more recently, I wouldn't mind revisiting the Awakening sometime, see if I can get more out of it than I did back in '09.]

Still a good book even the second time reading it.
One of the original books about a woman realizing she can be her own self. Realizing that she is not a possession of her husband. Realizing that "she would give up the unessential but she would never sacrifice herself for her children."

This small volume reads like a lazy afternoon on a balmy day in the Big Easy. This is the story of a young woman, Edna, married, with two small boys, who begins to sense an unfolding yearning within herself, which she is unsure how to fulfill. When the book was written in 1899, it was considered scandalous and avant-garde, garnering scathing reviews. By today's standards it is slow and undulating, barely shocking, and somewhat slow paced, considering what Edna undertakes as she tries to reconcile her longings with social convention. This book takes one back to an era when literature relied on style, language and imagery to provoke a reader. It is a tight psychological journey, which may leave you thoughtful rather than breathless.

The Awakening, originally titled A Solitary Soul, is one of the most classic examples of the books of liberation. First published at the end of the 1890s, depicts the life of an American woman named Edna married and socialized among a circle of Creoles (immigrants of the French ancestry). Every summer, her family and the Creoles go on vacation to an island. This one particular summer, Edna falls in love with a young creole named Robert. This agonizing love affair between a married woman and a younger man propelled Edna to a series of self liberation. Kate Chopin throws in the idea of "the desire of the unabtainable", such as a nun would be a subject of desire, namely the more unreachable the more desirable. Edna, a married woman, is in this book, the unabtainable. Another issue about this book, which Chopin was very severly criticized (well.. it was the 1890s afterall, but the book was revived with acclaim in the 1950s during the woman's movement) was feminism. Edna says in the book the she will do anything for her children but she will not sacrifice herself...
However, the biggest controversy is the ending. Whether it is another awakening or something else (you should decide it for yourself), I think the book should have gone with its original title- A Solitary Soul.

The original title of this story was "A Solitary Soul" and that is where we miss Edna's "Awakening" if we aren't careful. Is this a feminist manifesto, or something about a certain kind of person? What is solitude, and what happens when a woman has only so many choices?
This text is probably one of the first of the Women's Studies "awakenings" and as such, is itself an important artifact of feminist theory. The story itself is sometimes rich and poetic and sometimes frustrating as you can get. Why does a woman's choice (in the Victorian setting) only amount to such limited options? Why can't Edna live in the world she wishes?
There are some who claim that this book was banned in its author's home-town library-- if you want to know why, you'll have to read it yourself.

This is one of those books that benefits from a second read at a more mature age. In my case, this book was required reading when I was in high school, and it left a strong impression on me--though at the time there was much in the novel that I simply was not capable of understanding. I remember as a youth feeling deeply disappointed in the Robert character and feeling so sad for Edna. Now, I am 35 years old and married with 2 boys. At this time in my life, I have a lot in my world that makes me better able to relate to Edna. Edna feels trapped and stifled by a family life that was ill-chosen by her younger self. She finds difficulty reconciling her lack of motherly warmth to what is expected of her as a good Creole wife. On the one hand, she is awakening to herself and her passions. On the other hand, it is too late. Edna has not been given the capacity to make good choices for herself to positively direct those passions, because she was raised in a time when passion and feminine longing were considered taboo or symptoms of insanity (sadly, for many in our society, this taboo remains). Divorce was not a viable option in this time and place for a woman like Edna. This book captures a time that was--Edna awakens to her passion, herself, and the world as it is, and realizes that she has no logical place in it. It is a world that provides only one option for feminine happiness, the sort that Adele Ratignole has obtained--which (it should be noted) holds no appeal to Edna. The value of reading this novel in our modern age is that we can appreciate that our society, with its many flaws, at least holds options for women who do not aspire to the role of mother or wife. For me, my youthful disappointment in Robert was completely unfounded. He is, in fact, the only character who sees the world as it is and realizes that he will further damage Edna by staying. He is, sadly, also too late; she is already irreparably damaged. This topic is one that should continue to be explored by women writers, lest we further isolate women with unbalanced illusions of idyllic connubial bliss. It is one that I will continue to explore in my writing.

Can you imagine the impact this book must have had when it was first published in 1899? So scandalous! And it still has the power to make its readers eyes grow wide.
My only complaints are that the ending was unrealistic. (Of course, it fit the BOOK completely---it just wasn't practical.) I also think the portrayal of Edna as a nonchalant mother (as opposed to a nurturing mother) was unfair. Chopin wanted readers to view Edna as a victim, and when Edna turned around and neglected her own children...that didn't help our sympathy for her. ...Yet surely we readers realized this was a woman who was too oppressed and stifled to know what to do with herself.
Anyway, before I forget, a word of caution: HAVE A DICTIONARY NEARBY!! WHOA! Chopin was obviously VERY intelligent, along with being ahead of her time. Vocab. word after vocab. word, I tell ya.
Overall, the reader feels pity for practically every character. But it's not such a melancholy atmosphere that would make one want to stop reading it; it's merely proof that Chopin can weave a web of believable characters struggling with believable circumstances.
I would voice one more disappointment, though, if it wouldn't serve as a spoiler. ...Um, I think I was hoping that Edna would betray her husband a little more than she did...succumb to temptation a bit more...because I was rooting for her! I was sympathizing with her, and I thought she should get what she has longed for. But no such luck. Her conscience probably prevented something from going too far. Rats.
This is a sophisticated read laced with French phrases and lengthy paragraphs, but worth your while.

Despite all the bad-mouthing this book has recieved from other the store reviews, I believe this is a wonderful story about finding and being yourself. Everybody can identify with the struggle to be yourself and this is what Edna was striving to do. She should be applauded for having the courage to defy the limits placed on her by society and be herself. I read this book for a school assignment and I love it. I especially love the part that goes "What he didn't realize was that she was becoming more and more herself every day, casting aside the ficticious self that we all create as a shield around us" (or something like that). How true that is - we all build 'ficticious selfs' to protect us and one can identify with Edna's struggle to disband/destroy that shield and let her true person shine. I do not believe that she was selfish, I believe that others were selfish in not treating her more like a person and equal. This book that was written 100 years ago can still be identified with in the 21st century! A great read, but only if you are willing to really look beyond the immediately apparent/obvious and really try to understand what the book is about. Otherwise you will not gain the benefit and true message from reading it, as many other reviewers for this site have failed to do.

This novel of Kate Chopin's is based loosely on the (possibly) true story of a women who was infamous in New Orleans when Chopin lived there. Yet despite the truth of the story and its message, society rejected Chopin following the publication of The Awakening. This short novel is not about adultery, or glorifying suicide. It is a powerful statement about the power that people, and especially in Chopin's time, women, have to control their lives.

Chopin develops the character of Edna Pointellier to demonstrate the ways that even those who seem as though they should be happy do not fit into the place assigned them by society. Throughout the book, Edna Pointellier is contrasted with Madame Ragnitolle, a woman who is naturally suited to the role of wife and mother. This novel is a reminder that there is no one life which can fit all people, whether the life of a mother or an artist or a working woman. People must be free to make their own choices. In many ways, that message is as revolutionary today as it was a century ago.

On the cover page the following sentence caught my eye: "Written nearly one hundred years ago, THE AWAKENING is the compelling story of an extraordinary modern woman struggling against the constraints of marriage and motherhood, and slowly discovering the power of her own sexuality" (Avon Books). And truthfully, yes, that does sum everything up into a nice tidy bow. The novel is primarily about Edna Pontellier a woman in a loveless marriage. Edna wakes up from her half dead sleep once she embraces the emotions she didn't know she could even express. Edna embodies the classic tale of Phoenix: she is completely reborn.

The courage Chopin possessed to write this one hundred years ago is extraordinary. This is a feminist novel without being negative towards men. More than that, she explores feminine psyche in such a way that this novel could have been written in our time. But clearly, as the introductory page indicates, it was written nearly (now over) one hundred years ago. I can see why it was banned from libraries and schools. Edna, our protagonist, stands out from the rest of the Creole characters. Unlike the other women, she is not particularly attached to her children. She loves them of course, but she doesn't dote on them as the mothers (like Madame Ratignolle), nor does she seem to believe that the world revolves around her husband. On the contrary, Edna feels a longing she cannot explain. A belief that there is something more out there than just this. Psychologically this reminds me extensively of "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Everyone else is so quick to diagnose her without even wanting to listen to what she wants! Though we cannot be for certain (since it is merely implied but not stated), it appears that Edna also displays symptoms of depression.

Edna goes through a complete metamorphosis with her character. Her deconstruction begins by getting over her fear of swimming. There is such a beautiful scene with her swimming in the ocean after a party in the evening, with other people swimming and watching her. She keeps swimming until it frightens her how far she has ventured and she returns elated to her husband (who of course only says she didn't really go that far out). The turning point happens later when Robert (another man) returns with her and wishes her a good night and for the first time in YEARS she "felt pregnant with the first-felt throbbings of desire" (51). It is here that Edna AWAKENS from her half awake-half dead going-through-the-motions life. It is after this scene that her husband and people begin to notice a difference within her.

There are so many memorable scenes in this novel. What I enjoyed the most was seeing Edna's growth as an individual. Instead of doing wifely duties of visiting with her husbands' client's wives, she chose to go to the horse races and gamble (and win). She painted and committed herself to reading more and educating herself. She sold her paintings for money. She bought her own small abode (the pigeon house). She firmly established herself as an independent, career-oriented full person. She loved her children, but felt more at peace when they were gone. There is something to be said about that; not all women, Ms. Chopin may have been saying, should aspire to only be mothers. Why can't women enjoy themselves?

I won't spoil the ending but let me just say that it is very fitting. Even though it is the end of the novel Chopin leaves the readers thinking that Edna's life is just now beginning. Some will disagree, and that's what makes it so powerful. There is an implied ending, but truly we - as only students of literature - will never know for sure.

"The Awakening," while not as controversial or scandalous today as it was when first released, is still relevant to modern life. The protangonist, Edna Pontellier, is a great example of a strong female character. She is not yet thirty, but tied down with the responsibilities and burdens of marriage and motherhood. Mrs. Pontellier must choose between her husband and lover, but - in an ending that will shock you - ultimately chooses neither and sacrifices everything for her independence.
Edna Pontellier's journey from an ideal wife and mother to an independent woman is totally engaging. The characters she ecnounters along the way each have a story to tell, and a set of problems of their own. From the eccentric spinster Mademoiselle Reisz to Edna's baffled husband, each character adds a certain something to the plot. Edna's journey and awakening are not merely emotional, but also physical. She travels from the Gulf of Mexico, with its sultry heat and sandy beaches, to the more refined streets of New Orleans. The author relies heavily on imagery to create Edna's world, and the setting is so realistic and vivid that it practically leaps off the pages.
This novel is a quick, fairly easy read. You probably won't find it shocking or sexy, but it has subtly sensual undertones. It is an excellent examination of adultery, responsibility, the roles of women, and society in general. "The Awakening" is a classic.

I was looking forward to reading this book with an online reading group. Being that this book is over 100 years old, its quite a remarkable book for the era it was wrote in. However now it seems petty and the main character Edna seems selfish and boring.
The story centers around Edna who is trapped in a marriage to a boring man. She pretty much totally ignores her 2 children. Not to give to much away but in the end she moves out of the house she shared with her husband and children so that she could be her own person. She also has infedilities with 2 men she grows close to. When the man she claims to love, says good-bye she can't deal with it. The ending left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt that it was rushed and the author was just looking for a way to end it quickly.
Overall I'm glad that I did read it. I may even read it again one day to see if my views on it change.

The Awakening, though simply written, emphasizes the feminist philosophy to defy conventional stereotypes and attain self fulfillment. Kate Chopin guides readers through a spiritual and physical awakening through the character of Edna Pontellier. Her transformation from a semi conscious housewife to a rebellious and independent woman leaves us feeling empowered.
Edna Pontellier explores her wildest desires through a series of relationships to challenge her lifeless marriage and life as a stay at home mom. Chopin brings readers along on Ednas journey to discover herself and regain her identity that was lost throughout the years. Though the quest is frustrating at times, we as readers find ourselves inadvertently rooting for her to establish meaning out of her life. We long to experience the love between Edna and Robert; it’s truly exciting and completely forbidden, making us unable, at times, to put the book down.
Chopin develops characters to aid in Ednas self-actualization and create minor side stories within the major plot. Though this wasn’t the most exciting book/ most interesting book I’ve ever read; it’s a classic for a reason, and I’ve learned that Chopin doesn’t rely on major plot twists in order to focus on how the original story will unfold.

When THE AWAKENING was first published at the end of the 19th century, Kate Chopin was roundly criticized for what her critics saw as her attempts to subvert the "normal" order of the male superiority to women. She found it difficult to find a publisher for her future works, and it took a very long time before this book was resurrected by a growing feminist movement that saw in Edna Pontellier a potent symbol of a woman who was willing to pay the ultimate penalty to shed the patriarchal shackles that bound American women.

Edna is a twenty-nine year old woman, married, has children, and in thoroughly conventional, at least at the start. But Chopin uses foreshadowing to indicate that all is not well in the Pontellier household. Her husband is a much older stuffy bear of a man who thinks in a stereotypical fashion that today's feminists would term male chauvinist. When Edna comes in with a sunburn, he looks at her "as one looks at a valuable piece of property." As long as Edna remains valuable in the sense that she maintains her status of subservience, then as far as he is concerned, all is well with her, and by extension, their relationship. As Edna begins to show slight but measurable changes in her personality, it becomes clear that when he married Edna, he married a woman who was normalized to function only in the narrow confines of her immediate surroundings. But change she does in a way that Chopin ironically notes: "He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, evinced so little interest in things which concerned him and valued so little his conversation." Not only does Chopin indicate that Edna is drifting away from her husband but also toward a state of depressive non-existence: "An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish." This anguish becomes increasingly pronounced as she attempts to fill the void with an affair with Robert Lebrun, who says that he has fallen in love with her, but he soon enough takes off to Mexico. When she later questions him why he left and why she was the one to contact him, he replied that he loved her too much to maintain contact with a married woman.

The pivotal point occurs at the end when Edna takes off her clothes and strolls out into the sea and drowns. Her motivation is not clear, possibly because Kate Chopin takes the actions of a woman who had been portrayed as strong-willed enough to leave her husband and children, find suitable accommodations for herself, and aggressively pursue the object of her affections. True, he dumps her with a note, which she uses as the reason for her suicide. Was her death wish the result of a woman who has suddenly turned weak-willed enough to allow her depression to overwhelm her or was Chopin using Edna To Make A Statement about the rights of an oppressed gender? No one has yet devised a suitable motivation but her closing call of death serves to warn us that the complexities of an unfulfilled life, when unaddressed, can lead to tragedy. Edna's exit certainly attests to that.

The book, the awakening, seemed to tell me more of something of our past. I long thought that in that time, when the ideas of a woman being equal was an idea that could never be thought of by women. It has never been spoke of casually that a woman did, even in those time; or especially in those times, thought of living their own life. This book was a light shown on someone realizing the way the world worked, loss, hopelessness and at the same time with this a new found growth of a person. It never seemed to be a statement of Mrs. Poniteller that she wanted to change the way society worked, it was more of an opposition, "if this is the way the world works, then i do not wish to be a part of it." Even in her death; or presumed death, she seemed so noble. I loved this book, it's enlightening, and a bit sad, as there seems to be truely no hope for her dreams. It's definitely worth reading.

I love tales with strong female characters, and Kate Chopin's "The Awakening," is a wonderful tale, set in the late 1800s.
Very well written, detailed descriptions, and intricate characters make for an intriguing read.
I loved it! Recommended read!

This is a classic, long to be remembered.
I liked the book and felt that Chopin's writing
was wonderful, and easy to read. The story
read just as a contemporary novel would read.
The book is about Edna Pontellier a woman with everything.
She has an adoring husband, 2 children, wealth and friends.
Yet she is unhappy and looking for more out of life.
I could not help but believe that Edna had a simple case
of depression. Today a pill would have cured her problems.
Edna was totally self centered, mainly interested in her
art, friends, admirers . Even Edna didn't understand
her feelings. She has no appreciation for the privileged
life she lives. She is probably the first woman to want to
be "her own person,"long long before it was ever dreamed
of as a desire.

A wife and mother has affairs with two opportunists. In 1900? Wow! It's not hard to see why this is not a more well-known classic; one can hardly blame high school teachers or even college professors for being afraid to teach this ahead-of-its-time story.

It's an absorbing character study and psychological novel.

(My high rating is partially based on a prejudice for short, get to the point, literature.)

I read this book for an American literature course that dealt with books that had been banned or censored. While I can clearly see why this book fell into this category (it deals with the liberation of women from male-dominated society), I was not greatly impressed by it.
While Chopin does a fair job of giving details of the thought processes of Edna, one does not become as enlightened or "awakened" as one would hope upon reading this book. The book's ending leads one to feel that there really is no awakening or escape for women from the traps of the rules imposed by the male-dominated society.
Overall, I felt this book was not terrible, but certainly was not remarkable either.

As an author with my first novel in its initial release, I have always been befuddled by the desire of some individuals to ban books. Kate Chopin's THE AWAKENING was not only banned. It was also suppressed for many years. I cannot understand why. THE AWAKENING is a beautifully written book dealing with a woman, Edna Pontellier, and her desire for emancipation. Edna is dissatisfied with her role in her society, and she takes positive steps to change it. While THE AWAKENING may have pushed the envelope for its time, that was no excuse to ban and suppress it. Ms. Chopin was a brilliant writer who found herself silenced because her work was too groundbreaking and brilliant. This novel deserves to be read by everyone--several times.

Note: I do not believe that The Awakening is the sort of novel that relies on plot twists and surprises. It's *how* the story unfolds rather than *what happens* that is important. However, several folks have claimed that they needed a spoiler warning, so here it is: You have been warned.

Kate Chopin wrote this story of female self-actualization back in the late 19th century, but it's as applicable today as it was then. I think we all feel trapped by decisions we've made capriciously or because we've been told they are correct, and we all consider, even briefly, escape. The main character in this novel not only realizes that she has trapped herself, but she actively seeks to free herself. Her action, rather than just emotion and despair (a la Goethe), is what separates her from the herd.

Here's the low-down: Edna is a woman, probably in her 30s or so, married to a successful financier and mother to two charming children. She summers on an island, probably to escape summer diseases in the city, New Orleans. One summer she acquires a friend, Robert. Although married women in this society frequently have male friends, Edna is an outsider, and she takes Robert's attentions far too seriously. Apparently, he is similarly infatuated. Basking in Robert's attention, Edna understands at last that she has discarded her youthful dreams and hopes and that her current life is unfulfilling. She takes small steps toward freeing herself, and Robert seems a willing accomplice for a while.

During the course of the novel, Edna relearns who she is, reclaims the dreams of her youth, and abandons her husband and children. The author is careful with this last, making it seem tragic and irresponsible, yet ultimately unavoidable. By the last 20 pages, Edna is free.

There are, in my opinion, two weakness in the book. The first may be considered a spoiler: toward the end, Edna tells Robert that she is an independent woman now who is not the property of any other person. But she's lying. Her actions show that she is dependent on Robert, needy for his love and attention. I still can't decide if the author created this break between words and behavior on purpose, or if she really intended us to believe that Edna was wholly independent.

The other weakness, riding on the coattails of the first, is that Edna does not take responsibility for her own awakening. She claims that Robert "awoke" her.

Edna does in the end devise a solution that proves her ultimate freedom and independence, and it is the only solution that works. But I won't spoil it by writing it here.

The thing that makes this book so lovely is that it isn't preachy. So many modern girl-power novels just sort of slam you over the head with the girls-first-and-men-suck mantra. This book is about Edna; it doesn't purport to be about all women. It's a very personal work, and the narrative hand is light. It leaves us, the readers, free to recognize the little bits of Edna in us all, and although the rest of us may not ultimately choose Edna's course, it gives us hope that such freedom is possible, even after the fact.

The Awakening, reviled in its own time, is now considered one of the pivotal books of feminist literature. The story concerns 28yo Edna Pontellier, a well-to-do wife and mother in New Orleans' Creole society. Her frustration with the limits placed on her sexual, creative, and artistic leanings lead her to rebel in a way society cannot understand or condone.
The writing style, popular when the book was written a century ago, is more 'telling' than 'showing,' and modern readers may find the reading a bit of a slog these days. But the story, even though the outcome quickly becomes predictable, is compelling enough to keep one reading and reading.
A classic.

I wouldn't have read this book without needing to for my class, but I wasn't completely disappointed. As a book that is influential in the women's movement of the early 1900s, it's not the worst. I really like the short stories by Kate Chopin, but the novel just doesn't seem to go anywhere. The awakening that the main character goes through is not as entertaining as it could have been. Also, it was very controversial during the time that it was written because of the affair that the main character has, but for today's standards it's not as shocking and therefore not as interesting.

From reading the readers' responses, I believe that this classic is still too subtle and complex to be appreciated by most. I consider myself an expert on the subject, having read and reread literally everything Chopin wrote. The most common misconception is that Chopin is holding up Edna as some kind of role model, when it's clear that, although she has many redeemable attributes, Edna is self-absorbed and blinded by her Romanticism. As a sociable widow who by all accounts was a devoted wife and mother, Chopin is a woman who found happiness in her art and in her family--as do Mlle. Reisz and Mme. Ratingolle, respectively.

Chopin is not a moralistic writer; thus, her great novel defies easy categorization. It is a mistake to read the novel as a feminist manifesto. It's an exquisite local color tale that tackles the big questions, without ever being preachy.

Exceptionally well-done audio version. The narrator has a perfect voice for classics, and I really felt she was quite an actress. While many voice actors remove themselves from the material, Berneis becomes Edna Pontellier and makes Chopin's masterpiece come to life.

This book is dear to me not because it is some sort of feminist statement - but because in many ways Edna Pontellier is a role model for all women, both traditional and iconoclastic. One hundred years ago, before women's awakenings were politically correct and expected, Edna did the unexpected. She left a stagnant marriage to follow her ideals, defying a stifling society in the process.
Although this is a more of a novelette than a novel and can be read rather rapidly, I prefer to digest the Awakening slowly - taking in the lush language and scenery. The pure escapism of being transported to 1899 Creole society and New Orleans is enough to entice me back to this book time and time again.

I was skeptical at first about reading this book, but now I question why I ever was. This book fulfills its purpose to entertain the reader without a doubt. Topics of Marital Problems, infidelity, lust, and freedom, kept me turning page after page. The pages revealed to me that there was a little bit of the main character within myself, a longing to be free from everything and answer to no one. "But whatever came, she had resolved never again to belong to another than herself."
I truly enjoyed this book. The author focused more on how the story happened, not what happened, which I really enjoyed. There are some weaknesses within the book however, at one point Edna claims to be something she contradicts the entire way through. Whether the author intentionally did this, or Chopin herself believed Edna independent is beyond me. The book is brilliantly written, the prose makes me wish it could last forever. Chopin's use of words and phrases made me delve deeper and deeper into the pages of this instant classic. I would recommend this book hands down, no questions asked.

This book is labeled a classic most likely because it is considered to be one of the earliest feminist novels. I suspect the message of "The Awakening" may not be as feminist as the feminists would like. It seems to me to have much more to do with the contrast between two cultures, Anglo and Creole, and about the difficult balance between reserve and over-indulgence.

But many consider that it must be a feminist novel, because the main character engages in a profound and courageous assault on the domineering patriarchal establishment: she commits adultery and then kills herself! I know adultery is the darling of the feminist (c.f. "Madam Bovary"), but could it be that neither of these acts are a part of a profound awakening? Could it be that these are the pitiful actions of a weak woman who is unable to experience a true spiritual awakening?

To pity oneself is not the same as to courageously rage against the establishment, especially when the establishment is (like Edna's husband) rather mild and non-oppressive. Nor is suicide inherently profound.

"The Awakening" is an easy read and it makes for a rich study in symbolism. But it is not quite the treasure chest the literary critics have so gleefully mined.

Mrs. Chopin's book definitely still deserves to be called a classic. The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is female and is complex, which is honestly still rare. In most media, the female characters are more shallow than the males. Chopin is also a master of establishing setting; the way she describes places and how she blends French words into the dialogue and narration really give the reader a sense of place.

However, there are problems.

Edna may be complex, but she is despicable. Mainly, the novel is about Edna rebelling against society and connecting with her inner sexuality. What does it mean to rebel against society and find your sexuality in Edna's time? To be a total jerk to your husband and cheat on him with a male model and a boy who helps at your vacation home, of course! I know that women were oppressed in the time this novel was set (1899), but Edna's husband, Leonce Pontellier, is a really nice guy. Sure, he does treat her like a child sometimes, but Edna acts childlike in most of their interactions. Example: Leonce says one of the kids look sick, and, because Edna spends more time with them, he says that she might know a way to make him feel better. Edna's response: Tell her husband he's wrong and cry on the porch.

Chopin makes it hard for us to care about the romance part of the novel because Edna is not only untrue to Leonce by cheating on him with a hotel hand named Robert, she is untrue to Robert by cheating on him with a male model named Arobin. This makes the reader unsure about who Edna really cares about and makes us question if she really cares at all. For the sake of being spoiler-free, I won't tell you who Edna is really in love with, but I will tell you that you will have trouble caring when you find out.

Casual readers may have problems with the writing style---it's not something you'd find in "Harry Potter" or "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." Chopin uses negative sentences that make the book longer than it should be (instead of "That's impossible," think "That was not of possible occurrence"). Chopin also uses the passive voice a lot. If you do not read this style often, you will be confused at first.

Is it worth it? Yes. It most certainly isn't the best classic book, but it is still very good. You can find it at the top of this page, and there are free editions elsewhere on the site if you're willing to do a bit of searching.

I have been required to read this "novel" twice in my lifetime. I absolutely despise it. This is the only book that I have ever thrown away because I didn't feel as if it deserved to be donated. Edna is a selfish woman who feels as if she is alone and unloved. She ignores her children and becomes involved in an affair. The affair turns her against herself and leaves her feeling immoral and tainted.

It's a good lesson on you reap what you sow.

I was given this book as part of an assignment for an advanced literature class. When I picked it up I thought, "Great, a romance novel." However upon reading the first twenty pages I was the one falling in love.
The characters, both major and minor, are real. The complexity of every person that the reader meets is stunning. I found myself imagining where these people lived and how they spent their weekends. When relationships began to develop they had a quality of realism that I had never experienced before. Like a stunning painting the book expresses a feeling and an idea, instead of merely conveying a thought.
This book is amazing. Few writers have ever come so close to uncovering and examining the human soul. Kate Chopin touched it.

The greatness of THE AWAKENING comes not from the pitiful solutions that Edna Pontellier, the protagonist, chooses but from Kate Chopin's portrayal of a woman facing the challenge of awakening to what life often becomes: a sad dilemma with few acceptable options. Chopin shows how lonely a woman's life can be as the woman stops suppressing her feelings and instead allows them to swim to the surface. Most women have varying degrees of Edna's psyche; some of us simply cover it better than the naked Edna does. Most women need to read this haunting poetic novel Jane Riley, author of SOLOMON'S PORCH, THE STORY OF BEN AND ROSE.

Edna Pontellier spends her summers on Grand Isle, a fashionable place for the wealthy. She lives there with her husband and children, in a dull existence with no identity of her own. But something happens to Edna one summer. She grows tired. She practically burst with the feeling that she must live before she dies and that she has yet to really lived at all! She emerges into vibrancy and womanhood only to do the unthinkable in the end.

The story begins with Edna on the beach while her husband, Robert Lebrun, contemplates whether he should spend the evening at his club, which would benefit them socially, or dine with his family. This is the reader's first insight to the importance Mr. LaBrun places on his social standing. It is quickly understood that Edna does not share her husband need for societal gains. The book grows more intriguing as the tension mounts between Edna and her husband. As long as she takes her social duties seriously, he is happy. It is when she chooses to ignore her social obligations, however, that their relationship and the story takes its most interesting turn.

In writing The Awakening, Kate Chopin was well ahead of her time. The novel was met with a great deal of controversy. Even fans of her work prior to this novel, shunned her. She was a pioneer creating women characters beyond the role of wife and mother. She wrote about women's feelings, sexuality, and independence. It took America decades to catch up with Kate Chopin. It is important to add that Chopin used a lot of symbols in all of her work and that The Awakening is full of them. These symbols serve to add meaning to the text and to underline some subtle points. Understanding the meaning of these symbols is vital to a full appreciation of the story. Some of the major symbols include birds, art, sleep, piano playing, the gulf, the moon, and learning to swim.

For information about Kate Chopin's life and other book reviews of southern authors visit [...]

"This book illustrates the passion and desire that is awaken in a twenty-eight year old mother and wife. Edna Pontellier's experiences are so intense that she promises herself they are only the beginning. The book takes place on an exotic and friendly Creole isle. Pontellier feels trapped and bored in her marriage; she yearns for excitement in her life. Once she had found true love, she felt her life had meaning. When Pontellier's lover had gone, she was depressed, but felt glad that she had felt true love, although it didn't last very long. Kate Chopin's book was not accepted when it was first published, because society did not want to read about married women having lovers. Many people thought the book was written in poor taste; it was even banned by libraries. This was Chopin's last book because the criticism, and the harsh comments she received made her stop writing. When she died in 1904, she was denied the recognition she deserved. After her death, many viewed Chopin's book as a representation of women's emancipation. Her book was acclaimed a masterpiece. I highly recommend reading this book because it was captivating and interesting."

...but many reviewers, especially those who do hail it as the great 19th Feminist work, miss some glaring problems with the text. Before I get into that, let's go ahead and satisfy the skimmers: This book's only mildly entertaining by today's standards, though quite rebellious, and has a nice little argument to offer on what it means to be, not just a woman, but an artist (something, though, that the main character is unable to do). It's set down in Louisiana, so as a piece of the local color movement it also has quite a bit of appeal. Assuming you can find the style interesting (hopefully if you've ended up here on this book, you can), Chopin very skillfully captures the dialect and social dynamic of the region.

K, that done...problem number one: Many servants (and, by extension, African-American) characters are almost deliberately marginalized. For well over half of the book they are all (with the small exception of Joe) refered to by either their job (cook, maid, etc.) or racial heritage ("the quadroon," "the mulatto," etc.). Now, other white characters are similarly treated, but in each case they are also dignified with heavy symbolic weight ("the lady in black" and "lovers on the beach" best represent this). Why? I don't argue that Chopin herself is racist--far from it--but there is no doubt that her main character is, at least to some extent, and as a feminist heroine, she is weakened by it.

Second (and probably most obvious): The ending. Don't worry, I'm not going to give it away (though if you've read "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe, then you'll see it coming). Regardless, you'll know it when you get to it. It's a big, big problem when your protagonist is supposed to be a model of heroism.

There are other problems with this as a purely feminist text, but they are either minor, or related to the two above. At any point, I'm not going to get into them. However, all these problems may be resolved. To this point, a lot of weight has been attached to this book both because of Chopin's overt feminism in her other works (the "Story of an Hour" comes to mind) and because feminists in the 60's and 70's just seemed to want to rally around it, and as a result many of these problems have just been glossed over. They are resolvable, even from a feminist perspective, but only by rejecting most of the weight that has already been thrust upon it and wholly re-evaluating the book; pay attention to Madameiselle Reisz, though--she helps in these resolution. I only point these inconsistencies out so that hopefully you might read more critically, and not be overwhelmed by the blind vigor that many proponents scream over it with. Four stars for its depth of feminism, not for it's blunt force.

Mrs. Pontellier begins to find herslf as a person after falling in love with a younger man, and discovers that she is Edna and not just Mrs. Pontellier. Her behavior is unorthodox for the late nineteenth century but she finds she no longer cares.
Definitely a top five favorite of mine. This book pulled me in so easily and I was hooked until the very end. What really struck me was how well I could identify with Edna and her emotions. Beautifully done characterization and the simplicity of the writing and metaphors really works for the overall story.
While Edna's "Awakening" does begin with her falling in love with another man, this is by no means a love story. This is a story of soul-searching with a modern feel though it was written in 1899. This is a story of a woman defining herself as a person. The writing is not the most in-depth but that really added to the charm of this book.

Kate Chopin, a woman far ahead of her time, did a remarkable job in writing The Awakening. She most likely felt many of the same things as her fiction character, writing them through her novel. It is so unfortunate that the book was rejected when first published, that people could not accept such a revolutionary and dynamic female character like Edna Pontellier. She was a strong-willed woman who discovered her independence, self-worth, inner strength and sexuality. In a time when wives were submissive and subservient, Edna breaks free of the confines of society's traditional role for women. Empowered by the realization that she can make her own decisions and act according to her will alone, not simply her husband's, her life becomes more fully real. It is then that she can also truly love. Edna had always been quietly rebellious and independent, but had slowly given in more and more to society's rules and the males in her life. She did not want to be seen and esteemed only for being a mother and proper woman. It was refreshing to see such a strong woman, especially considering the time period the novel was written, long before the times of civil or women's rights. Edna's happiness and freedom, her true self and being, are the most valuable things in the world to her. She does not want to be treated as a possession any longer. Edna's thoughts and actions were quite radical for the late 19th century, but many of the ideas from the novel still apply today, even in a time of supposed equality and freedoms. People must learn to look inward for true happiness; self-realizations and preservation. Today, people, women, tend to look outward for their contentment and acceptance, basing it on other people and material things. Kate Chopin and her character were attempting to break free of this a century ago. Reading The Awakening was a pleasurable experience from start to finish. We both really enjoyed the novel and definitely recommend it to others, especially women.

Let me just say that I was amazed at the courage and the strength that Kate Chopin had to have had in order to write such a book when she lived. Many things that were addressed in this book were just unheard of at the time!
I enjoyed very much how the book delves into so many characters at once. Also, if it were just for the lavish descriptions of the setting, clothing, etc. of the time, I would read this book. It tells of a time when everyone was proper and well-mannered.
I had to read this book for a womens literature class and i'm glad I did, I don't think it would have been one I would have picked. But, I am oh so gld that I read it! Wonderful read!

I love turn-of-the-century stories, so when a friend recommended The Awakening by Kate Chopin, I dove right in. I was pleasantly surprised the author's progressive thinking and social ideologies. Recommended.

So rarely does a book effectively and accurately capture the ebb and flow of life that anytime an author achieves such a goal, the piece is sure to be treasured and praised by readers for many years to come. The Awakening achieves such a goal, but unfortunately, its staying power has long been attributed to its controversial first publishing. While that event is certainly significant and makes it essential to any Women's Literature class, that is not all there is to this book.
I will confess, I was forced to read this book for a Humanities class. I was reluctant to start it at first, expecting the drone of feminist literature in all of its pretentious glory. I was expecting a character portrayed as such a desperate, suffering thing despite clear evidence that she was anything but. I was expecting sexist portrayals of men (and other upper class women) as ignorant and opressive forces upon this suffering main character. But much to my delight and suprise, I discovered that this is no such book. I should not have put Chopin down at such a low level, and I'm glad she proved me wrong.
This book does not force sympathy for the umsympathetic. Instead, it demonstrates perfectly how an author should instill empathy within a reader. Without a doubt, this is a character-driven piece, perhaps the best example of a character-driven novel I have read yet. As an avid fan of science fiction and thrillers, I rarely encounter a book in which every scene is not apparently contrived to further the plot. This book was a real breath of fresh air. It bears every semblance to life and all of its fleeting subtleties. Chopin's characters are so convincingly real, and as a resident of New Orleans, I found her occasional descriptions charming and pleasing.
I have noticed that many people have shown displeasure with the ending. I could not disagree more. The ending is so completely suited for this book. Any careful reader would detect that there is no other way for this book to conclude. This is, after all, a portrait of life, and there is no other way these events would have unfolded in real life.
To summarize, this is a terrific piece of work, one which will please anyone interested in the art of writing or living.

I believe this book is deceptively simple to those who read it. The language, although somewhat arcane, is straightforward, the characters are fairly flat and unchanging, and even Chopin's style clearly displays her lack of training in the art of writing great literature. However, it seems to me that if the reader allows himself or herself to judge the novel solely on this basis, he or she has fallen for the facade of The Awakening. For, despite her style, Chopin has created a masterpiece with this story. In my opinion, its significance is not in its strikingly feminist view of the constraints of the world on women, but rather in its personalized impact on the reader. Not to think, "why do I understand Edna's plight?" is to miss the point. This novel is meant to make the reader place Edna as sort of a parallel figure to his or her own life, to help us realize our own worldly constraints, to "Awaken" us to another option, a different path that we did not even realize was there. By doing this, the novel transcends its simplicity and appears as the beautiful work it really is. This is not a book to simply read, it is a book to contemplate.

Edna Pontellier, can be found in us all. She experiences an awakening one Summer while on vacation. She crawls into her own skin for the first time and opens her eyes and ears to her heart and soul. We all as human beings can relate to this novel by the internal struggles Edna goes through. She falls in love with a man, which is acceptable but Edna is married and has children. Although a mother, Edna is one of the most beautiful and captivating women most have ever seen. The beauty in this novel lies within the diversity of characters, the beautiful, insightful, and penetrating writing, and most importantly, The character Edna Pontellier whom we all, no matter what sex, race, sexual orientation, or culture, can relate to. This novel is simply amazing. A quenching novel for your heart and soul.

One of the most brilliant, underappreciated books in the American Canon. Rivals Madame Bovary in terms of its story telling and the beauty of its language. Was suppressed for many years because Chopin was a woman. If you don't appreciate this book for true "diamond in the rough" it is, my opinion is you should go back to college and read Gatsby, Absolum Absolum, or The Grapes of Wrath for their own share of brilliance and compare the two. A gem unrivalled in America literature.

The novel, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, takes place in Grand Isle, Louisiana and portrays the Creole culture in vivid detail. The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is a strong and beautiful character who believes that she is equal to a man and does not have to go around taking orders from her husband, which was almost unheard of at that point in time. The thought that a woman would ever think of such a thing was considered morally wrong which gives this charater the excitment that would have been greatly missed if she had been left out. The main antagonists are Edna's husband, Leonce Pontellier and a friend who visits the Grand Isle in summers, Robert Lebrun. The struggle over Edna and her feelings are between these two charaters. Either Leonce is treating his wife with great disrespect or Robeart is messing with Edna's feelings, which causes conflict betweeen Enda and her husband. Kate Chopin uses a lot of foreshadowing, using an array of things, from the weather to the background to the tone of voice used. Chopin gives hints throughout the book to what could be approaching in the future. This novel is not a book that you can sit down and read for just a few minutes at a time. It is a book that to be able to get into, you have to relax and take your time and spend good amounts of time on reading. If you do it any other way your won't enjot it as much.
If you enjoy reading about women activisits you will enjoy reading The Awakening because within the story that is what it is really about, a women who is trying to live her own, independent life through an environment which is made up of men and their thoughts which, at that time in history, made up the bulk and greatly overruled women.

Set up in the late 1800s, on Grand Isle Edna Pontellier is a woman searching for independence and found solitude. Her husband is loving and kind, but is always doing work. Edna starts to find freedom and becomes more expressive, which is a rare thing for a woman of that time to be. Independence is very prevalent in this book. It is expressed in way that makes it quite desirable, and even when she has obstacles she always seems to avoid the consequences. Being married but kissing other men, and living away from your husband and children is outrageous but somehow Edna justifies her every action. I like in the book how the descriptions of the summer holiday resort put you right on the beach. I disliked however, that the climax came slowly with out much build up or delivery. The book is interesting and shows a different side of culture during the 1800s.

This book reminds me of American horror films in which naughty girls are cruelly killed: the frame about sin und punishment serves as a pretext for the movies to show nudity, sex, violence, blood etc.

In this book with the pretentious title Awakening, a married woman who rejects all her social responsibilities, wants open relationships and enjoys extramarital sex without love is punished by periods of depression, deteriorating mental health, and worse. Into this frame the author introduces some sensual stories, feministic ideas, rejection of conventional morals etc. As for the carnal side, the heroine Edna might be called a diluted version of Emmanuelle, the well known star of erotic fiction, comics and movies. Edna's erotic awakening starts when she feels »desire« toward a voluptuous female friend. She also is the target of advances from another woman. Exactly after she gets the news, that the man she loves, and who has been absent for a long time, will be back in a few days, she succumbs to a local Casanova, who »means absolutely nothing to her«. She enjoys the experience and feels no guilt or shame, just "a little regret". In the aftermath, she naively asks herself: What would he (not her husband, but her great love) think about that?

She also states that »she will not be a slave to her children«. This is irrational, even ridiculous, as it is stated at the time her children have long been with their grandmother and Edna visited them just once in many months. She moves away from her husband, but accepts and wears a diamond tiara he gives to her. All these inconsistencies and moral hazards are probably attractive for interpretations by some people in Literary, Social and Gender Studies. It might be argued that expressing feministic ideas as coming from an irrational person was probably the only way at that time. In that case, was it worth it - portraying emancipated women as slightly demented? I would find it self defeating and repugnant. It might be nearer to the truth that the author wanted to write down her sensual projections and/or attract attention by introducing controversial themes, and then protected herself in the aforementioned way.

The (modest) literary value of the book is in depictions of the French speaking New Orleans society, their vacations outside the city, and their life in the city. The author is a keen observer and most likely many of the scenes are real experiences. There are two mature women teasing a handsome teenage boy at a dinner. The book presents the interesting contrast between easygoing, flirting Creole society, which knows when not to take things seriously, and the puritanically raised Edna, who jumps from one extreme into another. (»She is not one of us«, as states her friend.) However, the author was not always able to forge these snapshots together into a smooth narrative. Some characters appear only once. The episode of Edna's father visiting the city seems to serve nothing, except giving a hint that father and daughter are equally obstinate.

I will not dwell on the condescending treatment of African Americans in this novel - probably common in the U.S. at the time, but not present in the work of some other American writers from the same epoch.

As the story became less and less convincing and interesting, I decided first to quit. Then I finished the book, although the only thing of value at the end for me was the description of a childbirth.

P.S. Chopin's short story A PAIR OF SILK STOCKINGS also offers a strange portrait of a thrifty hard working housewife, who suddenly, on a whim, spends her considerable savings on trifling luxuries that make her forget her drudgery for a few hours. The story is hardly believable and suggests that even the most virtuous and industrious women cannot be trusted. The ending sentences sounded so damning that, had they been written by a man, he would probably be labeled a misogynist. When I listened to the story on Librivox, I did not pay attention to the name of the author and was indeed sure »he« was a man from the Victorian era. Then I discovered it was by the same writer as Awakening.

This is one of those books that remind you what literature is about and how powerful it is. It is a terrible injustice to limit literature, such as this book, by catagorizing it into a certain type of ideology, or to attach moral judgement. If so, there wouldn't be any good literature left.(defenitely no Lolita) The awakening of one's soul and desire inspite of the external restraints, and the determination to bring changes in life, however tragic it may be, should speak to every human being. A Lovely book in all senses.

Required reading in many university (and high school) curricula because of its "political" importance, The Awakening is the "heroic" tale of woman who has an affair, leaves her family, and walks into the ocean. I had little sympathy for a single character and wondered upon finishing it if the literary canon isn't just some sort of lottery. Even my literature professor (in another of my short and aborted seasons in the academy), who was given to short bursts of impassioned homily about the universal sacrifice of women and the universal culpability of men, etc. admitted that the book was weak, but she was also teaching women's studies, so The Awakening was going to stay. As I say, another short season in the academy.

Kate Chopin's controversial novel The Awakening was greeted with immediate attack by critics who believed it to be too provocative and questioned her motives and morals. Set in Louisiana, the protagonist Edna Pontellier, struggles to reach her awakening through her journeys and experiences in New Orleans and the Grand Isle. The Awakening is filled with symbols and different themes which reveal Edna as a complicated and intricate character. Throughout the novel, there is a constant dualism between Edna Pontellier's outward existence and her inner self. Her outward existence conforms to society and her duties as a wife and mother, and in contrast, her inner self is represented through her dreams. Her dreams are to be free and to no longer be viewed as an ornament hanging off of her husband. Symbolized by the parrots who are tamed and domesticated in the gilded cage, she feels restricted by her current life and desires to escape. The birds also foreshadow her departure by their cries of "Allez vous-en!" (Get out!) and reveals the theme of escape from maternal and matrimonial bondage. When she moves out of her husband's house, her new home is known as "the pigeon house." This is significant because pigeons are not caged and therefore, able to roam free. The dualism between New Orleans and the Grand Isle symbolizes constraint and freedom. New Orleans is proper society and extremely hectic, whereas Grand Isle possess more of an relaxed atmosphere and is much like the Garden of Eden. It is in Grand Isle where she meets and falls in love with Robert Lebrun. Edna faces a dilemma of choosing between her husband and children or Robert Lebrun. She believes that in Robert she has found her true self and identity, but later realizes that her infatuation with Robert is only a sexual desire and can be satisfied by any other man. It is ironic that in the end Mr. Pontellier and Robert Lebrun turn out to be the same-a common man. Like Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, Edna becomes alienated from society. Her final dinner party parallels the Last Supper where she invites 12 guests symbolizing the 12 disciples. After the conclusion of her party, she returned to Grand Isle where the voice of the sea "speaks to the soul" and attracted Edna for a spiritual and emotional cleansing. Kate Chopin's novel with its simple short sentences and chapters is actually not simple at all. The Awakening is filled with many symbols and themes, all of which helps increase the readers understanding of Edna Pontellier. It must be read with close attention to detail. Although the ending was some what disappointing, it is still worth reading. This book about feminism that shocked the literary world over a hundred years ago will still shock readers today.

At a time when a woman's roles in society were the doting wife and devoted mother, Edna Pontellier becomes more and more aware of her distaste for these responsibilities. Kate Chopin's heroine embodies the theme of escapism and the view of marriage and motherhood as traps. During the summer at Grand Isle, Edna becomes more apathetic towards her devoted, providing husband (whom she never loved, but was "fond" of) and vague, nondescript children (who symbolize children as burdens rather than blessings). As she distances herself from her family, Edna grows closer to a dear acquaintance and the object of her romantic desire, Robert Lebrum. Once Edna and her family return to New Orleans, she shirks her former duties, such as being a hostess on Tuesdays, and instead focuses on her artistic talents. When her husband goes on a business trip and her children stay with their grandmother, Edna becomes more bold and independent, finding pleasure in a man who satisfies her physical desire, Alcee Arobin. As her senses awake, she allows herself to become receptive to personal pleasures as a way to discover her true self and what she really seeks: freedom. The novel provides excellent psychological insights and guides the reader through Edna's mind as she begins the journey towards self-fulfillment and independence. The novel is also filled with symbols and motifs such as birds (symbolic of Edna), music (passion), the sea (escape), the young lovers (Edna and Robert), and the lady in black (always seen following the lovers as a symbol of their fate). Nearly every sentence bears a deeper, symbolic meaning. Through the vivid characterizations and descriptions of emotions and psychological drives, the reader is pulled through the novel with a passionate sympathy and understanding of Edna's motives. As the chapters come to an end, Edna presents her realization about her desires and takes the only path that can give her what she seeks. Though one may not agree with her choices, one can see her reasons. For that, Chopin establishes herself as a master of the portrayal of the female psyche and a phenomenal writer.

Kate Chopin`s The Awakening evokes our shared history in the antebellum South where a highly stratified social order of master and slave began to disintegrate. Her masterful portrayal of the lives of the Creoles and of the elite society of New Orleans brings this history alive with pathos and an elegance of scenic detail. The principal characters are evolved with sufficient complexity for us to understand their motivations and sympathize with their actions. We as readers can feel the thrust of change that will bring our nation to its knees in the Civil War and ultimately to transform the social order from patriarchal colonialism into the modern consciousness of the Industrial Age, with a new appreciation for the personal cost to those who lived through this great upheaval in our history. Highly recommended.

I believe Kate Chopin's "Awakening" is a masterpiece. The way in which Chopin depicts the life of women strikes upon the ideals of women being an equal to men in a time period when women living their own lives wasn't acceptable. This book portrays life through a woman's point of view, which in my opinion should set an example for all women. Edna Poniteller, the main character, begins to realize the way the world worked and with this she found herself not just as a woman but a human being with rights and equality.
Her newfound self came due to simple boredom. She feels as though her life has no meaning and she can only hope that there is more to life than what she has experienced thus far. She is no longer interested in the "high-class" business life of her husband Leonce.
Throughout the French New Orleans setting of life Edna compares herself to two women in hopes to find her place in the world. One of the women is Madame Ratignolle who is the perfect motherly housewife. The other woman is Mademoiselle Reisz who is the free-spirited type who can and will do what she pleases. Edna finds herself idealizing Reisz for her domineering ways rather than a simple housekeeper.
All though this book does not keep you on the edge of your seat , it is written in a way that really keeps your attention. The book has many details in it regarding Edna's life and her different relationships. The book also comes to an extremely ironic end where Edna Poniteller ends up drowning herself, which goes to show how people will go to great lengths for what they believe in. All Edna really wanted in life was love through equality and when that didn't come to be she felt as though her life as she knew and wanted, was over.

Being from Louisiana, I especially enjoyed reading about New Orleans and Grand Isle (which I assure you, is much more beautiful in the words of Kate Chopin than in reality). Nonetheless, the story was incredible. Edna's rejection of the woman's expected role is still powerful. A century ago, the story must have been ten times more powerful! Her relationships with men and her interactions with other Creole/ Cajun women are complex and psychologically stimulating. A great read...beautiful prose...masterful.

In Kate Chopin's The Awakening, the protagonist of the story, Edna Pontellier, is a woman in the late 1800's who has been living a life of the expectations of the women of that time. She is a devoted wife and mother. After a vacation in Grand Isle, she meets new friends and new surroundings that influence the way she thinks. These influences also help to establish herself as an independent woman and break free from the traditional everyday womanly duties. But, will this road to becoming independent consume her so much that she will lose everything that she has come to known? It all starts with the new friends she meets while she is on vacation with her family at Grand Isle.

While Edna is on her vacation, she meets Adele Ratignolle, the epitome of the typical 1800's woman. Chopin describes these women as "women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it as a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels." (Chopin 10) She also says women, in particular Creole women, were impressive because of their freedom of expression about anything, including things society doesn't speak openly about like romantic gossip. Edna on the other hand is the complete opposite and is not the "mother-woman" type. She admires Adele because of her quality of being outspoken and it inspires her to think about old times in her youth of romantic dreams or fantasies. This is the start of Edna beginning to think in depth about her life. It also makes her begin to be more outspoken, especially to her husband. With her being more outspoken, she is able to break free from the natural hold her husband has on her and becomes free. It also begins the unspoken love that she has for another character in the story, Robert Lebrun.

Robert is what the people at Grand Isle call a big flirt. Every year he courts a different woman but this time, when he chooses Edna, everything is different. Since most of the women that Robert courts are Creole women, they find his flirting funny and they enjoy his company. Edna on the other hand, takes it seriously and begins to develop feelings for Robert. She sees in Robert everything that she doesn't have with her husband: love and devotion. They develop a relationship where they're together all the time but they never admit their feelings for each other. One day, Robert announces that he will be leaving for Mexico for business. With Robert's absence, Edna drives to become more and more independent. After she has left Grand Isle, she becomes more defiant with her husband, doing whatever she pleases. This causes her to really discover how she has no feelings for him whatsoever. She decides to move out of the house and into a smaller house because she felt like it was not homely. All these things that Edna are very uncommon for women of this time to do. Another important aspect of change that Edna experiences is her drive to succeed in art, which Mademoiselle Reisz pushes her to fulfill.

Mademoiselle Reisz is what most would call an old hag. Edna is the only person that she shows some sort of respect to. The Mademoiselle plays the piano exquisitely and Edna admires her. One night, she is asked to play some pieces on the piano and as soon as Edna hears it, she is moved. "She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather and blaze before her imagination. She waited in vain. She saw no pictures of solitude, of hope, of longing or of despair. But the passions themselves were aroused within her soul, swaying it, lashing it." (Chopin 34) The author is describing how instead of typically seeing certain images that she normally does every time she hears this particular pieces play, Edna actually felt certain passions from the music itself. Edna sees that music is Reisz' passion and soon she seeks to follow her own passion of painting. These three characters in this novel have truly been the reasons to why Edna has changed to become an independent person.

In books, usually the plot and themes stand out the most to what makes the book good or bad. In this novel, Chopin has made complex characters that affect the protagonist of the story. I think that with Chopin doing this, it has made the story more interesting to read as to how this rebellion has been inflicted to Edna. Although these characters unintentionally drove Edna to her success of freedom, it also had its downfalls as well. Edna could have been labeled independent, she still had two things that were bound to her: her husband and children. "They were part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her body, soul and mind." (Chopin 156) Edna couldn't except that her children would always be affected in society their opinion of her, so therefore, she kills herself by drowning in the ocean "accidentally." This may be a sad ending, but I liked it because I thought of it as Edna accepting the consequences of leaving something so important behind only for her self. Overall, I think that this was a well-written story, although at times it was hard to understand because there were a lot of French phrases in it. Reading it has inspired me to become independent, while watching out for not neglecting others I care about for selfish desires.

The Awakening is a revolutionary story of a woman's rebirth and journey of self-discovery. Edna Pontellier, the main character, discovers through a summer spent at a resort what all she is capable of doing and thinking. With the help of her new and old friends Edna becomes a new person. Even though her self-discovery includes an affair her character is still admirable.
There is a lot of criticism about Enda's lack of responsibility of being a mother. I think that this criticism concentrates on a minor detail of this story. Only one part of Edna is being a mother, even though she does not take the job too seriously. I think that overall Chopin is saying that "awakenings" are human in nature. They have both advantages and disadvantages. It is something that every person should experience and is an essential part of growing up.
I think that Edna's awakening pulled her away from her stifling normal life. Her job as a mother was part of that life. I do not think that Chopin really intended for Edna to completely abandon all parts of her life, but Edna was not a strong enough character to balance her new life with the old. Athenaise, on the other hand, could see what needed to be changed and was able to do it without abandoning her old life.
I did not feel that this book was a downer, I really enjoyed it. Chopin made the story real, which is something refreshing compared to a lot of novels. This novel gave true insight into the feelings of women at the time. It is good to read about women beginning to liberate themselves, even if it is not completely successful.

Kate Chopin's The Awakening has so much to offer. It is one of the most exposing and intricate books that I have ever read. Considering the time period in which Chopin wrote the book makes the storyline even greater. It is revolutionary in the way that Edna doesn't succumb to her environment, but rather takes her own stand and chooses her own path. I liked this novel a lot, and the way it was put together. The author was very tactful in the way she related the characters to each other. Though the actual feelings of the characters were never revealed, we always knew what state of mind everyone was in because of their actions. The story was in third person and we rarely heard dialogue from the characters so the story was built on paper by the character's actions. However, I formulated in my mind all of the feelings of the characters based on these actions. It was like there were two separate stories going on, the literal one and the emotional one. All in all, it made you think a little more in that you had to fill in the blanks much like a Hemingway novel. So why is this story so revolutionary? Edna is one of the few women who are glorified in their time in literature. She knows what she wants and she sticks by it. Though some may call her selfish, she is so overwhelmed with her responsibilities versus what she really wanted, that she does what she thinks she needs to do in the end. In our day and age, she probably would have had more options, but in hers, she does not. Her story is quite similar to both Medea in Euripides' Medea and Nora in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. If you like either one of these stories, you will probably also like The Awakening.

Kate Chopin's The Awakening, opens in the late 1800s in Grand Isle, a summer resort very popular with the wealthy inhabitants of New Orleans. Edna Pontellier is vacationing with her husband, Léonce, and their two sons at the cottages of Madame Lebrun. Edna spends most of her time with her friend Adèle Ratignolle, because her husband is constantly engulfed with his career. Being a woman of elegance and charisma, Edna's relationship with Adèle, helps her learn and explore freedom of expression. Suppressed for much of her life, Edna begins to leave her sheltered world and delves into what life really constitutes, with the help of Adèle.

Although many themes and motifs are evident, the repressed emotions and desires run wild within this novel. A lesson learned in this novel is about the freedom of expression for women. For the protagonist of The Awakening, independence and solitude are almost inseparable. With the demanding expectations of tradition, coupled with the restrictions of the law, women in the late 1800's had minimal opportunities for individual expression. Thus, the novel uses Edna and her place on the societal ladder to create a gradual awakening, in which she soon will discover her own identity and acknowledge her emotional and sexual desires. I found this novel to be a very thought-provoking and stimulating piece of literature that really analyzed the imperfections of society, especially when they passed harsh judgment on the individuals, particularly women. I found it interesting as to how much the main character needed to become independent and seek to find her true self. I found it quite powerful as to how all of the motifs, themes, and symbols were correlated, as each one had a role in leading to the awakening of the main character, Edna Pontellier.

For me, the usage of symbols stood out the most. I believe it was a very important tool that was used to help the reader see Edna's progression of an awakening. Symbols are portrayed through objects, characters, figures, and even colors. They represent very complex or abstract concepts. Thus, I found this novel to be filled with many of these. For example, the images of children correlate with Edna, as she is trying to undergo a form of rebirth. In the novel, she gradually discovers a world coupled with her fresh and childlike perspectives. However, as a child, Edna becomes self-absorbed, tending to ignore others around her and fails to think of the consequences that will follow her actions and poor judgment.

In another example of how symbolism is so evident, in The Awakening, the sea essentially symbolizes the yearning for freedom and escape. The correlation with water in the novel is used because it is associated with the cleansing and rebirth of an individual. It is much like a fresh start. Edna's gradual awakening is a rebirth in many aspects. The sea constitutes Edna's realization of how much depth there is in the world, along with the many depths of humans as well. This vast expansion serves as a both a symbol of peace, yet can also be the tool that leads to the destruction of an individual because of how it beckons and entices Edna throughout the novel.

It is evident that the main character, Edna, was truly alone in a world in which she found no comfort nor acceptance by society. The inescapable scorns of society were forever embedded within her heart. Therefore, in reference to what I stated in the previous paragraph, as I read the ending of the novel, it was written that Edna had returned to Grand Idle, being the place of her sexual, emotional, and intellectual awareness. Unfortunately, that once seemingly peaceful space that was so evident earlier on, turned and enticed Edna to merge with it, being her final escape.

Edna's suicide to me was surprising. However, it raises the question of whether it was the prudent action to take. It leaves the reader to ponder and explore whether Edna's suicidal thoughts and actions really constituted a surrender to society and the suppression of one's true self. Or, it can be argued that her actions were merely upon reaching her awakening, a means to finally be set free. I've read that critics who argue that Edna's suicide marks defeat, are supported by the symbolism of the bird imagery found in the novel. "A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water." Once again, the powerful symbolism ties in the novel, as it helps the reader see how Edna was arriving to an awakening. Therefore, I see that Edna was the bird whom finally, after all of her struggles, fell to the mercy of the water. Whether this was the right choice, however, is open for discussion and can be interpreted in many ways. Thus, the novel ends with this scenario, constituting a reason for discussion regarding the reasons behind why Edna gave up her wings to the vast and never-ending sea.

It was hard to read this book at first because of Kate Chopin's style of writing. But once I got used to it after a few pages, I really got into the book. The reader really comes to feel Edna's pain and want for freedom. I must give Chopin tons of props for having enough courage to write a strong female character and daring to use sensuality and lust in her book, even though it was written in the late 1800s (a time that even mentioning a passionate kiss on the lips in literature was forbidden). I got so into the book that I felt as if I were Edna living in a opressed world. Read this book to learn or get more knowledge on how women were treated during the Victorian Era...it is a must read!

A still timely and enormously important tale of the price a woman pays when she "awakens" to her own authentic voice and finds her only place in society on the fringe, lonely and rejected. While reading this story I have considered that women are still today at great risk when we awaken to our true voices; our thoughts and desires. Perhaps our entire identity and sense of self-worth as a dutiful daughter of patriarchy are at stake, as it was for Chopin's Edna Pontellier the upstanding wife and mother who gave up mainstream approval and respect when she we gave up the things society promised her would make her happy but didn't. This bold step from Edna, plus the rejection of her only lifeline at the time, her lover, cost her her life.
Edna Pontellier awoke from the myth that a marriage to a "good" man and 2.5 children would fulfill her. The painful reality she awoke to was that her life was without meaning and integrity. The unfortunate ending of this story magnifies the limited options for "awakened" women in the 19th century. I have read this story many times. It is still my favorite, because one, it is beautifully written but two and most importantly, it inspires me to try to choose a life of personal integrity and authenticity, as Kate Chopin did when she dared to publish this story. We are fortunate today that are fate does not have to be that of Edna's and I for one am thankful to people like Kate for making that path possible for us.

The Awakening is a novel about independence, understanding, and the personal freedom received concerning love. The basic plot is that of a woman, Edna Pontellier, falling in love with a man other than her husband. She abandons all duties to her family and society. Through out her scandalous love for this man, Robert, Edna begins to find herself and becomes more independent. Realizing that she had fallen in love with Robert is what caused her "awakening."
The book was first published in 1899, a time when many people found it offending. Some felt it criticized women and their role in society during the late 1800's. The fact that Edna abandoned her role as a wife and mother made male critics angry. I did not find the book offensive at all. There are endless possibilities of what the situation could have led up to. Edna was not treated like a person by her husband, but as a piece of property. This gives her a good reason to search for love elsewhere. The Awakening is an accurate portrayal of life, and also provides entertainment for the reader.
Kate Chopin is a skilled author, and her work with The Awakening shows women's need for independence. The Awakening is a tragic love story that makes readers want to fall in love themselves. Many say Chopin's career ended with the publishing of this book, but I feel it is an excellent example of an author telling the truth in a time when it wasn't accepted. Many people strive to tell the truth and that is exactly what Kate Chopin did.

I wanted to post a link to a perfect image of bathing suits from this era: http://oldvilan.tumblr.com/post/82224084028/librar-y-heartbreakers-along-the-seashore and just in case it doesn't work, google "heartbreakers along the seashore". I love this story and the writing, and I also love everything I have read by Kate Chopin.

Kate Chopin's The Awakening gives an insightful look into the life of a woman trapped in a marriage and a life that doesn't befit her. The characters are very well done -- not all of them are deep, but for good reason. Chopin's writing style never ceases to amaze. I've read this book three or four times, and it never loses its power, its impact. There are themes throughout that give the story a deeper meaning. When you read it, think about the elderly widow and what she represents, and the young lovers. Everything means something, and it is all tied together very well. It's the best book I've ever read. I simply love it.

I picked up this book knowing only that it was a good feminist book and banned in Chopin's life. So I was surprised at the suicide ending. I found that very amazing to the complex of this character. The only two disappointments were that Robert and Edna never really got up together sexually and that Edna didn't think more of her children. She thinks about them for five seconds and then didmisses them out of her mind. I wouldn't call her the first femnist more like another selfish sexually deprived snobby rich girl. But the story was well constructed. I think critics weighed it differently than it actually apears on the written pages.

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, details Edna Pontellier's growing independence from the acceptable role of mother through her interaction with other characters and heavy usage of symbolism. Edna, born to a Presbyterian family, rarely has intimate friends. This changes, however, when she spends a summer in Grand Isle, Louisiana. There she meets numerous Creole families, including Robert Lebrun, and grows accustomed to their casual and affectionate ways. at the same time, Edna begins to realize her discontent with her role of wife and mother in Society. To escape the burdens that Society has placed on her, Edna focuses on her talent as an artist and removes herself from her previous duties of catering to her husband and children. Edna starts to appreciate solitude, and this, along with the desire to free herself from Society, leads her to commit her last act of escapism. Kate Chopin illustrates Edna's universal relationship to Society with her use of symbolism. Nearly every word in The Awakening pertains to a symbol, namely the sea, a recurring theme for Edna. While this creates an intricate novel that is well-written, less careful readers may fail to see the importance of the passages that Chopin placed in the book. Although the novel is based more upon character development than action, The Awakening is highly enjoyable, especially for those who appreciate psychological tales or Sigmund Freud.

You know, a lot of people take this book very seriously...I am a fan of Kate Chopin's works and find this novel to be well written about a protagonist who is essentially a despicable and unsympathetic person. A lot of people give this book "one-star" for much the same reasoning I give it a high review. Similar to other writers who excel in their craft, we are given a main character who has few,if any, redeeming qualities. Think of authors like Bukowski, Raymond Carver, Fitzgerald (many times), Hemingway (often), and Poe, London, and on and on. There are many tales and stories written from the villain's point of view, and Edna really is the villain in this tale in my opinion.
That does not mean the book is not brilliant, however. It is. Many see this book as a step in serious "feminist" literature...but Chopin's writing style is satirical or sarcastic in a fashion. (I know this is starting to sound like an assigned report, but hey...) I recommend that people who read literature and are open to interpretations try reading this book as a satire. After I read many of Chopin's short stories and reading her biography, as well as really sitting down and reading "The Awakening" I realized how clever of a writer Chopin was. She has a compact writing style and uses her words carefully; but much like good authors, there's more under the surface (the "iceberg theory"). Chopin usually pulls it off. I essentially came to the conclusion that the "Awakening" is not direct, like an artistic or sensual awakening, but a true awakening in the protagonist, which leads to the appropriate ending.

Kate was definitely not the "normal" 1800's woman. She was a thinker and master of her own destiny. At least that's what she wanted. Through her works she was able to live out her destiny. "Awakening" closed her off from the literary world at large, but it "awakened" her spirit and let it sore. I've enjoyed opening up the world of 1800s' female writers. Others I've enjoyed are Kathryn Bonner or Sherwood Bonner (her writing name) from Holly Springs, MS who in the 1800's married, had a child and left them to live in Boston and make her dreams come true. The story of her life is an interesting one and one you'd enjoy reading about. I've also found Louisa May Alcott's story of her life interesting as well. Her father was I guess one of the first to drop out of society. Louisa's tough spirit rode her through hard times being a woman. Anyway, female writers in the 1800's had a very hard time with acceptance and being unique was quite a stand to make. Kate was definitely one of the few to dare to be different. Hooray for Women who dare!

Long before the women's rights movement, Kate Chopin gave us Edna Pontellier, a woman who feels life is passing her by, leaving its promise broken and unfulfilled. She wanted something to happen---something, anything; she didn't know what. Being the pampered wife of a wealthy man, the mother of two sons, and the mistress of a New Orleans mansion, all left her unfulfilled. Her "awakening" one fateful summer, her quest for independence and refusal to sacrifice her individual existence is the basis of this novel. Her dalliances with other men, her friendships with women, and her ultimate fate made this a daring novel in 1899 and a startling reminder in 2001 of how far women have come.

When I was told I was going to have to take a course called "Modern Novel "I instantly thought "Great, another book that won't help me in my pursuit of my major". However; when I read the first chapter I couldn't put it down and I had the book completely read in 3 days.

The story is revolved around a woman named Edna in the mid to late 1800's and her inner thoughts and struggles. While reading the novel I was able to acquire an inside look into how women struggled with their identity and purpose in a society that was about "the man". Being a woman in a male dominated career (Computer Networking) I was able to relate to her lashing out to gain independence and wanting to be known as Edna and not Mrs. Pontellier. The novel affected me in such a way that I had all the women in my immediate family read it, which had a chain reaction to even having my father read it. The universal theme about an individual going through an identity crisis can definitely be related by everyone.

The Awakening is a book about a woman who's treated terribly by her husband, or like any woman during the time of the 1800's. Leonce Pontellier, her husband, expects her to cook him dinner whether or not he is going to be there to eat it. Once in the book, Leonce expected Edna, who had already in bed asleep, to wake up and speak with him, and take care of their children. When she finally woke up, he had fallen asleep, and left her wide-awake. Women of this time had to love their husbands, be at his beckoned call, and take care of her children. All of Edna's friends do this happily and enjoy their roles in society, but Edna is different. She wants to be an individual, rather than Madame Pontellier, Leonce's wife.
The whole book is about how she changes and becomes more individual as time goes on. Edna starts out dealing with her uneasy feelings. As time goes on, her patience slowly deteriorates, as she becomes careless with her cooking and existence at her home. She admits that she would not give her life for her children, or anyone for that matter. Her passion for another man causes her to grow further apart form her husband. I would recommend this book if one likes spontaneous and unpredictable endings.

The Awakening is a very worthwhile read. Although a bit slow in some areas, Kate Chopin did a wonderful job of presenting Edna Pontellier, the main character, as a woman who struggles in a society where women are the property of men. Her love for art and music enabled her to gain a form of independence that only she and an older lady named Mademoiselle Reisz could understand. Mademoiselle Reisz has decided to be an individual, and not follow society's rules. She acts as mentor or idol for Edna. Reisz was very knowledgeable in both music and art witch also inspired Edna to take interest in her own hobbies. Edna, came from a family of Presbyterians, and purposely married a Catholic named Leonce Pontellier to get back at her father. Edna constantly faces many awakenings throughout her life as she struggles for independence from the control of men. She defies her husband and lets him know that she is not his property. This leads to a conflict between the two. Leonce believes that Edna is not a good mother and cares little for both her children and their marriage. Edna, on the other hand, believes that it is Leonce who cares little for his family and more about his wealth, property and popularity. To her husband, Edna is an object, something necessary for him to possess in society. As Edna spends more time with Robert, a friend who stays with her during the days at Grand Isle, her attitude towards Leonce begins to get stranger. This enabled Chopin to introduce a middleman between the Edna and Leonce; a physician named Doctor Mandelet. Mandelet met with the two on separate occasions and formulates a diagnosis to "cure" Edna from such strange behavior. As the days pass, and Leonce is on a business trip, Edna begins having strong feelings for Robert Lebrun. Their hidden love is not something they admit, but they can sense it through each other's actions. Trying to avoid falling in love with a married woman, Robert leaves town and heads for Mexico, trying to clear his head from thinking about Edna. While Robert is away, Edna begins to feel an even stronger love for him, and also get depressed. Kate Chopin developed a wonderful plot in which the story constantly circles around Edna. While Edna has Robert on her mind, the author did an incredibly brilliant choice by introducing another character by the name of Alcee Robin. Alcee enjoys making conquests of married women and eventually goes for Edna. After meeting Alcee through the horse races, Edna begins to get intimate with Alcee. Edna doesn't feel enough independence from her husband, so she decides to move into a tiny birdcage-like house to be on her own. The climax began to increase when Robert finally came back from Mexico. Edna begins to play mind-games with Robert by interacting with him less and less. Her deep love for Robert is not returned in the way that she had hoped, so she makes a decision to for a walk along the coast. Edna's choice to go for a swim is her final awakening. She looks upon her sons as the only bond that ties her to a life of being a slave to society. Moments later after extreme exhaustion, Edna drowns and dies. This book does a remarkable job telling about society during this time, and how women were viewed. It makes me curious to read another novel by Kate Chopin.

I had to read this book in my Women's Writing Class. I can not say I enjoyed this. Edna does not really capture much sympathy or admiration. The pace of this is also quite sluggish. The supporting characters are not really memorable either. But at least Chopin had a good idea. She was trying to portray a woman who had everything, but could not be happy with the role of women in society. If you want to check this out, you must keep this in mind, or the book may seem meaningless. I did not really care for this, but I remember reading many books that were MUCH worse.

I was forced to read this book in AP English my senior year, but I actually found it intriguing once I got into the plot and became familiar with the characters. What I really liked was how Chopin had every setting match the mood that the character felt; everything that surrounded the characters was symbolic of their emotions or what they were feeling, especially when it focused on Edna. Anyone could identify with her situation if they concentrate on the book with an open mind, and it is basically a look at the thoughts/emotions of a Creole woman who finds herself in an affair, but the book has many more elements to it that make it mean much more than a typical love & infidelity story. I would suggest reading it slowly and thinking about the reasons behind the characters' actions and dialogue, everything means something and this way the reader gets more out of the book. :)

Reading other reviews of this book, I felt I had to write my own. I feel this book is an extremely valuable illustration of a woman's attempt to define who she is. In doing this, Edna realized that she had no identity of her own. Even though it took an affair to do this, her discovery was still valid. I also think that criticism of this book for this reason is completely off base. For centuries, people have turned their head the other way when men have struggled with affairs. Edna wouldn't have killed herself or maybe even have had these troubles in the first place if her husband had been at all supportive in her endeavors to discover who she was, and to help her out of her depression. By ignoring her needs, he asked for the consequences. Edna's final thoughts were about her children, and they were her main regret for doing what she felt she had to do. All in all, The Awakening is a wonderful piece of work that shows the struggle of both female authors and women alike to take a step out of the kitchen.

First published in 1899, this beautiful, brief novel so disturbed critics and the public that it was banished for decades afterward. Now widely read and admired, The Awakening has been hailed as an early vision of woman's emancipation. This sensuous book tells of a woman's abandonment of her family, her seduction, and her awakening to desires and passions that threated to consumer her. Originally entitled "A Solitary Soul," this portrait of twenty-eight-year-old Edna Pontellier is a landmark in American fiction, rooted firmly in the romantic tradition of Herman Melville and Emily Dickinson. Here, a woman in search of self-discovery turns away from convention and society, and toward the primal, irresistibly attracted to nature and the senses. The Awakening, Kate Chopin's last novel, has been praised by Edmund Wilson as "beautifully written." And Willa Cather described its style as "exquisite," "sensitive," and "iridescent."

The Awakening certainly deserves the respect it has gotten for its ground-breaking theme and the skill with which it was written. It's deplorable that a talent like Kate Chopin's was silenced because of the prejudices of her time. That said, upon this my initial reading of this classic, I'm left with the thought, "what a waste and how unnecessary." It is true that Edna did not have m uch experience of life/love, but it appears that after her exploration of Edna's gradual discovery of her self, Chopin ran out of ideas and ended Edna's anguish by taking the expected and easy way out. This book could have been so much more had Edna been granted more time to work through her confusion and draw upon her own not insubstantial inner resources. It's difficult to judge something out of its own time and place, but the ending is rather trite and predictable.

Kate Chopin's highly renowned novel, The Awakening, is rightfully awarded such praise. Chopin's style of writing is eloquent, graceful and captivating. Her intense detail and careful chronicle of Edna's thoughts give the piece an impeccable sense of reality. For this reason, I feel that readers can easily relate to Edna's character and sympathize with her struggle. In order to relay many underlying themes, Chopin uses a significant number of enigmatic metaphors and vivid symbols. Although this adds to the novel's intrigue, it contributes to its complexity. If the reader is not astute and analytical, I question whether they will grasp the true meaning of the work.
I believe that although The Awakening was published more than 100 years ago, it has tremendous relevance for modern society. Regardless of the era, readers will always be able to relate to one woman's triumph over hardship and her decision to follow her heart. Chopin writes her novel in a manner that leaves the reader with many unanswered questions regarding the morality and integrity of many of the characters. I think this is important to the appeal of the novel because it encourages the reader to reassess their opinion of certain actions and makes this an excellent choice for group discussion.
The Awakening is above all, a powerful piece of literature. Kate Chopin's ability to touch the human heart in such a delicate manner is commendable. I felt enriched after reading this novel because it not only supplemented my skill as an astute reader, but it taught me valuable lessons about living life in respect to oneself and not society's demands. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who desires not only a captivating story, but one with meaning as well.

* * * * * Reviewer: Jerran
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is an excellent book. The setting of the book is French New Orleans. Kate Chopin takes her reader into the life of Edna Pontellier and her quest to find out where she really belongs. Throughout the novel Kate Chopin uses a foil of two women to show how Edna doesn't really fit in with either of them. First of all she develops Madame Ratignolle as the motherly type of women and then she uses Mademoiselle Reisz as the free woman who can do what she wants, when she wants. This is a great book because Kate Chopin really develops her characters to the full, but it takes the whole book to do so, so this may cause some readers to lose interest. This book is not filled with eye opening action from beginning to end, but it is written in such a manner that it does hold your attention. Kate Chopin also delves into the subject of adultery, which may catch reader's attention. I feel that this book was ahead of its time in the struggles that women face everyday that were put on the back burner like who they really are, which I would also call the theme of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that would enjoy a read that really delves into the life of one person and explores fully. Be prepared for a surprise ending. (246 words)

The first time I began reading The Awakening (for my 11th grade honors English class), I was not particularly taken in by the actual story; instead I noticed how quickly I finished the assigned pages. The prose was breezily written, and I enjoyed Chopin's description of the setting.

In class the next day, students were commenting on how dull and somewhat confusing the book seemed. Even my teacher admitted that the story was hard to understand. At first, I did not agree with my teacher's or classmates' opinions, but as their dissatisfaction with the book increased -- eventually, so did mine.

The highly-descriptive prose began to wear on me at about the same time I began to dislike Edna Pontellier. In class discussions, various students -- both male and female -- noted how irresponsible she acted towards her children. One example I remember my teacher pointing out is the part that Edna's husband Leonce remarks on the low quality of the dinner one evening. Had Edna prepared the meal herself, any frustration with her husband would have been more justified. Unfortunately, she and Leonce are wealthy enough to have a cook who goes through the work of making dinner each night. In fact, they have servants to take care of all domestic chores.

In a way, I can see her feeling put upon when she has to take care of her husband's clients and can understand that a mother is not always thrilled about her children. But to say she is highly oppressed is pushing it. Leonce is described as a monster of a person, but his words and actions come across as relatively tame. Even as he wonders what's "wrong" with Edna when he visits the Doctor, he comments that he is wary of confronting her.

Throughout the story, Edna does not grow very much as an individual. The fact that she found love with Robert was touching, but the fact that she abandoned her husband without so much as a word that she was feeling stifled by the relationship was disrespectful. As I said before, Leonce was not abusive and controlling. I wish Mrs. Pontellier had learned that finding oneself does not require avoiding current responsibilities, no matter how hastily acquired. The ending was unfortunate, but did not change my opinions about Edna.

Overall, this isn't a terrible book. I just don't consider it a work of great depth and meaning. I give this book three stars because there are a couple of memorable scenes.

I would suggest this book for anyone looking for a quick, occasionally enjoyable read. The story will seem better if one does not expect to finish the book with heightened self-awareness or a radically altered view of society.

The Awakening by Kate Chopins, the protagonist Edna Pontellier learns to think of herself as an independent human being and rebels against social norms by leaving her husband Leónce and having an affair. At the beginning the novel takes place in Grand Isle, an island off the coast of Louisiana. Edna Pontellier meets a young gallant named Robert Lebrun, the two spend almost all their time together, and Edna greatly enjoys his company, especially when her husband was normally preoccupied with business. When he realizes that him and Edna are becoming too close, he suddenly departs the island and goes to Vera Cruz for business reasons. He left and didn't want to be with her because he wasn't alike to her economically and couldn't make her happy. At the end Edna returns to Grand Isle. She walks down to the beach and stands naked in the sun without thinking, than begins to swim out into the ocean. She thinks gloriously about how she has escaped her children and their claim on her and continues to swim until she is tired. Memories of her childhood flash before her eyes as she gradually drowns.

The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers.

The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.

This excellent novel was heavily criticized when it written, but we can see the excellence in hindsight. Every so often a writer will challenge society with new ideas that are quickly rejected. Chopin's works helped open the eyes of society to the value and intelligence of women.

I have a hard time with so many people "loving" this book.
While I was not offended by it at all, I just found it incredibly boring. There is just so much that you can read about a woman who is obviously dissatisfied with her life and spends so much time whining about it. And the ending....
Yes, I know this was written in a different time and place and it is important to get these issues out there, just try to make it a little more interesting.
I am a fan of true classic literature, this is not something I would recommend to many.

Though at one time I, too, would have rated "The Awakening" one of the worst reads of a lifetime--for its predictability in the context of a woman oppressed by Victorian society, and the most undeveloped, unsympathetic heroine for whom I was unable to muster the slightest emotional investment--a nagging, relentless undercurrent of something I couldn't quite identify festered long inside me regarding this novel until the story, and author, were at last redeemed upon my third reading, in a literature course that finally ended this internal struggle.
Having much faith in Kate Chopin as a writer, I never felt 'the awakening' was about sex. This was too easy, even for a book set in Victorian Society. Further, it occurred to me that although women were limited beyond the domestic sphere in this era, suicide was not particular to the phenomenology of Victorian women (as it was, say, to Wall Street brokers at the onset of the Great Depression).
"The Awakening," in title and content, is irony. Edna Pontellier's awakening is about who she perceives herself to be, and who she actually is. She dreams of passion and romance and embarks on a summer affair, yet she married Leonce simply to spite her parents, who don't like him. She moves out of the family home to live on her own--with the permission, and resources, of Leonce--hardly independent. She claims to crave intimacy, yet she fails horribly at every intimate relationship in her life: she is detached with her children, indifferent to her husband, leery of her artist friend, and can hardly stand another minute at the bedside of her warm, maternal friend, Mrs. Ratignolle, to assist her in childbirth. (Ratignolle was my favorite character of all, read after read, simply because she was so content with herself.)
The Awakening? The surprise is on Edna, who is not the person she imagines herself to be. The irony? Edna Pontellier is never awakened to this, even at the bitter end. Feminists have adopted this book as their siren song...embarrassing at least! A feminist reading would, predictably, indict Victorian society as oppressive to women. Yawn...So that's new?!! Tell us something we don't know! I can tell you that concept wouldn't be enough to keep a book around for a hundred years.
But the concept that has sustained this novel over a century's time is its irony. And it is superbly subtle. I believe Chopin deliberately set up Victorian society as her backdrop to cleverly mask this irony...'the awakening' is not something good (a daring sexual awakening in a dark era for women): it is something horrible that evolves and is apparent to everyone except the person experiencing it. This reading makes Edna's character worth hating! Chopin herself hated Edna Pontellier and called her a liar through her imagined conversation with her artist friend at the end of the novel.
Chopin also cleverly tips the scales in Edna's favor in the first half of the novel, but a careful read reveals those scales weighed against her in the second half. I give the novel 5 stars because it took me three readings and help from a PhD lit professor to figure out this book. And I'm proud to say that I am, at last, awakened.

"I love you. Good-by because I love you" said by Robert to Enda in a note that he left for her just after she went to help deliever the baby Madame Ratignolle was having. This novel, The Awakening , was deemed obscene and immoral when it was first published in 1899 because it depicted stories about having sexual intercourse with someone other than a woman's husband or having immoral thoughts about it. To give a brief plot summary, it is about finding your true self when no one around you is willing to help, defying everything that women stood for back then (which was to be a housewife, a good mother, and basically a slave) and being a "one of a kind" person. Kate Chopin herself was a very capricious person and did not like to be told what to do and how to do it. I believe that The Awakening was written to show people exactly how she felt like being a woman in such a high society and pressure that it bares down upon you. Even the language used in the book shows how high society expected you to speak. Kate Chopin's style of writting is truly superb. The way she hints at things, for example. Page 67, "I will, thank you. Good-by" said by Robert again to Enda before he leaves for Mexico. By this time in the book we already know that they have feelings for each other, although she is married she still cares deeply for him and deep down urnes for him to not to leave. However being married forbides that she do that. The passion and tension between the two just creates a sense of overwhelming love that Kate never really comes out and says "I love you but I must go because you have a husband and I can't have you" just shows how the book always has on this emotional roller coaster. The end of book depicts how love is and how it can have an awful ending or a really tremendous ending. I believe that The Awakening had a tremendous ending, however I'll let you decide for yourself. Read it, it'll have you crying, laughing, and jumping up in your seat screaming at Enda to do the right thing.

Not a movement or word lacks purpose or symbolism in this book. It will require the reader to dwell on each character's attitudes and actions, but it is never ending as it explores the strife of one women to be herself despite gender constrictions and unstable love versus marriage. The most compelling aspect of this work is the connection to the sea. The end is mesmerizing and beautiful, making the work even more positive criticism.

the heroine's husband has a leading role in the novel.he is the authotity and the main ignition that leads to the path of awakening. I think Robert was naive in the beginning. Well, he is like an angelic male servant always ready to serve his lady master, but later he fell in love with the lady and left the country. when he came back, things have changed, like the autumn leaves lying on the ground.
the title suits well. the charecters fullfil their roles as they are supposed to but at a sudden momment, the links and roles got loose. it is a philosophic novel. we see who is courageous and who ain't. awakening resembles freedom but the following moments are unplesant for the ones remaining. who are to blame? the marriage institution, pride, suspicion or love?the routines we suffer,pain?

the language is so simple and lucid . after reading the book, i felt a kind of relief like having a walk after hours of sitting.

If you enjoy novels that address the social norms and conventions of a given time period, this is one you won't want to miss. I was first introduced to this book as a sophomore in college in my "Women Writers of the 20th Century" English class. Kate Chopin masterfully paints a picture of a woman desperately seeking more in her life; a woman who doesn't "fit the mold" of societal conventions at the turn of the 20th century. Chopin slowly builds Edna Pontellier bit by bit, painstakingly peeling away at the layers and the facades this woman has been taught to put on--and which her character throws off with fancy free and terrible heartache almost simultaneously. Edna is a flawed heroine, but perhaps that is why the reader becomes entranced with her. There is a little of Edna Pontellier in all of us--seeking the essence of life; seeking love and freedom.

I am one of the readers who didn't sympathize with Edna, I had an intense dislike for Edna. To me she doesn't represent a "feminist" or a woman well ahead of her time, she just reminds me of a selfish, arrogant woman who cared little about anything except for her own-well being. I thought that Edna disregarded everyone in her life, and pushed away everyone who cared about her, and concerned herself only with her own problems.
In the end I think Edna realized the truth about herslef too late: she should never have been married, because she was not suited to it. What I did find admirable in this novel is that Chopin was able to portray the ambiguous feeling Edna encounters as she realizes she hates her station in life. The intensity with which Chopin describes those emotions overtakies the reader, maybe because modern female readers today can ralize how lucky they are to have options outside of marriage, while Edna had none. We feel her despair as she sinks into depression. I appreciated knowing how far social expectations have come (though still not being totally equal).
I think Madamoiselle Reisz was an example of the life Edna should have led. I think that Chopin's descriptive narrative gives the book an edge and saves the novel from the unoriginal and predictable plot. I also wondered why she picked drowning as a means of a way to die. My conclusion was that in the book I noticed part of her "awakening" comes from the sensation she recieves by swinning in the ocean by herself. she feels liveration and freedom out there, and in life she tried to find those things as well, but with little succcess. So in the end she gave herself back to the only place where she felt the joy and secret of life.

All in all, a interesting read, with good literary comparisons and symbolism.

The Awakening disputes the double-standard put on women. Why is it fair for men to have different standards than women? Men are allowed to be themselves and rarely be ridiculed. Kate Chopin, the author, explores the ideas unfairly put upon women. After reading The Awakening, many feelings toward society may be altered.

Edna Pontellier, was an enlightening main character who struggled with creating herself. She was stuck between who she was expected to be, and who she was really. Especially in the early 1900s, women were expected to follow a certain standard. Edna neither felt close to her children nor her husband though she was expected to be a good mother and wife. What is a women supposed to do?

Because of the conflicts women face, Kate Chopin explored the possibility that women should be happy, rather than just follow the norm. Women need to follow their hearts and passions, no matter what society thinks.

As the story unfolds, each character helps readers identify a different type of person in society. Mr. Pontellier is so concerned with what everyone thinks that he looks past the pain his wife is experiencing. He would rather make everything look okay on the outside, than to explore the problems on the inside. This is very true in everyday life.

The Awakening has survived the test of time because it portrays society very accurately. All women unanimously can agree to the fact that there is a double-standard placed between men and women. Edna is a strong woman who faces society to even the ranks between men and women. The struggle to be satisfied, although, leaves Edna with a very changing decision.

"The Awakening" is an amazing piece of literature. Edna is truly brave in the way she slowly began to defy her society's conventions. She wasn't being unfaithful to her husband, because he betrayed her long ago by thinking of her simply as an object. The key concept I think most people miss, however, is the reason she kills herself instead of running away with Robert. Robert is just like Leonce, and Edna realizes it. He talks of her being set free and given to him. Edna realizes that he, too, views women as possessions. Granted, he loves her, but his mentality is still governed by his society. She realizes her life with Robert, while filled with passion and love, would still be a repressed one. She said she would give up the unessential for her children, and she did. To have lived would have been to raise her children in the midst of pain and absence of truth. To have lived and given up the essential, herself, would be robbing them of their own personal freedom and expression. Edna is a well thought-out and inspiring character. I do not condone suicide in any way, but would not consider it a "cop-out" in this situation, either.

This book was one of the best novels I have ever read in my life. There are many biblical allusions and hidden messages behind the authors words. I strongly disagree with the comments of the people that said it was boring...they didn't understand the book. In the beginning of the novel Kate Chopin starts with the parrot in the cage and Mr. Pontellier. Why did she start her novel like that-did you ever wonder? Kate Chopin mentions the parrot in the cage to symbolize Edna's entrappment and wanting her freedom. Mr. Pontellier wears glasses because he is blind to see how society works in the Victorian era. The lady in black and the lovers in the novel are the two different decisions that Edna has to make. The lady in black represents the spiritual love (marriage)and she is blind to everything that surrounds her-she is only concerned with her love for Christ. The lovers represent the individuality and concern only for themselves-they represent sin. Edna needs to make a decision between following the society's acceptance of her marriage or become an outcast and having an affair that can ruin Mr. Pontellier's reputation and her children's. A biblical allusion that Kate Chopin states is when Edna is having her dinner party. That party represents The Last Supper in where she is giving her good-bye to the old Edna and saying hello to the new Edna. She invites 12 guests just like the 12 disciples. She is dressed like a goddess and says "drink to my health"-'This is my blood'Jesus says. Robert, the man she plans on having the affair with is exactly like Mr. Pontellier. Edna is going through the same cycle and her only escape is death. The novel is very interesting and you just have to use your brains a little harder and ask "Why did the author write this? What was the purpose behind it? What meaning does it have?" If you ask these questions to every book you read you as a reader will understand and enjoy the book you are reading. By doing this your horizons will expand and you will be a better reader and writer which will make you a better thinker! I hope you agree with me.

I read the novel, "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin and I was very interested in her style of writing. She is a powerful writer who really knows how to work her novels into the inner thoughts and minds of her characters. Rather then focusing on a specific adventure for her plot, she puts her characters into real life situations to show the reader exactly who they are. In this particular book, however, we learn about a married woman whose feelings for her life thus far is boring her, as she desires change. Edna Pontellier becomes torn when her feelings for a young boy named Robert Lebrun become a powerful and overtaking affair. I really enjoyed reading this book because it interested me to hear the feelings of a twenty-eight year old married woman, and her experiences of hopelessness and solitude. I recommend this to any woman looking for an interesting book. It really draws your attention to the importance of true love and the insignificance of material possessions.

I read this book, and I believe it is one of the most insightful works of feminine literature out there. Although this work is based during the turn of the century, I feel that it addresses some pertinent contemporary women's issues. I think it is a book of self-realization as far as your place in the world, and I believe it is a good start to reading other great women writers. A book that I could compare it to would be One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. (This connection may or may not be just a figment of my warped mind!) At any rate, it is a great read and something I am sure all women can identify with. Men can also benefit from this novel by the insight it might give to the interworkings of the female mind....(And men- it's easier to hide than Cosmopolitan when your girlfriends come over!) Don't take my word for it, just spend the four bucks.....

This revolutionary novel took place in the Victorian era with Edna Pontellier stealing most of the limelight. This novel depicts conflicting issues: to cheat or not to cheat? From the beginning, Edna begins feeling unusual and intolerable feelings towards a man that is not her husband. She began feeling love and happiness, which were two feelings that she never felt before: not even towards her husband. And the man that brought on these feelings was Robert, innocent and honorable. These two met when vacationing off the coast of New Orleans and instantly felt a connection, even though they thought of it as a "friendly connection." Yet when Robert unexpectadly left for Mexico, Edna began feeling a void in her life and soon found out that she couldnt't live without Robert. As time progressed, she began making changes that would effect everyone around her, from her husband and children to women from all over. She began filling the void by isolating herself from her husband, sleeping with another man, and eventually moving out. This novel is the most adaptable because it can relate to any generation and any person that is put in that kind of situation, which I think makes it such a worthwhile and interesting novel.

The Awaking, by Kate Chopin was a very good book to read if you ever had any time in your life, you felt insecure about yourself. I found this book and the characters very interesting. There are traits about Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier I enjoyed, but at the same time, they lack things as well. Edna was a very individual character that wanted to feel individual for her own needs. Edna was admirable in her individuality and desire for independence, but in the same respect, her independence can be a bit selfish at the cost of her children. Her children should have been her first priority, and then her search for individuality. As for Mr. Pontellier, I believe that he truly does love Edna, but there are times when he does not treat her as if he loves her. " . . . looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property." (Pg. 2) Even though he was a rich man in those times he should have shown more respect for his wife, so she didn't feel as if she needed find her own path to follow. This was an excellent book for anybody to read, but I thought that the author could have thought of a better ending. If there was anything, wrong with this book it had to be that the author seemed to just want to finish the book. It really just seemed as though the book came to an abrupt end. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to learn more about themselves as a whole.

Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" portray's strength and feminism at its greatest. The book shows the struggles of a woman trying to make it in a world set with standards. She finds it hard to grow and expand her happiness and destiny in life. After everything she puts her family through, she manages to think of the wellness of her soul and mind. She breaks off from her family, friends, and society enabling herself to feel completly free. Chopin challenges society's standards through an imprisoned woman in her own world. The struggles the character faces depicts strength and courage from influential people and standards. It shows a beautiful transition of servitude to tranquillity. "The Awakening", also, opened doors for feminsim and women's rights. It set a mental precedent into society's conscience. "Awakening" is one of the greatest works that inspires people to break away from imprisonment of society's principles.

When my friend and I ran across a list of 101 books that were recommended to be read before college, we realized we had only read a small percentage of the books and made a vow to read more. One of the books on the list was "The Awakening," and as we had studied Kate Chopin in school and it was readily available online, we decided to both read it. Both of us had read it by the next day, and we both reached the same conclusion: Chopin's protagonist, Edna, was a selfish woman who was not strong at all, as a truly strong woman would have continued on even after the man she loved left her.
The book is written beautifully, hence the two stars. But Edna is completely unidentifiable. She is twenty-eight, yet she seems to do everything on impulse. Yes, maybe she did rush irrationally into an ultimately loveless marriage -- but her husband is not a monster, so doesn't she at least owe him some consideration? Not to mention her children -- she seems to not have the slightest regard for them, only showing affection in fits and starts.
This book should be read, if only to show what strength is not -- strength is not what Edna does in the end of this story. However, you may find yourself struggling to get through it, as Edna is often very frustrating. In conclusion -- this is NOT feminism. In fact, before reading this story I had immense respect for Kate Chopin, respect gained from reading her short stories. I lost some of that respect after seeing what she apparently believed was the solution for Edna's problems.

I liked the book The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. It showed how some women react when they can't find love or when they're not happy in the relationships that they are in. The book had many details in it regarding Edna's life and her different relationships. The book had a very ironic ending where she ended up drowning herself, that lets people know how some people value the company and love of other people and if they don't get that then they feel as if their life is over.I recommend this book to anyone who has the time to read it. It's very interesting and will make you turn emotional.I don't advise people who are in bad relationships to read the book fearing that they might make drastic turns as Edna did.

Many persist in saying that this is a feminist book. It is not. This is a book for men and women, it teaches about integrity of emotion. The evidence that the main character is a woman who leaves her husband in a time when it was taboo is really not enough. Was she particularly courageous, honest or good? No. She was simply a vulnerable woman who was victim to her own troubled sea of emotions. Edna is a tragic figure, she always seems to be searching for something.. and she doesn't know what it is or where to find it. Yet the mere fact that she is searching, that she is open to something greater than the trivialities of life makes her an intriguing character. Edna's viewpoint is terribly colored, however. For to her, it seems as though she is the only one with this sensual longing. She never bothers to give anyone else a chance, and chances are, if they're like the rest of us, they've felt a similar pull at some point. But instead of harnessing this feeling, Edna succumbs to it. She retreats into herself and simply gives up on life. She resorts to shameless pursuit of self, she lives to please her momentary whims. She never considers that her husband loves her or that she has vowed to be faithful. Edna only considers that she doesn't love him, and she will make no sacrifices for anyone else as long as her own debaucheric pleasures are at stake.
If I were rating Edna, I would give her one star. But I'm rating the book, and I must consider that its overall effect was powerful. That Kate Chopin's diction was lyrical and her imagery potent. That the message of this book, though tainted by the miserable and futile Edna, resounds. This is not a feminist message. It means nothing more for women than it does for men. The message is that we must always strive for the integrity of emotion. That we must force ourselves to reach beyond the superficial in life and grasp the true and lasting. Poor Edna was so close to discovering this, but she abused the longings she felt and misinterpreted them. Perhaps if she'd only had that talk with the doctor.....

Although Edna Pontellier and her family have always spent their summers at Grand Isle, this trip was somehow different for Edna.
As she and her family, a husband and two small children, return to their home in New Orleans from their annual vacation, she knows something has changed. Something inside of her is slowly taking over her thoughts and motives.
The Awakening takes you deep into her enigmatic thoughts and ambiguous feelings as she struggles to comprehend and understand the multitudinous emotions that overtake her. She slowly realizes her unhappiness has sprung from her feelings of entrappment cast upon her by society's rules and regulations. She has been forced to assume the responsibilities thrown on all women of her time. She decides she will no longer yield to the expectancies that have been handed to her. It becomes increasingly harder for her to maintain her reputations and relationships. She is forced to abandon all that is familiar to her in order to persue the new self which she searches hopelessly for.
As summer slowly but inevitably reapproaches, they ritually depart for their vacation at Grand Isle. So much has changed since their last visit, but nothing could compare to the change they were about to encounter.

The book takes place at a resort that's on the beach, during the summer. In the beginning of the book a parrot is introduced that speaks a little French, a little Spanish, and a language that no one understands. In a way the parrot is like Edna Pontellier, the main character; it sometimes seems that no one understands what she is trying to say. During this story she faces a conflict within herself because she is trying to set herself free from being trapped and being tied down. She wants to feel as if she can take care of herself if needed. She also has a conflict between herself, a man named Robert, and her husband. The reason why this conflict exists is because she can't decide whether she wants to be with her husband, or with Robert, or with both of them. Kate Chopin also uses irony when Edna wants to learn how to do something because she feels it will be the one thing to set her free. But in the end, it was the one thing that wasn't good for her.

I really enjoyed the book because it showed a person following their desires. Not only does Edna (the main character) break the chains of society but takes a chance at new love and has her heart shattered. This book is inspirational to anyone especially women. It shows how strong an individual can be when the circumstances are unbearable in a demanding Creole time period. This book shows that people put themselves in situations that they think will make them secure in life and insure happiness. Edna proves that the most "secure" route isn't always the best and won't always lead to contentment with one's self. The power of decisions and consequences of actions is explored thoroughly in The Awakening. Sometimes people act on an impulse and reactions have mixed outcomes. Real life and down to earth The Awakening certainly explores the agony and joys of life.

From the title, one can gather a plethora of ideas and symbolic hints pertaining to this novella. Kate Chopin's protagonist, Edna Pontellier, transforms from a typical well-to-do wife and mother to an "individual" aware of her desires for love and affection. Filled with oceanic and musical imagery, this book is must-read for art, women and music students/lovers especially. * * * * *

Im still amazed at how this story is true in the present. How many women are with men that they do not love? What will it take for these women to realize they are the only ones who can make themselves happy? Being happy is not about having money or being married (being in a relationship). I reccommend this book to all my women friends. Read it and find your true self....

I read "The Awakening" several years ago for an english class in college and it remains my all-time favorite. It tells the story of a woman who must comply with the traditional conventions of her era but who desperately longs to break free. It is a marvelous read and you are taken into the story with the rich and descriptive words of Kate Chopin, a pioneer for women writers. Personally, it changed my life for the better.

I thought this book was poorly structured, I didn't like how it kept switching to many different characters and then go with one. The book was not at all interesting and boring. The book just doesn't pull you in and make you like it to be honest I kept falling asleep while reading it.

It makes no difference if you are content with your station in life or ready to break free and start something new: every woman should read this book. Written when men were men and women were to submit to them, Kate Chopin beautifully and somewhat chillingly portrays the tale of a woman who will gladly die for her family but refuses to live for them. Discontent with her role as a doting wife and mother and in love with another man, Edna Pontellier "awakens" to the possibilities of taking the step she knows may either destroy her or give her the happiness she so desires. I highly reccomend this classic book.

The awakening was such an inspiring novella. This story was not predictable at all, and I loved that.The characters were well developed and vibrant. Edna, the protagonist, went outside the boundaries of what a typical woman was suppose to be like in society. She wanted to be her own person and stand out, and I found that so inspiring. I would read this book several more times.

i have just finished this book and have to hand in a book report of it tomorrow. I really don't know what to write about it.It's so silly. I have no idea why my teacher put it in the book list. I cannot see how Edna has been awakened, she 's just got bored of her routine life and wants to get some excitement, something different and so she becomes capricious and imprudent and act according to her own will without thinking anymore of the consequence and the impact brought to her husband and her children.Someone may say that The Awakening is good,a masterpiece, a successful... novel for the enlightenment of female, i myself is also a female but i don't feel awakened after reading it. What do you mean by "awakened"?is it to leave your husband, to abandon your children, and to have affairs with other men...?this is totally irresponsible and inconsiderate!!!if Edna likes drawing, she can draw whatever she wants after she has finished the housework and looked after the kids.It's her job and she has to take this responsibility, furthermore, it's she who bore the kids,she chose to do this but not the kids and again,she should take responisibility for her decision.She can fall in love with Robert and even marry him but please do it after getting divorced with her husband,this is her legal responsibility.You may dislike my comment based on responsibility but this is very true that we all live in the same society,it is inevitable that we have to be cooperate with others and abide by the rules of our society.If everyone acts like Edna, how many broken family and orphans will there be?it's not a matter of gender but for everyone of us. Edna has undoubtedly she has recognized that she is one individual and doesn't belong to anyone.it's inspiring that she has found her value of existing and struggles to lead a "what she considers a better life".but too much self-awareness and self-assertion only leads to egotism and selfishness. At the end of the story, Edna commits suicide. There's no point for it at all. she has been "awakened" according to Chopin, and should be very happy with her new life. it's confusing.does she not enjoy living, or does she just want to die because her subdconscious mind, that is, without pausing and pondering(she must be mad)?Anyway, if this is what people called "AWAKENING", i 'd rather never be awakened.

Suggested to me by a friend's research in literature, I found the book to be both surprising and yet represents the struggle women continue to have with identity and self actualization. At times I was right with her, and at other times I was saddened by her choices. Reading this book, can help you understand why women choose as they do.

I rarely give any book one star, but after slogging through the deceptively short "The Awakening", I feel that the low ranking is justified. This book is heralded as a classic, and I can see why it is. I just didn't like it - at all.

Kate Chopin's story revolves around Edna Pontellier, a young wife and mother who, along with her husband and children, spends her summer at Grand Isle, a small island off the coast of New Orleans. While there she befriends several other women and attracts the attention of Robert, the son of the owner. Robert awakens (pun intended) feelings in her she has not felt before; though her husband is a good man, she does not love him. After spending the summer with Robert, living leisurely, she begins to take her life into her own hands. Upon her return to New Orleans, Edna becomes more and more distant from her husband, eventually having an affair and moving out of her mansion, only to find herself less and less satisfied. As other reviewers have said, the ending is quite abrupt, and made me wonder what the point of the book was.

I understand that "The Awakening" is a masterpiece of feminist literature, but I'm not quite sure why. Yes, Edna took charge of her life and her destiny, and at the end of the nineteenth century, that was something unusual. She refused to bow to her husband's whims and set out to live her life on her terms. But - and this is why I'm questioning why the book is so popular in feminist circles - she isn't happy. The more she awakens to life, the less satisfied she is in it, leading her to drastic action. And while the character herself is brilliantly flawed, I found myself having to search for any redeeming qualities in her.

I usually have a pretty positive reaction to classic works, but this one fell completely flat to me, and despite its brevity, was one of the most excruciating reads I've had in years. Read it for a chance to give your own opinion, but go in with low expectations.

The Awakening is indeed one of the best books I have ever read. Kate Chopin did a wonderful job of presenting Edna Pontellier, the main character, as a woman who struggles in a society where women are the property of men. Her love for art and music enabled her to gain a form of independence that only she and an older lady named Mademoiselle Reisz can understand. Mademoiselle Reisz is not necessarily an attractive woman, but she is the kind of idol that Edna adores. Reisz was very knowledgeable in both music and art. Having never been married and have children, Reisz was in independent woman making a living all by herself. Edna, coming from a family of Presbyterians, purposely married a Catholic named Leonce Pontellier to get back at her father, The Colonel, and Margaret, her older sister. Edna constantly faces many awakenings throughout her life as she struggles for independence from control of men. She defies her husband and lets him know that she is not his property. This leads to a conflict between the two. Leonce believes that Edna is not a good mother and cares little for both her children and him [Leonce]. Edna, on the other hand, believes that it is Leonce who cares little for his family and more about his wealth, property, and popularity. As Edna spends more time with Robert, her attitude towards Leonce begins to get stranger and stranger. This enabled Chopin to introduce a middleman between the Edna and Leonce; a physician named Doctor Mandelet. Mandelet met with the two on separate occasions and formulates a diagnosis to cure Edna from such strange behavior. Days before Leonce leaves for a business trip, Edna began having feelings for a young carefree man named Robert Lebrun. There is a hidden love between the two. They do not admit to each other's love, but can sense it through their emotional side. Trying to avoid falling in love with a married woman, Robert leaves town and heads for Mexico, trying to clear his head from thinking about Edna. Robert, While Robert is away, Edna begins to feel an even stronger love for Robert. Kate Chopin developed a wonderful plot in which the story constantly circles around Edna. While Edna has Robert on her mind, the author did an incredibly brilliant choice by introducing another character by the name of Alcee Robin. Alcee enjoys making conquests of married women and eventually goes for Edna. After meeting Alcee through the horseracing games, Edna begins to get intimate with Alcee. Not feeling enough independence from her husband Leonce, Edna decides to move into a tiny birdcage-like house where she buys all the necessities to make a decent living with the money she made from winning races. The climax began to increase when Robert finally came back from Mexico. This is where Edna began playing mind-games with Robert by seeing him less and less. Days later, Edna decided to go to the beach to take a stroll along the coast. Having a deep sensation for swimming, she undressed herself and slowly began swimming away from the shore. She regards her sons as the chain that binds her to a form of slavery that she detested. Moments later after extreme exhaustion, Edna drowns and dies. Much credit to Kate Chopin for writing such an excellent book!

I read this book as a senior in highschool and I am not going to complain but ...
When I began the Awakening, I expected to enjoy it. The opening description of the resort and Loisiana were wonderfully lush - beautiful simple language. But the book was really ruined for me because I could find absolutely no sympathy or even interest in the protagonist. In the end, I felt that she was rather selfish and petty. Her awakening to me wasn't much.

Often, works with the aspects this book provides are immediately considered feminist works. As a male who really enjoyed this novel, I have to say that very few things about the book are truly feminist. The central theme of repression against women can be considered a struggle of humans, in general, struggling to enjoy what they feel is correct and which convention sees is wrong. The fact that Kate Chopin wrote this novel can serve the feminist cause but ultimately it is a book that all can enjoy.
This novel will certainly leave you guessing with its complex introduction and seemingly dry description of characters. However, as the story unfolds, we become more and more aware of what is going on and by the end we are shocked to find out that our beloved protagonist had to pay the prize for the lifestyle she wanted. I recommend this novel enthusiastically to the person that enjoys works with unexpected twists and romantic plots. After you read the novel, you will not doubt that this book is a diamond in the dirt and a classic of American literature.

I read this book about a year ago. The stark feminism in it hardly shocked me, because even Anne of Green Gables is written from a somewhat feminist viewpoint. Yes, feminism has been around since the fall of man.
Kate Chopin is an excellent writer, of course, and she paints a complete picture without an excess of words in The Awakening. Besides these assets, however, I found myself greatly disliking the book, simply because it represents principles absolutely opposite to my own, to those that are rooted in the Bible. However, my opinion of the book changed when I reached the end. Edna was so controlled by her emotions and so vainly searching for satisfaction outside of right standards that she ended up absently committing suicide. What a profound ending this is: the path of feminism seems bright and colourful, dashing and daring, until the end, when one realises that all one's life has been spent on nothing but feeling good. Feelings may be nice, but what is left when the feelings are gone? Without mentioning the fact that Edna betrayed her husband and abandoned her precious children, the fact that Edna ruined and cut short her own life is a harsh enough lesson for any woman to read.
The truth is that if one is not content where one is at, one will not be content anywhere else.
And then there is this to consider: maybe Edna deemed it worth her while to fritter her life away doing whatsoever she pleased, and die before she could really reap the consequences. If so, she forgot that death is not the end, for humans have eternal souls, and hers must go someplace. If she spent her life defying God, then where must hers necessarily go to?

"The Awakening" was excellent. I would recommend this novel to anyone. Many may view this novel as feministic, and rightly so. I prefer to look at "The Awakening" more open minded. I loved the plot. A woman breaking free from her societies "norms" to reinvent herself as a woman. Bravo, to this timeless classic....

I just finished reading this book for my AP English class. It's got great imagery, but other than that it's boring. A couple times while reading this I went to sleep. All it is, is Edna whining about being oppressed in her nice house with everything being given to her. Awwwww, poor baby. I enjoyed reading Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God much better. It seems to me the only people that like this book are female English teachers, that's the only reason it's a classic. Nothing jumped out of the pages to me. Unless you have to read it for a class, save your time and read something else(Their Eyes Were Watching God).

I've been re-reading many novels and short fiction from the turn of the century and THE AWAKENING was a pleasant surprise. While emotional and sexual liberation have inspired some great artistic works in the last century, Chopin here is refreshing precisely because Edna Pontellier's "awakening" is portrayed as nebulous, ethereal, and above all, inarticulate. Edna is not sure what she is feeling. She knows only that her new feelings of love have no place in her society. Indeed, Chopin shows that for a woman to be awake emotionally at this time in history is to be psychologically isolated and socially estranged. The choices Edna faces are devastating, and so is this slight novel.

This book is an excellent one which describes that women back in those times were thinking and facing some very similar situations as now. I love how this story is written. The whole journey with Edna, the main character,as she discovers herself and awakens to her reality is am amazing one. You feel like you get to know her as she goes through the events she goes through, and it amazes you how it turns out at the end. Seeing her change, and how she ends up at the end of the book. I thought this story was catchy and tragic, but it all comes together to make it such an unresistable book. I also liked how Kate Chopin wrote it with alot of detail. I loved it so much, I bought a copy for myself! I would reccommend this book to everyone since I think anyone wil enjoy it.

A wonderful representation of life as a women in any age. It is easy to connect
with the main character despite her time in history. Very good read. The short
stories that follow the book are, shall we say; interesting, if not entertaining.

The Awakening is the story of a young woman, wife and mother, living in New Orleans in the late 1800s. At one point, she decides she's not going to do anything except whatever she wants to do. Fortunately for her, she has the financial means to do so and her husband takes off on business and his mom takes the kids. How nice to be so unencumbered!
I can't really tell how I feel about this book. On the one hand I think it's completely lame for this woman to have just drifted along in life with her focus only becoming clear when presented with some man or other (not her husband) to amuse and divert her. On the other hand, I feel sorry for her. I think today's young women are encouraged to "find themselves" much sooner than waking up at 28 and realizing you're trapped in a situation you don't much care for. (At least I hope they are).
I know this book is considered a "classic" and there is much commentary to be found on the internet and scholarly journals about how it was considered shocking and a precursor to feminism, but to think of it like that is depressing. Edna is fickle, unfaithful, capricious and vain and to think that she was held out as an example of what really goes on in women's heads makes me irritated. The Awakening is also one of the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, but I think I could have died having not read it and been just fine.

The Awakening is probably the most over-rated book I've read. Before you condemn me and say I just don't get it because I'm a man, let me point out that I've read all of Jane Austen's books, most of them two or three times. Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite, books and I've read Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome at least four or five times. Contrary to what some claim, men can get it.

But Edna of The Awakening is a selfish and irresponsible. I get it, she achieved orgasms with her lover but not her husband. If the story had been about a man who cheated on his wife for better sex with another woman, that husband would have been betrayed as just another abusive husband, and not a hero.

There is a lot of hypocrisy in the praise heaped upon this book. Almost forgot to mention, the character is every bit as boring as irresponsible.

Thank you to all my reading friends who suggested The Awakening as one of their favorite classic novels! I have been trying to branch out into new literary worlds, and the classics is one genre that I hadn't yet touched. Still a novice, but my journey has been so profitable thus far. The Awakening was one novel that is incredibly easy to read and holds such powerful prose in so few pages.
A taboo subject back in its day, The Awakening tells the story of one woman's emotional journey from a stifled, miserable marriage to a spirited and lusty freedom. Young Edna Pontellier feels trapped in a loveless, although pampered, life with husband, Leonce. Stirrings of independence begin one summer while resorting in Grand Isle, an island off the coast of Louisiana. These new feelings have begun a profound change in Edna, liberating her beyond belief. Thus ensues an infidelity that dreams are made of, although at the expense of her marriage and motherhood.
Hardly shocking in this day and age, The Awakening's subject of marital infidelity and physical lust for another is always a pageturner. The theme of the novel -- Edna's torment at the chains that bind her and the flutterings of an unbridled passion -- is brought to life with beautiful writing in simple, elegant words. I am surprised to find such a passionate and provocative story within its pages. Short but penetrating, The Awakening will move you.

Although Kate Chopin did not publish much in her lifetime, she made a strong impact. I especially loved Awaking. It hit a chord for several reasons. First, I was amazed to read something from 1899 with such a strong conviction toward women's rights, with such a realistic ending. Second, I think there are so many of us females today struggling with our own identities. I loved that the heroine broke from the norm and persued a life of her own (rather than living for her two children or the opinions of her husband). Third, I got a taste of an historical and diverse Louisiana. This is the story of Edna Pontellier and her journey toward self-awareness/discovery through one summer of freedom from her husband and children. I especially loved that she was flawed enough in the end to defy social/familial convention to commit the ulimate self-driven act.

I first read this book in high school many years ago as as assignment and was puzzled, inspired, and amazed all at once. I thought of her as so strong, yet so sad all at once that I couldn't even imagine such experiences. After reading this again as an adult that has experienced things of her own, I realize again how truly amazing this novel is. The writing and the emotions evoked are incredible.

Every woman should read this at least once. This book can be read over and over and at each stage of your own life, I think you'll recognize more incredible things about Chopin's writing and her wonderful character.

In "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin, Edna lives in a society during the late eighteen hundreds and has her own role assigned to her by that society. Edna has a hard time sticking to her role, especially when she meets Robert; who becomes a good friend. Throughout the novel, Edna is attempting to find herself and who she really is, behind the role that society has placed on her.

"The years that are gone seem like dreams-if one might go on sleeping and dreaming-but to wake up and find-oh! well! Perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusion all one's life."

This novel is a relatively short read and is slightly difficult. I really enjoyed the book and especially enjoyed the symbolism throughout; I would rate it a nine out of ten. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a proficient reader and enjoys novels that involve social issues.

First of all, I would just like to say that if I could have given this terrible book negative stars I most certainly would have. I was absolutely shocked when I saw that it had gotten an average review of 4 stars. (...) This is about as far from the truth as could possibly be.
This book is slow, it is boring, it is pointless, it is plotless, it is depressing, it is absurd, and it is most certainly not well written. Of course, all of those things alone would have just made me dislike and then forget about the book. What really made me hate it, truly hate it, was its use of the single most utterly detestable and unsympathetic main charachter that I have ever encountered. Edna was as idiotic, ungrateful, selfish, whiney, over-emotional, neglectful, and vile a person as has ever been described in the role of protaganist. Hell, I've never even run across a villain that I liked less.
Edna had a loving husband, and what did she do? She treated him like dirt and did her best to ruin his reputation. He never asked her to do anything other than entertain some guests one afternoon a week, and she goes on about being stifled, oppressed and (God forbid) unfulfilled. She doesn't have to cook, she doesn't have to clean, she doesn't have to sew, she doesn't have to work, she doesn't even have to take care of her own children. Her husband provides everything for her, and we're supposed to think that he's the bad guy? Why? Just because he yelled at her (...)? I bet the vast majority of men wouldn't have been as kind and patient as he was. Oh, and Edna's mistreatment of her husband didn't stop at being stupid, petty, lazy, contrary, and mean. No, she also had to go out and cheat on him with the local playboy. I don't know how any self-respecting feminist (if there is such a thing) could endorse such a book such a character or such behavior. Since when is adultery high on the feminist platform?
Well, I could go on all day about how much I hate this book, but I don't really want to offend any more people. It's just that (...) it stands for everything that could conceivably be wrong with society. Calling "The Awakening" a classic is, in my opinion, both a tragedy and a travesty.

This book is beautifully written and has stayed with me ever since college. It's about a woman's emotional journey, and her ensuing freedom. Haunting book. Ahead of its time, and still relevant today.

This is a total rip-off of Madame Bovary or The Doll's House written 50 years and 20 years before, respectively. I can see why it is popular with the self-centered culture of today. Just because a woman can write a book doesn't mean it is the greatest book ever written on the female psyche or female self-discovery. The Peter Pan principle keeps jumping into my mind.
Edna never did a meaningful thing for anyone including herself. She just became more and more self-induldgent without ever considering the consequences of her disconnect from her family and society. Occasionally, she would feel a pang of guilt regarding the abandonment of her children and proceed to send them a box of bon-bons or indulge in some over-the-top emotional scene. If the children had been girls would she have treated the same? The men in her book were cardboard characters who either provided for her monetarily or emotionally depending on her whim. She couldn't understand why her lover Robert left her. He was doing the honorable thing, she was a married woman with two children. Her husband did not know how to deal with her - he left her to her own devices (with a bank account and servants, mind you).
She considered no one except herself and feels no guilt about it. She comes back to this theme over and over again. No one will ever "possess her".
If I could have given this book zero stars, I would have.