Introduction

The Awakening was written by Kate Chopin and published in 1899. It is set in nineteenth-century New Orleans, Louisiana. Kate Chopin, also the author of the short story "The Story of an Hour," was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1851. Chopin drew from personal experience to write The Awakening; at the age of 20 she married, by the time she was 29 she had already given birth to six children, and she eventually became submerged in the Creole culture of New Orleans. The novel, which centered around Edna Pontellier and her inability to accept the motherly and wifely duties she was expected to have, was a social commentary on the role of women in an oppressive society. The Awakening became a staple in the world of literary feminism.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Analysis: Chapter 5

In Chapter 5, the following was stated:

"They accepted without murmuring what she chose to give them, each holding out two chubby hands scoop-like, in the vain hope that they might be filled."

This described Edna's two kids as they waited to receive treats. The statement could be related to the fact that although Mrs. Pontellier is their mother, she will never and was never able to completely embody and embrace motherhood. Children will be children and yearn for their mother's attention; the Pontellier kids are no exception. They, however, will yearn with "vain hope" that their mother will truly want them, a hope that will go unfulfilled.
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. James WangFebruary 16, 2011 at 8:45 PM

    So... basically she's a bad mother, who's want for freedom to express herself as a strong woman means neglecting her children. Way to go, Feminism, you just supported neglectful parenting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TheWriteStuffFebruary 28, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    I'm not sure we can blame Edna's behavior on feminism. She too is unfulfilled as a wife, a mother, and as an indvidual. You can't expect much from someone who is empty herself.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)