Kate Chopins novella, The Awakening Essay -- English Literature

Kate Chopins novella, The AwakeningIn Kate Chopins novella, The Awakening, the reader is introduced intoa society that is strictly male-dominated where women fill in thestereotypical role of watching the children, cooking, cleaning and tutelage up appearances. Writers often highlight the values of acertain society by introducing a character who is alienated from theirculture by a distinction such as gender, race or creed. In ChopinsAwakening, the reader meets Edna Pontellier, a married woman whoattempts to overcome her fate, to avoid the stereotypical role of awoman in her era, and in doing so she reveals the surroundingsocietys assumption and moral values about women of Ednas time.Edna helps to reveal the assumptions of her society. The peoplesurrounding her each day, particularly women, draw their roles ashousewives while the men are free to leave the house, go out atnight, gamble, drink and work. Edna surprises her associates when shetakes up painting, which represents a working job and independency forEdna. Leonce does not appreciate this. The reader sees how he assumeswhat she should be doing from this quote on page 57 Mr.Pontellierhad been a rather courteous husband so big as he met a certain tacitsubmissiveness in his wife. But her new and unexpected line of conductcompletely bewildered him. ... Then her exacting disregard for herduties as a wife angered him. Leonce says himself, It seems to methe utmost folly for a woman at the head of a household, and themother of children, to spend in an atelier meaning a studio forpainting days which would be better employed contriving for thecomfort of her family. This quote is rather symbolic as it uses theword emplo... ...men surrounding her relent to in life. Bydefying these laws Edna makes clear the morals that all the otherwomen value the satisfaction of their husband, the acceptance ofsociety, and the conformity to stereotypical roles of a woman.In The Awakening, Edna is used as a tool to emphasize the s urroundingsocietys assumptions of a woman and the morals that they value.Often, a character is set apart from their culture for this solepurpose, to stress a point the author wants to make. In this case,Chopin wants to show the reader how male dominated society has been,how quickly women succumb to their roles, and how easily people sessbe shape to consider a different and all too meaningless set ofmorals. Edna is strategically alienated in the novella so as thereader can discover societys assumptions and moral values of the eraand up until today.