Kate Chopin

THE AWAKENING

By: Kierra J. Otis

• Born February 8, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri• Grew up speaking French & English• Father killed when she was 5 years old, allowed more

maternal influence• Married the French Oscar Chopin in 1870• Moved to Louisiana • Had six children• Husband died when she was 32, never remarried• Immersed herself in writing novels and short stories

while raising a family

THE AUTHOR- KATE CHOPIN

• Transformation from rural agricultural nation to urban industrial

• “Labor Conflict” – 37,000 strikes• Innovative times – 36,000 patents issued• Over a 40-year period, 23.5 immigrants arrived• 95% of women still served as homemakers

THE TIME PERIOD- LATE 19TH CENTURY, EARLY 20TH

• Published in 1899• Story of protagonist Edna Pontellier’s awakening as a

woman• Met with wide criticism for condoning adultery and

disregard for womanly duties

THE NOVEL – THE AWAKENING

1. Women’s Search for Identity – Edna is trying to discover what she should do with her life without conforming to her husband, children, friends, or society

2. Women’s Revolt against Conformity – ties in with the first theme, she rebels against society’s ideas concerning marriage and motherhood

3. Womanly Experiences – a lot about marriage and motherhood, something widely unaccepted at the time, women weren’t supposed to talk about pregnancy/giving birth

THEMES

• Art (Painting & Music) – freedom and failure• Birds – communication, or lack thereof• Food – symbolic meals, (Chapter 30- last supper)• Water – freedom and escape• Sleep – awakening

SYMBOLS & MOTIFS

• Edna Pontellier – protagonist, character experiencing the awakening

• Leonce Pontellier – Edna’s husband, treats her well but like an object

• Robert Lebrun – begins as just a friend to Edna but evolves into a lover

• Alcee Arobin – a man Edna has an affair with who she actually feels passion for but not real love, described as a womanizer

• Adele Ratignolle – Edna’s close friend, represents the perfect mother and wife Edna doesn’t believe she’s capable of being

• Mademoiselle Reisz – A woman who is described as true artist when it comes to the piano, uncommonly unwed

MAIN CHARACTERS

• Imagery • Parallel Structure• Narrative Control• Narrative Stance• Modes of Disclosure• Regional Dialects

STYLE ELEMENTS SIGNIFICANT TO AUTHOR

Common Motifs• Food• Walking• Music• Painting• Clothing & Fashion

Always with men• Edna vs. Leonce Pontellier, Husband• Edna vs. Robert Lebrun, Lover• Edna vs. Alcee Arobin, male version of a Mistress

CONFLICTS