The AwakeningThe AwakeningKate ChopinKate Chopin

Kate Chopin - biographicalKate Chopin - biographical•1850: born Kate O’Flatery in St. Louis1850: born Kate O’Flatery in St. Louis

– Raise by her mother, grandmother, and Raise by her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother (after her father’s great-grandmother (after her father’s death)death)

– Attended Sacred Heart AcademyAttended Sacred Heart Academy– Skeptical of religion because of Skeptical of religion because of

tragedies in her life that occurred tragedies in her life that occurred around religious holidaysaround religious holidays

Biographical – con’t.Biographical – con’t.• 1870: married Oscar Chopin, moved to New 1870: married Oscar Chopin, moved to New

Orleans, had 7 childrenOrleans, had 7 children• 1882: Oscar dies, Kate moves home, writes 1882: Oscar dies, Kate moves home, writes

stories & books to support her familystories & books to support her family• 1890: first novel, 1890: first novel, At FaultAt Fault• 1894: short story collection, 1894: short story collection, Bayou FolkBayou Folk• 1897: 21897: 2ndnd short story collection, short story collection, A Night in A Night in

AcadiaAcadia• 1899: 1899: The AwakeningThe Awakening (deemed controversial) (deemed controversial)• August 22, 1904: Chopin dies after a cerebral August 22, 1904: Chopin dies after a cerebral

hemorrhagehemorrhage

The Awakening:The Awakening: Setting Setting• 1919thth century (turn of the century) century (turn of the century)

– Industrial Revolution (lowest class of Industrial Revolution (lowest class of women go to work for the first time)women go to work for the first time)

• Southern Louisiana Southern Louisiana – in/around New Orleansin/around New Orleans

• Cultural forces: American, Southern, Cultural forces: American, Southern, & Creole& Creole

Creole (“crioulo” = native)French Creole - Caucasian people descended from some

of the first Europeans to arrive in New Orleans.

…descendants of early European colonists in Louisiana began to refer to themselves as “Creoles” to distinguish themselves from Europeans just arriving in New Orleans.

…distinguished established New Orleanians from Americans who

arrived in droves after Louisiana’s admission to the union in 1812. Just to reduce confusion, we’ll call these descendents of early European settlers “French Creole” although some descendents of early Spanish settlers called themselves “Creole” as well.

http://www.datacenterresearch.org/pre-katrina/tertiary/creole.html

Cultural Influences: Cultural Influences: AmericanAmerican• Driving forces of the Industrial RevolutionDriving forces of the Industrial Revolution• Women work for the first timeWomen work for the first time

– Middle-class women are expected to stay at Middle-class women are expected to stay at home and look prettyhome and look pretty

• Women’s suffrage movement is gaining Women’s suffrage movement is gaining powerpower– Women who supported the movement were Women who supported the movement were

deemed unfeminine and rebelliousdeemed unfeminine and rebellious

Cultural Influences: Cultural Influences: SouthernSouthern• Has its own set of standardsHas its own set of standards• Technologically behind the NorthTechnologically behind the North• Still suffering the effects of the Civil WarStill suffering the effects of the Civil War• Women are more subordinateWomen are more subordinate• South takes longer to develop South takes longer to develop

industrially and socially because of industrially and socially because of antebellum valuesantebellum values

Cultural Influences: CreoleCultural Influences: Creole• Catholic in a Protestant countryCatholic in a Protestant country• Considered elite members of societyConsidered elite members of society• Lived according to European societyLived according to European society• Very conservativeVery conservative• Committed to husbands & childrenCommitted to husbands & children

– A woman belonged to her husband & the male A woman belonged to her husband & the male had absolute control over the familyhad absolute control over the family

• Deep personal & religious commitment to fidelityDeep personal & religious commitment to fidelity• No hope of feminist movement taking holdNo hope of feminist movement taking hold

Influences: 4 Literary Influences: 4 Literary MovementsMovements• Romantic Movement / RomanticismRomantic Movement / Romanticism

– Emphasized imagination & emotionsEmphasized imagination & emotions

• RealismRealism– Reflects life as it actually isReflects life as it actually is

• NaturalismNaturalism– Frankly represents life’s detailsFrankly represents life’s details

• Local Color writersLocal Color writers– ““regional literature” - fiction and poetry that focuses on regional literature” - fiction and poetry that focuses on

the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region. (Creole)features particular to a specific region. (Creole)

ThemesThemes• IndependenceIndependence• Awakening (figurative)Awakening (figurative)• Social ConstraintsSocial Constraints• Men vs. Women = perception & rolesMen vs. Women = perception & roles• SolitudeSolitude• Self-expressionSelf-expression• SufferingSuffering• Death/suicideDeath/suicide• Love/romance/sexual relationshipsLove/romance/sexual relationships

Symbols / MotifsSymbols / MotifsArtArt FoodFoodBirdsBirds SwimmingSwimmingClothesClothes The moonThe moonHousesHouses Sea – ocean, gulfSea – ocean, gulfSleepSleep MusicMusic

Major CharactersMajor Characters• Edna PontellierEdna Pontellier• Leonce PontellierLeonce Pontellier• Robert LebrunRobert Lebrun• Adele RatignolleAdele Ratignolle• M. ReiszM. Reisz• Alcee AcrobinAlcee Acrobin

Minor CharactersMinor Characters• Victor LebrunVictor Lebrun• MariequitaMariequita• The ColonelThe Colonel• Etienne and Raoul PontellierEtienne and Raoul Pontellier• Mrs. HighcampMrs. Highcamp• The lady in blackThe lady in black• The two loversThe two lovers

Has Appeared on the AP Has Appeared on the AP Test:Test:

19871987 2002200219881988 2004200419911991 2007200719921992 2009200919951995 201420141997199719991999

Reading Schedule:Reading Schedule:• Chapters 1-15 quiz:Chapters 1-15 quiz: Friday, 2-19-16Friday, 2-19-16• Chapters 16-29 quiz:Chapters 16-29 quiz: Tuesday, 2-23-16Tuesday, 2-23-16• Chapters 30-39 quiz:Chapters 30-39 quiz: Friday, 2-26-16Friday, 2-26-16

• Submit the focused reading/quote & Submit the focused reading/quote & question Thursday (18), Monday (22), question Thursday (18), Monday (22), and Thursday (25).and Thursday (25).

finisfinis