Gender Roles in The Awakening Essay - 931 Words

Gender Roles in The Awakening The 1890’s were an era of rapid social change in regards to women’s rights. In 1893, Colorado was the first state granting women the right to vote with Utah and Idaho following soon after in 1896. This soon set momentum towards of ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. It was in 1899 the Kate Chopin published The Awakening, a novel telling the tale of a suppressed mother, Edna Pontellier, and her desire for something more in her life. Literary scholars consider Chopin’s The Awakening as a subtle yet effective portrayal of women of the late 19th century and consider it as an important piece of the feminism movement. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, women had felt controlled by men and the†¦show more content†¦Adele is a selfless woman as she devotes her whole existence to her children and husband. She was often found sewing â€Å"little night drawers†¦a bodice†¦or a bib† (11) fo r the upcoming winter whereas Edna’s â€Å"mind was quite at rest concerning the present material needs of her children† (11). Adele frequently talks about her children, always sounding proud or excited about them. Edna neglects to mention her children many times, as clearly they are not the top priority in her life. Many times Adele would wonder if she even should leave her children behind and go somewhere with Edna. Adele is accepted in the Creole community, she is family to them, and she has many Creole companions. This only noticed when you note Edna’s relations with the Creole community, she is accepted but never seems to fully integrate with the community. This is representative of the how Edna rejects the common role of women in society at the time. Chopin also uses a subtle hint of Adele’s appearance to suggest that Adele’s commitment to her maternal role. Adele is described a delicate woman with soft hands and pale skin. This is to suggest that Adele does not leave her house, nor does she do physical labor, which would mean she would leave the house. Her pale skin suggests that she is committed to the household and all the duties involved. Her physical beauty is to impress her husband as she is frequently seeking his approval through her physicalShow MoreRelatedLindsey Allison. Mrs. Schroder. Ap Literature And Composition.1217 Words   |  5 PagesLiterature and Composition 3 January 2016 Awakening Essay: 1987 Awakening, takes place in 1899, a period in history where traditional gender roles were especially prevalent. Traditionally, women were destined to be housewives. The life of a woman was centered around caring for her children and husband. The success of a woman was not determined by her occupation nor accomplishments, but instead was determined by the livelihood of her family. The protagonist of Awakening, Edna Pontellier, steps outside ofRead MoreKate Chopin s The Awakening935 Words   |  4 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"The Awakening† can arguably be considered a feminist piece, but regardless of whether it is or not, the short story unmistakably describes how life was for women in the late 1800’s. Her story is a great example of the sexist views of the time and existing social roles for each gender. The literature includes a large interplay between society and gender roles, which affected the reader’s response to the plot and other literary devices such a s imagery back then and even today. ChopinRead MoreDesiree s Baby And The Awakening1238 Words   |  5 Pagesin 1892 in Vogue magazine (Gilbert 167). In 1899, Chopin published The Awakening. These two stories, Chopin writes how women’s personal identities and independence are concealed by society through her different female characters in â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† and The Awakening. The main female character in â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is Desiree and Chopin portrays her protagonist, Desiree, as a submissive character. On the other hand, in The Awakening, the main female character is Edna and she is portrayed to be bold. WhileRead MoreThe Symbolism Of Birds Throughout Chopin s The Awakening1564 Words   |  7 PagesThe Symbolism of Birds in Chopin’s The Awakening In the 1899 novella, The Awakening, Kate Chopin illustrates the social oppression that women experienced during the Victorian Era (1837-1901). The protagonist in the novella, Edna Pontellier, reflects the progressive women of the late 1800s who began to question the traditional gender roles of society. In contrast to customary women such as Adele Ratignolle, the model character in the story who displays very high standards of being a wife and a motherRead MoreEssay about Feminism in The Awakening986 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel The Awakening, by Kate Chopin the critical approach feminism is a major aspect of the novel. According to dictionary.reference.com the word feminism means, â€Å"The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.† The Awakening takes place during the late eighteen hundreds to early nineteen hundreds, in New Orleans. The novel is about Edna Pontellier and her family on a summer vacation. Edna, who is a wife and mother, is inferior to her husbandRead MoreKate Chopin s Life And Feminism1281 Words   |  6 Pagespeople outrage and condemn some of her works. However, in the early 1900s, her works were examined again and people started to listen to her ideas. One of these main motifs that Chopin’s works kept bringing up were feminism and equality. In The Awakening, Edna Pontellier, a radical feminist, and Adele Ratignolle, a subtle feminist, demonstrate to the reader the desire for equality for women. The actions of these characters critique on the social problems of the time period while at the same timeRead MoreThe Awakening : Evaluating The Core Values Of The Nineteenth Century1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe Awakening: Evaluating The Core Values of the Nineteenth Century In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, the main protagonist Edna Pontellier exists as the embodiment of the feminist ideas that stand as outliers in the midst of the more traditional nineteenth century beliefs. Set in 1899 near the end of this generation, Chopin’s work explores the shared attitudes of most of the novel’s cast as they respond to Edna’s search for independence and freedom, an action that challenges her conservativeRead MoreThe Importance of Setting and Symbols in The Awakening by Kate Chopin1014 Words   |  5 Pagesthe meadow in Kentucky, symbols and settings in The Awakening are prominent and provide a deeper meaning than the text does alone. Throughout The Awakening by Kate Chopin, symbols and setting recur representing Edna’s current progress in her awakening. The reader can interpret these and see a timeline of Edna’s changes and turmoil as she undergoes her changes and awakening. The setting Edna is in directly affects her temperament and awakening: Grand Isle provides her with a sense of freedom; NewRead MoreHistorical Background of The Color Purple, I know why the caged bird sings, and The Awakening1383 Words   |  6 PagesHistorical Background of The Color Purple, I know why the caged bird sings, and The Awakening In a stereotypical society, the reader expects for the protagonist of a novel to be a strong, heroic male who saves the day and gets the girl. However, in the classic works â€Å"The Awakening† (Kate Chopin), â€Å"The Color Purple† (Alice Walker), and â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† (Maya Angelou), a different kind of protagonist is portrayed. In these novels, the protagonist is a heroine who grows throughoutRead More feminaw Seeking a New Identity for Women in The Awakening Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesSeeking a New Identity for Women in  The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Awakening, Chopin questions gender roles. Chopin seeks an identity for women that is neither wife nor mother. To achieve this end, she incorporates progressive feminist ideas into her writing. Yet, in the end, Chopin also shows that, because of years of conditioning, many women are unable to escape society’s stereotypical roles by any satisfactory means. The protagonist of the novel, Edna Pontellier, does not possess the skills