An 'Easy' Classic to Enjoy ^ This novel reminded me of Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, but it was a much easier and shorter book to read. It is a good choice if you are looking to read some 'true' classics but do not want something difficult. Chopin is not a 'wordy' writer who goes into great detail. She gives her impressions and ideas in such a way as to spark many questions in your mind rather than to cover all the themes thoroughly. The focus is on the inner psychology of the protagonists mind. I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the subtly of the writing, the interesting characters and the mysterious ending. Chopin's skillful writing captures the essence of the internal awakening of her protagonist without being too dramatic or obvious. The whole book portrays the development of Edna like a gentle unfolding as she opens herself to the influences of art, music, friendship and environment.
The Awakening raises the interesting dilemma of being true to the self versus social responsibility. Chopin's character Edna goes so far as to state, "...she would give up the unessential, but she would never sacrifice herself for her children." When thinking of her husband and children she says, "They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her body and soul."(p.155) Kate Chopin does not give a simple answer to this issue, leaving it open to the reader to interpret the nature of Edna and her choices.
It's a Gem ^ Obviously, this book was far ahead of its time. It's short, but carries a huge message (whether Chopin intended it or not). I love this book and will read it again and again.
The tragedy of a time and place when women's lives were tightly prescribed ^ Published in 1899, "The Awakening" brings the reader to a time and place where women's lives were tightly prescribed. It's set in New Orleans and its environs and begins at the Grand Isle resort where wealthy Creole families spend their summers. Edna Pontellier is 28 years old, has two young sons and a distinguished husband who expects her to follow all the conventions of the time. But Edna, who the author always refers to as "Mrs. Pontellier" is restless and befriends the son of the proprietor of the resort, Robert Lebrun. They are soon mutually attracted to each other and the seeds of a romance are sown. But the summer ends, Robert leaves for Mexico on business and Edna returns to New Orleans with her family.
Edna tries hard to live the life arranged for her which consists of staying home in the afternoons and entertaining her women friends. But she is not happy and shockingly leaves her house to visit the home of a piano teacher she met during the summer who sometimes receives letters from Robert. She also goes to horse races with friends where she is thrown into contact with a man who starts to romance her. When her husband leaves town for an extended business venture, Edna starts to break free from the constraints of her life, leading to tragedy.
The book is short, a mere 190 pages, but it has a tremendous impact. Reading it, I was reminded of the changes that have occurred in women's lives over the years. I was also enchanted by the skill of the author and the way she used her words to bring me right into the center of Edna's life. This book has been applauded as a classic and I can well understand why.
Complex & Ambiguous ^ The Awakening is a wonderfully ambiguous book that resonates more powerfully if one considers it in its historical context. Its publication in 1899 ostracized Chopin for the remainder of her life (she died in 1904) and for the mores and social values of the time it was a very scandalous work. Based on some of the reviews I have seen posted, it can still invoke the ire of readers. I have a feeling Chopin would be pleased. Chopin's protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is a woman in a daze. She has a comfortable life, a loving husband, and adoring children. And something is missing. The Awakening is the story of Edna's realization of what she wants out of life, and her pursuit to get it. Her story could be from 2009, except it isn't. It is 1899, and women should be happy with material wealth, nice kids, and a good husband. And Edna was, until her inner passions and desires are awakened by a summer flirtation. What makes this novel so excellent for reading and discussing is that you can see Edna as a women brave enough to liberate herself from society's bonds, or as cowardly and selfish in her hedonistic pursuits. And the text supports both interpretations. It is almost as if Chopin is admitting to her readers that even she has ambiguous feelings about her premise. This is not a text with a lot of action; the most important movement is in the character's heads. But if you want a text that will make you think, force a deep and close reading, and yield new insights (not all of them positive, Edna is not an especially likable women) every time you visit it, then The Awakening is for you. A great selection for book clubs, or classrooms, as the imagery and symbolism in the text allows for limitless interpretations.
Some quick thoughts on the novel ^ Please tell me this: what sort of feminist commits suicide after losing the man she loves? Now I know that Edna mentions that Robert was merely symbolic of her freedom, rather than someone she cared about, but consider it my way. Her rejection of her love for Robert lasted for a small paragraph, and seems especially ridiculous when compared to her time spent mooning over him--roughly seven-eights of the book. When taken into consideration the fact that she commits suicide right after he leaves her, one is forced to conclude that her short rejection of her feelings is nothing more than denial. While I must admit that her lack of love for her children turned her into a character I could never like, she's not even a well composed character in her unlikeableness. Near the end, before committing suicide, she claims that her reason for such a dramatic act is to escape the control her husband and children have upon her. The question I found myself pondering was: is she ****ing delusional? She hasn't seen her husband for months, has moved out of his house, has taken a new lover, hasn't seen her children for weeks, didn't even have to see her children when they lived together since she had a nursemaid, and clearly isn't only selfish, but is also mentally ill. When she began to describe her children as demons possessing her soul, I came to the obvious conclusion that illness Edna suffered from was Paranoid Schizophrenia. Since there was no knowledge of such a disease in Chopin's time, it makes sense that she might have created this character and thought her to be rational, if she based the character off of someone she had met. However, since we are aware of the disease today, readers should avoid admiring Edna's behavior and concern receiving mental help if they find their thought processes mirroring hers. I am not going to criticize the book for being boring or the protagonist for being immoral, but I would like it if readers would note that the true awakening of Edna involved her death and avoid from recommending it to their friends as a good example of a woman learning how to live her life. In some cases, espousing suicide is illegal and I would hate for anyone on here to be arrested for encouraging someone to commit suicide.
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