The Awakening in Never too Late to Read Classics

Mar 05, 2018 Claire rated it really liked it

Shelves: precinct-81, 1001-books-to-read-before-you-die

Beeing written at the end of the ninetheenth century, this book has a very modern feeling. It’s a story about infidelity, about beeing bored by/feeling trapped in marriage and motherhood.
The very honest, and even in these times modern outlook on it ( going for your own hapiness, not really thinking too much of the children) must have shocked people.
On the other side, I did not feel any connection to the MC, she left me really really indifferent. Also, I doubt the emancipation level a bit. Going ...more

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Mar 05, 2024 midnightfaerie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, favorites, literature, rory-gilmore

Our dear Edna goes the way of many women during this age - when hopelessness sets in after struggling to come to terms with who she is and what she wants out of life - she feels like there are no options left for her in life. In a time when toxic masculinity was real, and men used polite gestures and platitudes to make their wives conform to their wishes, women often were left with no real choices in what they could get out of life. Mrs. Edna Pontellier goes through the motion of a good wife an Our dear Edna goes the way of many women during this age - when hopelessness sets in after struggling to come to terms with who she is and what she wants out of life - she feels like there are no options left for her in life. In a time when toxic masculinity was real, and men used polite gestures and platitudes to make their wives conform to their wishes, women often were left with no real choices in what they could get out of life. Mrs. Edna Pontellier goes through the motion of a good wife and mother, deferring to her children's wishes and her husbands expectations until suddenly one day she is awoken by desire. A passion she's never before experienced engulfs her and she doesn't quite know what to do about it. She starts to rebel in little ways, doing more of what she wants and less of what society expects of her.

In doing so, her husband gets increasingly irritated, and even goes so far as to announce her sick in the head she is behaving so abnormally. She begins to paint and ignore her responsibilities, and for the first time in her life, considers what she wants instead of everyone else. This book was scandalous and disparaged when it first came out, as a woman thinking for herself was unheard of and quietly discouraged.

Any women who is married or has children will understand and relate to Edna's plight. This book touched a chord with me that I haven't acknowledged in awhile. While women have the same feelings and passions and wants and needs of all humans, we often put them aside as caregivers. Whether it's society's view urging us on to be a good wife or mother, or internal guilt that makes us give our whole lives to the upkeep of others wellbeing, it often takes over our whole life and we forget to take care of ourselves or view it as not as important. Hopelessness and despair set in quickly when you feel like your backed into a corner.

I loved this book and felt Chopin did a good job putting Edna through all the emotions from Ennui to desperation. So many women suffer in silence and place all their self worth in the caring of others. Many hide in this purpose, unwilling and fearful to explore their own feelings. I could absolutely relate to this book and think there are many others out there that would relate to it as well. The story touched my heart in a way I haven't in awhile and would recommend this to anyone looking for better understanding of a wife and mother. It's withstood the test of time and relates on many common themes - a definite classic.
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Jun 24, 2021 Francesca rated it liked it

I enjoyed it as I found it interesting. Nice characters as well.

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Jan 19, 2021 Beth rated it really liked it

I don't agree with how Edna, the main character, chose to fight for what she believed but perhaps she didn't know her ideas were something other women desired or that they might be worth fighting for. As it turns out, I believe her actions were selfish. However, under the age-old circumstances in which she found herself, it was the best she could do sadly. ...more

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Aug 11, 2017 Library Nymph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, love-the-cover, rory-gilmore-challenge

3.5 round up.

I liked this book more then I thought I would. I have to say the common blurp "sexual awakening of a young woman" doesn't really do the story justice. I think it would be better to say this book is "a tragic story of a woman who, because of monotony and loneliness, becomes reckless in love and life". At least, that's how I saw it. ...more

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