LB answers “Is The Awakening a Feminist text?”

Kayla Headley asked this question about The Awakening:

Is The Awakening a Feminist text?

LB If it is a feminist book, it's a poor one, in my view. Feminism is about giving women de-facto rights for education, access to professions, political …moreIf it is a feminist book, it's a poor one, in my view. Feminism is about giving women de-facto rights for education, access to professions, political life, etc. It's also about allowing women their choice of a mate vs. its being a forced marriage, a traditional arrangement, mostly money-based, between the groom and the bride's parents w/o so much as consulting her. This book addresses none of these issues. Edna has no thoughts about bettering herself as an individual; her marriage was not forced on her; she married w/o love but it was her decision (she didn't want to stay with her original family). She could've opted for living alone, which would've been more feminist, but she opted for a man (not feminist). There is a female character in the book who lives alone and supports herself by music lessons, so it's not an impossibility. Then she goes on to take a lover. I don't know how feministic this is bc women had lovers since the dawn of time. So my opinion is no, it's not a feminist novel, it's more of a scandalous novel perhaps written in part to attract attention in the writer's day and age. (less)

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