Kayla Headley asked this question about
The Awakening:
Is The Awakening a Feminist text?
deedee megadoodoo
Not really.
Yes, by some of the other answers, Edna does do all these things. Not trying to put any spoilers in here. But she does do a lot of things …moreNot really.
Yes, by some of the other answers, Edna does do all these things. Not trying to put any spoilers in here. But she does do a lot of things and DOESNT do a lot of things, that hands over to the idea that this text is a feministic text and a test to societal values during that time period. Another thing is is that Kate Chopin had a grandmother who she would often live with, who was very empowering to Kate. She was the kind of woman who at that time could be defined as a feminist, and she was very influential to Kate. And then we could also talk about how she goes to different things for her faith; trying to find what she really wants and at her own pace?
Even Edna says that she once was very religious but she's kind of forgotten over the years.
and DESPITE everything I've said, I don't really think that The Awakening is a femenist text. It's not about empowering women and questioning men in such a society but it's more about self discovery. This was during the time period of naturalism which expounds upon self discovery, self thought, and how we can find that within nature because nature is good. That's why in The Awakening the sea and the grass fields are mentioned so much and when she's talking to Mrs. Ratignolle in the beginning about how she has all these thoughts, she has one thought in particular of a man standing naked by the sea ... which if you've read the book... does that not sound oddly familiar ... (end of the book ie ie).
While Edna does not want to fulfill the roles of a mother and wife, it's not because she thinks that they're not good enough for her or that she didn't choose this kind of life- even since the last page and her last act- she thinks of her children, it's more because she's forever struggling to find out who she is. But on the way to finding that, to getting all these emotions that have never been felt before just by doing things that may seem feministic (having an affair to find love, things of that matter), she's not trying to be feministic, but it all goes back to the self discovery thing. A reason why the book is kind of a drudge within the entire first half is all because that at during this time, it was unattractive to not maintain your thoughts and your expressions, so Chopin couldn't just be like BOOM TAKE ALL THESE EMOTIONS AT ONCE! no, she had to ween things in slowly to still keep the book's aestheticism while still getting her purpose across- making it a successful book, even if it was criticizing so many people of that time. Like are we the Roberts? The Ednas? The Ms. Reiszs? Are we the Mrs. Ratignolles?? And then so how does that make us feel?
All throughout the book, Edna loves the idea of love. But to love someone, you have to give yourself to them and there's a sense of ownership. You belong to them, and they belong to you. But Edna detested the idea of being owned and having to be dependent on someone else. While she acts INdependent, she bought the small house with her spendings AND her uncle's money, and then when she's there she has a maidservant. So she's independent.... to her liking. Independent... in moderation? Oh irony. And these two opposite poles of what she wants, to be independent and to find "true love", they are a completely catastrophic mix-- which results in the end of the book as Edna feels there's no other option for her, and that she's okay with that.
So the purpose of this book is to give you a character that's doomed because of her desires. Her infatuation with love and the attractiveness of it, but also the feeling of being independent and almost "free", perhaps, and then after you're finished, you decide how you feel based on your own self. Discover things about yourself within the text that you just read. Discover things that are NOT you, within the text you just read. It's not about power to the ****, girls rule, feminism whoo! It's about self discovery and the importance of knowing that the only true you that you know is yourself. (less)
Yes, by some of the other answers, Edna does do all these things. Not trying to put any spoilers in here. But she does do a lot of things …moreNot really.
Yes, by some of the other answers, Edna does do all these things. Not trying to put any spoilers in here. But she does do a lot of things and DOESNT do a lot of things, that hands over to the idea that this text is a feministic text and a test to societal values during that time period. Another thing is is that Kate Chopin had a grandmother who she would often live with, who was very empowering to Kate. She was the kind of woman who at that time could be defined as a feminist, and she was very influential to Kate. And then we could also talk about how she goes to different things for her faith; trying to find what she really wants and at her own pace?
Even Edna says that she once was very religious but she's kind of forgotten over the years.
and DESPITE everything I've said, I don't really think that The Awakening is a femenist text. It's not about empowering women and questioning men in such a society but it's more about self discovery. This was during the time period of naturalism which expounds upon self discovery, self thought, and how we can find that within nature because nature is good. That's why in The Awakening the sea and the grass fields are mentioned so much and when she's talking to Mrs. Ratignolle in the beginning about how she has all these thoughts, she has one thought in particular of a man standing naked by the sea ... which if you've read the book... does that not sound oddly familiar ... (end of the book ie ie).
While Edna does not want to fulfill the roles of a mother and wife, it's not because she thinks that they're not good enough for her or that she didn't choose this kind of life- even since the last page and her last act- she thinks of her children, it's more because she's forever struggling to find out who she is. But on the way to finding that, to getting all these emotions that have never been felt before just by doing things that may seem feministic (having an affair to find love, things of that matter), she's not trying to be feministic, but it all goes back to the self discovery thing. A reason why the book is kind of a drudge within the entire first half is all because that at during this time, it was unattractive to not maintain your thoughts and your expressions, so Chopin couldn't just be like BOOM TAKE ALL THESE EMOTIONS AT ONCE! no, she had to ween things in slowly to still keep the book's aestheticism while still getting her purpose across- making it a successful book, even if it was criticizing so many people of that time. Like are we the Roberts? The Ednas? The Ms. Reiszs? Are we the Mrs. Ratignolles?? And then so how does that make us feel?
All throughout the book, Edna loves the idea of love. But to love someone, you have to give yourself to them and there's a sense of ownership. You belong to them, and they belong to you. But Edna detested the idea of being owned and having to be dependent on someone else. While she acts INdependent, she bought the small house with her spendings AND her uncle's money, and then when she's there she has a maidservant. So she's independent.... to her liking. Independent... in moderation? Oh irony. And these two opposite poles of what she wants, to be independent and to find "true love", they are a completely catastrophic mix-- which results in the end of the book as Edna feels there's no other option for her, and that she's okay with that.
So the purpose of this book is to give you a character that's doomed because of her desires. Her infatuation with love and the attractiveness of it, but also the feeling of being independent and almost "free", perhaps, and then after you're finished, you decide how you feel based on your own self. Discover things about yourself within the text that you just read. Discover things that are NOT you, within the text you just read. It's not about power to the ****, girls rule, feminism whoo! It's about self discovery and the importance of knowing that the only true you that you know is yourself. (less)
by
Kate Chopin
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