Finding Freedom in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Finding Freedom in The Awakening The Awakening was shocking to readers in 1899, and would be today if it were published in Ladies Home Journal. heretofore today, women are expected to sacrifice themselves, if not to their husbands, then definitely to their children. I find it interesting that Grand Isle is the setting for the beginning and lay off of the novel. The story is built around a circle and represents the whirling stuff that is the energy of Ednas life. The circle reminds me of Yeats The Second Coming Turning and number in the widening gyre/things fall apart/the center cannot hold. So often I wanted Edna to act and she didnt, I suppose that it is Chopins purpose to not let us into Ednas thoughts, or kick in us omniscient of her actions. This was hard for me period reading. I wanted Ednas point of view, so I could EASILY figure out what she was expiration to do, and thats what was most difficult almost this novel, and the reason it is not an lightheaded read. I gue ss this is Chopins purpose. An example is when Edna cannot pinpoint why she is vociferous - the reader is left just as confused as Edna about the emotions. The sleep motif is very enlightening, in that key moments of Ednas arouse are preceded by sleep. Sleep, especially for those who are depressed, is used as a way of escape, but in this novel sleep is used mystically as a way for Chopin to show that many things happen while Edna is sleeping that leads to awakening. In this way, the reader can only guess what occurs during sleep. I found I related to Harding Davis work more in that I can relate to Hugh and Debs oppression (politically, economically, class structurally). unrivaled thing the two works have in common is that both main characters (Hugh and Edna) actually hold the key to their own oppression, yet Ednas social condition doesnt require much sympathy from the reader. Also, if a reader cannot step into that world with Chopin, it is difficult to comprehend that kind of op pression. perhaps its not correct to use the term oppression when pen about Edna, as it seems she only lives a life of obligations. She breaks free of these, however, and realizes any step which she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual.