Internal Conflicts In Kate Chopins The Awakening - 823 Words

Title The story, The Awakening, is about Edna Pontellier’s internal conflict between her desire for independence and her need to remain a high-class member of society. When away on summer vacation Edna has the realization that she has control of her own life and begins to focus on her self and not what others think. During her awakening, Edna is faced with much resilience from her husband and friends and instead of becoming someone she is not, Edna Pontellier ends her own life as she sees it is her only option. The author, Kate Chopin, uses many characters to exemplify the conflicting ideals emerging in Edna; particularly Madame Ratignolle acts as a foil to Edna’s newfound persona, instead symbolizing the conservation of a traditional†¦show more content†¦Chopin uses the first hand description of Adele from Edna as a literary comparison to previous descriptions of Adele, allowing insight into Edna’s own perceptions and changing world view. In Chapter 8, Madame Ratignolle pulls Robert aside and asks him to leave Edna alone. She explains that Edna,† Is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously.† Chopin’s use of repetition in Adele’s dialogue puts emphasis on Edna’s uniqueness and labels her as an outcast. Adele sees Edna drifting further and further away from the social norms of their accustomed society and wishes to stop her before its too late. Chopin also uses this scene to foreshadow Robert’s unwillingness to commit to Edna as he brushes off Madame Ratignolle’s warning, seeing his relationship with Edna as a fling rather than being the passionate lover Edna craves. Later in the story, Madame Ratignolle visited Edna to address her recent associations with Alcee Arobin. She continues to express her concern for Edna’s reputation explaining, â€Å"†¦some one was talking of Alcee Arobin visitng you. Of course, it wouldn’t matter if Mr. Arobin had not such a dreadful reputation†¦his attentions alone are considered enough to ruin a woman’s name.† Adele places more value on Edna’s image and the potential harm to her family name, instead of inquiring on Edna’s well being. She notices Edna’s change in behavior and is more concerned with the wayShow MoreRelatedKate Chopin s Life And Feminism1281 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopin’s Life and Works- Feminism Kate Chopin, born on February 8th, 1850, was a progressive writer in the midst of a conservative and unequal time. She exposed the unfair undertones of society in such a way that made people outrage and condemn some of her works. However, in the early 1900s, her works were examined again and people started to listen to her ideas. One of these main motifs that Chopin’s works kept bringing up were feminism and equality. In The Awakening, Edna Pontellier, a radicalRead MoreEssay about The Voice of the Sea in The Awakening871 Words   |  4 PagesThe Voice of the Sea in The Awakening  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many different symbols were utilized in Kate Chopins The Awakening to illustrate the underlying themes and internal conflict of the characters.   One constant and re-emerging symbol is the sea.   The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.   The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.   The touchRead MoreAnalysis Of Desiree s Baby By Kate Chopin919 Words   |  4 PagesDesiree’s Baby†: An Annotated bibliography Thesis: Kate Chopin combines the racial and social differences on the eighteen century, in which people have to face racial discrimination amongst a social empire, which brings many conflicts within diverse couples about their firstborns. 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