The Awakening By Kate Chopin: An Analysis

For the last several weeks of our great summer semester we learned a great deal of different literary theories, we have discussed and these theories and ideas sought to get a better understanding of them. Though I do see literature in a different perspective then when I first started this course I feel there is so much more for me to learn in the future on the subject of literature. Though there were several great reads to choose from for our final paper I have decided to write about the book titled “ The Awakening” by Kate Chopin which was based during the 1800's. I believe that the book has the Feminism theory seems to apply to it. As we discussed before not one definition of Literature is the same, there is more than one answer to this question.
(Rivkin & Ryan).” It is an analysis of women in a male dominated society.
The mother of the Feminism theory was Virginia Woolf. Feminism may be viewed by our biology that may determine our sex, the culture will determine our gender. Yet it also is viewed as what the woman undergoes beneath a patriarchy, of the traditional male dominated society. A society that seems to muzzle women’s views, living in a one-sided, yet making women feel as secondary to the male opinions, making them feel non-existence. It was seen that all the scholarly teachings were that of the male dominated views, where there were no
it challenged what was to be acceptable during those times. Though there were many other characters in the story the devisable character was Edna Pontellier was a great example of the Feminism theory. Edna did not live or behave like women during her time or even conform to what was expected for her to behave. She refused to be confined into society’s norms, that were to be expected of her for her time period. “Looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which as suffered some damage” (Chopin). Yet for the start of this story we see the male dominance is to be by Mr. Pontellier's over his wife Edna, that he claims her as his own personal property like any other possessions that he may own. “He sought very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, evinced so little interest in things which concerned him, and valued so little of his conversation (Chopin).” Again he believes that Edna’s sole responsibility is that to his. Seeing that they are married and he provides, she should be attentive to his needs at all times, as well as his children’s. “He reproaches his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother’s place to look after children, who’s on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his brokerage business. He could not be in two places at once; making a living for his family on the street, and staying at