Inducting literature into an official canon uses a similar process. Through identifying the similarities between the classic canonical novel Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald and naturalist Kate Chopin’s novella The Awakening, one confidently deems the latter author and her work worthy of canonical recognition. Conflicts begin to develop from, and …show more content…
Preeminently a dynamic character, Dick Diver transitions from perceptive to oblivious. “When his wife’s fortune takes hold, Dick loses his vision, literally becoming incapable of understanding the psychology of people, including himself” (Berman 784). His mind becomes clouded and he loses his self awareness. Following the destruction of his marriage, it becomes apparent that Dick possesses a tragic flaw which becomes the source of his breakdown. Nicole’s love is crucial to Dick’s wellbeing due to “his desire […] to be loved and needed” (Berman 784). Dick is the cause of his own destruction and loses sight of the dreams he once had. Unlike Dick’s shift to failure, Edna develops a clear view of life as a dynamic character. Edna ceases to submit to the societal expectations of a Victorian wife, and “she felt as if a mist had been lifted from her eyes, enabling her to look upon and comprehend the significance of life” (Chopin 113). In opening her eyes to reality, Edna transforms. Overwhelmed with exceptional wisdom, Edna’s clarity contradicts Dick’s blinding