A Journey of Self and Sexual Desire
Carney 1
English 102-105
11 April 2014
A Journey of Self and Sexual Desire
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a novel about a woman who leads the typical life of a
nineteenth century woman. During this era, a woman's role is to be a wife and mother. The
main character, Edna Pontellier, begins to struggle with this obligatory role in society. Even
though she is an upper woman in society, she has feelings of suffocation and frustration. She
begins to neglect her duties such as caring for her children, housekeeping, and social visitations.
She is also starting to have feelings for men other than her husband. Through Edna's Creole
friends, she learns a great deal about freedom of expression. As a result, Edna Pontellier goes
on a journey of self discovery and sexual desires through a series of life awakenings.
In Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier and her family are vacationing
at Grand Isle in southern Louisiana. While there, Edna becomes close to a gentlemen by the
name of Robert Lebrun. Robert each summer at Grand Isle had constituted himself the devoted
attendant of some fair damsel (Chopin 13). Throughout the summer, Edna spends time with
Creole women who liberate her to seek independence from social norms. Their freedom of
expression was at first incomprehensible to her (Chopin 12). Edna's character goes on a journey
of self discovery and experiences a series of awakenings that lead to her death.
Carney 2
The Awakening depicts the lifestyle for women in the early nineteenth century. The
setting of the novel is set in a Creole section in south Louisiana. The women in the Victorian
Era are expected to have the same thoughts. The men of this era would never ask a woman
about her opinions nor her beliefs. Edna's husband, L'eonce, thinks of her as a possession and
not like his wife. Edna begins to feel she is part of a loveless marriage.
English 102-105
11 April 2014
A Journey of Self and Sexual Desire
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a novel about a woman who leads the typical life of a
nineteenth century woman. During this era, a woman's role is to be a wife and mother. The
main character, Edna Pontellier, begins to struggle with this obligatory role in society. Even
though she is an upper woman in society, she has feelings of suffocation and frustration. She
begins to neglect her duties such as caring for her children, housekeeping, and social visitations.
She is also starting to have feelings for men other than her husband. Through Edna's Creole
friends, she learns a great deal about freedom of expression. As a result, Edna Pontellier goes
on a journey of self discovery and sexual desires through a series of life awakenings.
In Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier and her family are vacationing
at Grand Isle in southern Louisiana. While there, Edna becomes close to a gentlemen by the
name of Robert Lebrun. Robert each summer at Grand Isle had constituted himself the devoted
attendant of some fair damsel (Chopin 13). Throughout the summer, Edna spends time with
Creole women who liberate her to seek independence from social norms. Their freedom of
expression was at first incomprehensible to her (Chopin 12). Edna's character goes on a journey
of self discovery and experiences a series of awakenings that lead to her death.
Carney 2
The Awakening depicts the lifestyle for women in the early nineteenth century. The
setting of the novel is set in a Creole section in south Louisiana. The women in the Victorian
Era are expected to have the same thoughts. The men of this era would never ask a woman
about her opinions nor her beliefs. Edna's husband, L'eonce, thinks of her as a possession and
not like his wife. Edna begins to feel she is part of a loveless marriage.