Comments on: The Awakening by Kate Chopin

By: Rolando R

Rolando R — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:55:37 +0000

Cara-well said. I wish I saw more texts and literature on this book. It’s absolutely one of my favorites.

For Molly, the ending is not just about her suicide, as you well may understand. One tip yoou might want to consider is what drove her to swim instead of cutting or shooting herself and the actual rhetoric of Choin in the last parapraph notice how there is no mention of what she is doing but what she feels. This alludes to the event being more than suicide. That is just one thing I’d like to mention.
Cara-again, great job. One of my favorite parts about the texts is the use of birds as symbols. I recommend looking back and seeing where that appears and how it applies to feminism. Also, symbols like the garden, her home, and even her discription of Mexico really opens a lot of oppritunity to expand on what Chopin is saying.

Just thought I would add something. Feel free to respond.

By: Molly

Molly — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:05:01 +0000

I had to read the book for my English class and I really enjoyed it. I thought the suicide was an effective way to end the story because the whole book seemed to build up to that point and it seemed the only way for Edna to find freedom. However, for my English class I have to argue that this was an inappropriate ending and I’m having trouble building my arguement seeing as I believe it was the best ending for the book and what makes it such a memorable story. I was wondering if anyone could give me any ideas to help with this. Thanks!

By: Review: The Awakening « Book Addiction

Review: The Awakening « Book Addiction — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:34:28 +0000

[...] to care about Edna and what happens to her. At this point I’d just like to direct you to Cara’s review at The Curvature, which is a fantastic analysis of The Awakening, and a much better review than anything I could [...]

By: Cara

Cara — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:00:32 +0000

I’m not so sure that it’s “currentist” expectations so much as it is my complete 100% utter intolerance of any form of intolerance (without the purpose of showing how vile the intolerance is)! I understand the cultures and world views of the time are merely being reflected in the work. But that doesn’t make me any more tolerant of a character who is racist and/or sexist or desirous to know anything about them.

Also, as I think I mentioned, I have issues with the writing styles, as well. I’m a contemporary snob. Older, more formal styles of writing just tend to bore the fuck out of me. It probably says something about my character (or maybe the mild ADD my husband constantly insists that I suffer from), but it’s true. Writing style means a lot to me. I have a degree in English. And I hate Shakespeare. I also hate Ernest Hemmingway with a (much stronger) passion. And dozens of other writers that others consider to be genius. In most cases, I can recognize and acknowledge the literary contribution that has been made, admit that they were gifted or created great story lines. But I still don’t like the writing.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:18:26 +0000

to add: You have to view classics in their context – the “difficulty” getting past the sexism and racism may be a subconcious “currentist” expectation that people from the past should somehow act in accordance with modern culture and worldview rather than *their* culture and worldview. Context doesn’t excuse their attitudes but it does explain them and help you to understand them.

Of course, a Cara living a century ago would likely have shared many of those old views and probably been as religious as most people then too.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:01:05 +0000

History always has a context – i hope you’ll become warmer to the classics in time

By: kax

kax — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:14:12 +0000

cara: love this book. i read it for pleasure and then years later for a class. as a feminist book it has held up through the years. i wrote a paper on the relationship of smoking, power and masuclinity. note that edna never smokes, but all the men around her do. smoking cigars vs. the more ‘feminine’ (and decadent) cigarette. it was a fun paper to research and i’m still thinking about the implications of this aspect. fun fact: kate chopin was a smoker and was known to have a cigar while in the bath. i would have loved to have known her.

By: Leah

Leah — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:00:30 +0000

Thank you for talking about this book. I read it a few years ago for a class. I really enjoyed it but found it difficult to follow (in parts) because of the language. At the time, I was irritated because I just wanted Edna and Robert to ‘do it’ (haha) and I was really upset by the ending where she commits suicide. Now I can see that it was better not to end up with Robert because one shouldn’t need a man to be complete or be rescued. I can see WHY she committed suicide, but I’m still upset that there wasn’t an alternative. However, living in that time period, maybe there simply was no other way for Edna to claim her person-hood. Such a conflicting book for me still…I’m a sucker for happy endings

By: Roy

Roy — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:10:14 +0000

I think you’re dead on- the former reading of her suicide misses so much of the context of the act. It’s not her being unhappy because she can’t be with Robert, it’s much more a realization that even that relationship- one that she thought was founded on a mutual respect and understanding- is tainted by the differences in their sex and by the restrictions of society. That she, as a woman, will never have the sort of respect and appreciation that she deserves. That’s her final awakening- that she’ll never be equal under that society. She refuses to live in a world that doesn’t respect her as a human being, and so, her only solution is to not live in that world anymore.

By: Cara

Cara — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 03:35:46 +0000

Oooh– another interesting literary analogy. I hadn’t considered that one. I’d actually say that Sethe’s actions are a lot more justified than Edna’s– slavery, the constant threat of having your children taken from you, the constant threat of rape and being murdered is a hell of a lot worse than being forced to live in stuffy privileged society under strict gender rules. But there certainly is a parallel.

And thanks for the info; Anna seems to regularly read this blog, so hopefully she’ll see it!