After reading “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, it left me with doubts about Edna’s decision at the end of killing herself, whether it is right or wrong? The way it is written is in a very descriptive way to understand Edna’s feelings and the society she lives in. It was boring for me. However, the question that it raised, made me think about Edna at the end getting away wether it was right or wrong.
Edna did not want to face what people thoughts about her after everything that happened and what was about to happened. She kills herself and just thinking about her children. There is one side that we can see it as right as she is not happy in her life, she feels tied on something that she does not want to,
“She thought of Leonce and her children. They were a part in her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul” (p.137)
She was thinking of her family but she is not happy anymore, she feels obligated in something that she once felt comfortable in. In the book the author conveys different events that shows Edna trying to escape from her feelings form her life. Showing that not always mothers are comfortable with their lives. But can we justified what she did? She only thinks about her children as a way of justifying what she is doing as the right thing for her. However, if we think about the children, what is going to happen with them after knowing their mother is dead? There was another way to get out of her life like moving to somewhere else.
The author gives a drastic change at the end to convey a feminist point of view that started since the begginig with Edna’s character in their society. Being an independent woman who doesn’t like her life being “possessed” by Mr. Pontellier as in normal society. Killing herself because of society.
I did not like the book, the story was not interesting. However, the author does a good job in conveying the idea of infidelity and not make the story predictable in that idea as we are used to the consequences of it and giving it a different path with Edna’s character.
Nice post Marcela. It was really interesting how you framed Edna Pontellier’s death as a means of escaping. I would have never thought about it that way unless you brought it up. One comment I have which I noticed, was that I do not think that your in text citation is correctly formatted. You also brought up other alternatives to escaping her life, which I thought were much more practical. Nice job on your post!
Very interesting post Marcela. While reading your post I have gained further perspective into who is to blame for Edna’s behaviour and death. I agree with your overall view that society was the problem causer in this story. You gave thorough arguments and questions about both sides of it being Edna’s fault or societies fault, I enjoyed reading those arguments it made me think a bit harder about this book .