Kate Chopin

5.2                                                                                                                             

 Kate Chopin was born in St.Louis Missouri and lived there most of her life.  Kate being born into a wealthy merchant family advanced her the education in a Roman Catholic convent school.  Kate was married at age nine-teen to Oscar Chopin a wealthy business man, that later died from swamp fever.   The couple had six kids together and after his death Katie was left with enough money to take care of them. Even though Katie had plenty of children and things to keep her busy she started writing.  She was writing unconventional and received a lot of criticism.  Katie wrote poetry, sketches, and, fiction dealing with Louisiana Creoles.  Her writings challenged normative female scripts of the nine-tenth century.  Today her writing would be better accepted than it was in that era of time.  Today people are looking for excitement to read instead of the truth or boring articles from papers and magazines.

“The Awakening” by Kate Chopin has been one of the most criticized novels due to the passion and infidelity. Today it is one of the most well recognized books. The main character Edna was a wealthy young woman married to a well received business man.  The family is spending their summer in the Grand Isle with the kids. The women envy Edna and make snide remarks about her and the family, “she has the perfect husband”.

He makes enough money to give them a comfortable life. Her husband is always concerned about his kids and sends his wife a little present while he is out of town.  Edna is spoiled in the eyes of the other women, but looks can be deceiving because Edna isn’t as happy as everyone thinks. Edna doesn’t enjoy all the things that the other women like.  Most of the other women are devoted to their husband and kids but, Edna is distant.  She isn’t the motherly type; she seems preoccupied with other things.  Her husband considers these issues but pushes the thoughts away, thinking the best of his wife. 

Edna meets Robert while they are staying at Grand Isle.  During the time with Robert she begins to change.  Her attention becomes more and more directed toward him.  First she thinks nothing of it, and soon afterwards it develops into much more than a friendship.  She finds herself wanting him when he is away.  Everything in her life seems to be changing and, everyone is noticing the change.  People are asking questions about them and what is going on between them. Kate Chopin‘s writing in this novel illustrates how a women opens up and discovers herself.  Edna finally felt lively and free with Robert.  I guess you could say Edna had several processes of “awakening” a long the way.   Edna decides to leave her husband and kids for Robert.  But he makes it clear that he doesn’t want her and she is married to another man.  Here is another awakening moment where I feel she makes a big mistake by leaving her family for a man she hardly known’s.  For the first time Edna had her own thoughts feelings and emotions.  But these emotions weren’t the ones of young love these were an awakening to reality.