Introduction: The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Book Review
The Awakening by Kate Chopin is the first book that I am featuring on The Invisible Mentor blog for Banned Books Week. Edna and Leonce Pontellier, who have been married for six years are spending the summer at a cottage in Grand Isle just outside of New Orleans. There are other families who vacation there as well. Edna is not in love with her husband, and never has been. She married Leonce as an act of defiance against her father and her sister Margaret.
What is The Awakening by Kate Chopin About?
Although Edna has two children, she is not very maternal. There are times when she feels a maternal bond toward Etienne and Raoul, but for the most part she is happy to let the quadroon (nanny) take care of them. She has told her friend Adele Ratignolle that she would die for her children but she wouldn’t give up herself for them – very poignant. Despite this, she is still somewhat of a model wife.
Robert Lebrun often hangs out with the wives, and he starts to like Edna. Adele has warned him off, telling him that he should leave her be, because Edna may take him seriously since she isn’t one of them, meaning she isn’t Creole. Robert asks Adele, why shouldn’t Edna take him seriously? Robert doesn’t heed Adele and spends a lot of time with Edna.
At various times, friends have tried to teach Edna how to swim, but she simply hasn’t been getting it so they get frustrated and give up. However, one night when the adults decide to go for a swim, on her own, she starts to swim. Edna finally gets what others have been telling her. She finds freedom in the water and a new kind of independence. She starts to swim further away, and when she realizes how far away she thinks she is she panics for a moment. Edna recovers and swims back to shore. Leonce assures her that he was watching her, and she wasn’t very far from shore.
That experience is a pivotal moment and awakens Edna Pontellier – she changes and is less submissive. Leonce Pontellier has always been kind and courteous to his wife, until she stops being submissive, which makes him angry. He argues with her and she argues back, and defies him, deciding for herself.
Robert Lebrun has always been talking about going to Mexico to work, but no one has ever taken him seriously then one day the group learns that he is leaving that evening. Edna is upset because they spent time together that day and he never voiced his intention to her. Robert has fallen in love with Edna and needs to leave because she isn’t a free woman. He leaves, and shortly after, the families return to New Orleans.
Edna Pontellier often thinks of Robert and even though he promised to correspond, he has never sent her a letter. Edna continues her rebellion and leaves the house without letting anyone know where she has gone. On Tuesdays she would allow others to call on her, and she abruptly stops the practice without giving any reason. This frustrates Leonce, but he no longer has any control over his wife. One day he asks her to meet him to buy some things for the house and she tells him ‘no’ that they do not need anything and that he should be saving. Leonce informs her that you get rich by acquiring things – very misguided. There are times when he walks through his house admiring his possessions.
Leonce visits a doctor informing him about his wife’s odd behaviour, and asks what he should do. The doctor listens attentively and tells him to give her time. But the doctor is creole, as is Leonce, therefore, it is inappropriate to ask if another man is in the picture. Leonce has to travel to New York on business for a long time, but Edna doesn’t go with him, and heeding the doctor’s advice he leaves her alone.
The children’s paternal mother take them away to spend time with her. Edna does the dutiful thing and corresponds with her children and husband, but she is also enjoying herself going to the horse races with Alcee Arobin, and sometimes others. Alcee appears to be falling in love with her, and she allows him to kiss her hands and shoulders. Edna visits her children and remains with them for a week. While she is there they have her full attention. When she leaves, she misses them, but when she returns home she is fine again.
Edna moves out of the family home, saying that it’s too large for her and too difficult to take care of since her husband and children are away. Appearance and propriety are everything to Leonce so he contacts an architect asking him to do renovations on his house. He also puts a notice in the paper informing others of what he is doing, and letting them know that when he returns he and his family are going abroad for an extended trip.
Edna has seen letters that Robert Lebrun has written to others, and in one of them she clearly sees that he is in love with her. She also reads that he is returning from Mexico to New Orleans. Robert returns to New Orleans but doesn’t contact her, however she accidentally runs into him, and of course she wants to know why he hasn’t contacted her. The second time she sees him, she kisses him and professes her love, and he tells her that he loves her. But it isn’t meant to be. Before the two are able to consummate their relationship, a messenger delivers the message that Adele is in labor and wants to see her. Edna asks Robert to wait for her return, and they will spend the night together.
When Edna returns home after being away for hours, Robert is nowhere. She finds a letter saying because he loves her, he has to say goodbye. She is devastated, and feels she has nothing to live for. She returns to Grand Isle and the way The Awakening by Kate Chopin ends you get the sense that Edna Pontellier drowns herself. After reading The Awakening by Kate Chopin, I asked myself, “Why do so many of the timeless classics end so tragic?”
Final Thoughts: The Awakening by Kate Chopin
This book bothered me on many levels because of its contents. As you know I am an active reader, and once again, The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
by Kate Chopin highlights the importance of having people in your life, who you can talk about anything with so you do not find yourself in a similar situation to Edna Pontellier. This book was banned, and I wondered why. I do not advocate that people should have affairs, but in the scheme of things, The Awakening by Kate Chopin is tame in comparison to works such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover. The book was published in 1899, and sparked much controversy. On the book cover, it says that this book ended Kate Chopin’s career.
Have you read The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin?
Kate Chopin Books
Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories
