The Awakening Literary Criticism

Article 2: Feminist or Naturalist? By Nancy Walker

The main point of Nancy Walker's literaty critique of The Awakening is that Kate Chopin purposely made Edna Pontellier completly unaware of what she was doing and what was occurring in her life. One example of this is in the very beginning of the book, Edna is completly against Creole society, "A characteristic which distinguished them and which impressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery. Their freedom of expression was at first incomprehensible to her, though she had no difficulty in reconciling it with a lofty chastity which in the Creole woman seems to be inborn and unmistakable" (Chopin 12). But gradually as the novel goes on, Edna begins to transform into the sensual aspect of the society without realizing it.  Her whole "awakening" appears to be in connection to her sexuality, and the Creole people are described by Walker as "openly sensual."  A second example of Edna's oblivion is at the very end of the book. She tells Victor and Mariequita that she will be back to have a meal with them, and although we don't know if she really meant it, she still became unaware of her surroundings and abilities while swimming out in the ocean. Greatly supporting the idea of Nancy Walker that Edna was oblivious and completly unaware of her life when searching for her true "awakening."

The Awakening Chapter 31-39 Dialectical Journal

“I always feel so sorry for women who don’t like to walk; they miss so much-so many rare little glimpses of life; and we women learn so little of life on the whole” (Chopin 144).	In this quote, Edna is comparing her love for walking to her love of freedom and desire to escape the restraints of society.  She does this by discussing a topic that majority of women tend not to like, but she particularly enjoys, and adds in unique descriptions that very accurately describe both aspects; taking walks and living freely.  Also, the topic of walking alone represents Edna’s awakening because in the society, women were expected to always be accompanied by men, and not walk for enjoyment.  However, Edna embraces every aspect of the activity.
"The years that are gone seem like dreams - if one might go on sleeping and dreaming - but to wake up and find - oh! well! perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life" (Chopin 151).	In this quote, Edna is talking to Doctor Mandelet indirectly about her awakening. By bringing up sleep and dreaming versus being awake in this quote, Chopin is comparing Edna's awakening to being awake, and all the time before this in her life as her sleeping or dreaming about life, not actually living it.  Also, in the second half of the quote, Edna is overcome with this realization about her life and how she has been living it up to this point, and how unhappy she is.  The significance of this is that Edna finds herself no longer scared of being shut out from society, but rather scared of being stuck in the oppressed society for the rest of her life, unable to do what she really wants to do.
“She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again” (Chopin 157).	This quote is in the last few lines of the book, while Edna is out in the water for her death.  In the whole book leading up to this point has been Edna’s increasing desire to escape from and not have to deal with the life that she is currently living.  She has gotten to the point where she feels that this is her only choice left.  Another reoccurring factor that has been foreshadowed throughout the book has been the involvement of water, which has now lead up to her death by water.

The Awakening Chapter 21-30 Dialectical Journal

"That's what I want her to do.  She won't go to the marriage.  She says a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth.  Nice thing for a woman to say to her husband!" (Chopin 89).
In this quote, we see Mr. Pontellier's attitude towards his wife, as well as another perspective of her negative view of marriages and relationships now since she has lived for so long in the Creole society.  By openly telling other people Mrs. Pontellier's actions against wedlock, Mr. Pontellier is opening up to the town that his wife is falling out of traditional expectations.  Also, this shows Edna's personality because she has become so against the idea of marriage that she won't even go to or support a marriage of her "own people".

"'You are too lenient, too lenient by far, Leonce,' asserted the Colonel. 'Authority, coercion are what is needed.  Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife.  Take my ford for it.'  The Colonel was perhaps unaware that he had coerced his own wife into her grave" (Chopin 96).
In this quote, we see a slight flashback to the way in which Edna was raised.  Throughout her whole childhood, she saw her mother treated in the "traditional" way, harshly, unfairly, and without any freedoms.  And the idea that this treatment eventually led to her death, must create very strong opinions in her head about this extremely unfair of wives by their husbands.  Also, the beginning part of this quote could be foreshadowing for harsh treatment put upon Edna by Mr. Pontellier because he was influenced by her father to treat her more strictly.

“It was his being, his existence, which dominated her though, fading sometimes as if it would melt into the mist of the forgotten, reviving again with an intensity which filled her with an incomprehensible longing”(Chopin73).

In this quote we see how greatly Robert's departure is effecting Edna in her day to day life. This concept of Robert leaving is a reoccurring theme that has been seen since when he first left. This demonstrates how badly Edna wants to break away from the social norms because she desires what she is expected not to do, and longs to be with Robert. 

The Awakening Chapter 31-39 Dialectical Journal

“I always feel so sorry for women who don’t like to walk; they miss so much-so many rare little glimpses of life; and we women learn so little of life on the whole” (Chopin 144).	In this quote, Edna is comparing her love for walking to her love of freedom and desire to escape the restraints of society.  She does this by discussing a topic that majority of women tend not to like, but she particularly enjoys, and adds in unique descriptions that very accurately describe both aspects; taking walks and living freely.  Also, the topic of walking alone represents Edna’s awakening because in the society, women were expected to always be accompanied by men, and not walk for enjoyment.  However, Edna embraces every aspect of the activity.
"The years that are gone seem like dreams - if one might go on sleeping and dreaming - but to wake up and find - oh! well! perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life" (Chopin 151).	In this quote, Edna is talking to Doctor Mandelet indirectly about her awakening. By bringing up sleep and dreaming versus being awake in this quote, Chopin is comparing Edna's awakening to being awake, and all the time before this in her life as her sleeping or dreaming about life, not actually living it.  Also, in the second half of the quote, Edna is overcome with this realization about her life and how she has been living it up to this point, and how unhappy she is.  The significance of this is that Edna finds herself no longer scared of being shut out from society, but rather scared of being stuck in the oppressed society for the rest of her life, unable to do what she really wants to do.
“She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again” (Chopin 157).	This quote is in the last few lines of the book, while Edna is out in the water for her death.  In the whole book leading up to this point has been Edna’s increasing desire to escape from and not have to deal with the life that she is currently living.  She has gotten to the point where she feels that this is her only choice left for her life.  Another reoccurring factor that has been foreshadowed throughout the book has been the involvement of water, which has now lead up to her death by water.

The Awakening Chapter 11-20 Dialectical Journal

“Edna took him in her arms, and seating herself in the rocker began to coddle and caress him, calling him all manner of tender names, soothing him to sleep” (Chopin 53).

This quote very greatly characterizes the internal character of Edna that the rest of the Creole society does not see. Everyone in the town characterizes her as "bad mother" because she does not fit the typical Creole persona. One specific example of this is when her two little boys play around the town with the rest of the kids and when they get hurt, Edna doesn't tend to them, she leaves them be. So because of this everyone sees her as an unfit mother. However, this quote shows another side of Edna because she is loving and caring towards her child, and shows them a lot of affection. 

“The conditions of her life were in no way changed, but her whole existence was dulled, like a faded garment which seems to be no longer worth wearing” (Chopin 62)."

In this quote, Chopin uses a simile to compare the dulling of her life to old, worn clothing to signify the degree at which her life could go down because of her desire and feelings to escape the Creole lifestyle that she is living. When I read this, I thought that the significance of comparing her life to horrible clothing was also to demonstrate that if she really were to leave her rich, luxurious life as she knows it now, she would be left poor, helpless and without any material objects, also known as the worn clothing her life is currently being compared to. This also can be seen as foreshadowing, because before anything happens to make her life go down, her life is already seen as "old and worn."

"The Ratignolles understood each other perfectly. If ever the fusion of two human beings into one has been accomplished on this sphere it was surely in their union" (Chopin 75).

This quote demonstrates the moral viewpoint of the Ratignolles, and how strictly they follow the Creole lifestyle structure. In class today, we discussed how Adele Ratignolle is a foil for Edna Pontellier, but throughout the whole novel it becomes apparent that the Ratignolle family as a whole is a foil for the Pontellier family. This quote directly references the strong dynamic of their family and how well they, and more specifically Adele by worshiping and always tending to her husband, work together and their compatibility. 

The Awakening Chapters 1-10 Dialectical Journal

"Robert talked a good deal about himself.  He was very young, and did not know any better.  Mrs. Pontellier talked a little about herself for the same reason.  Each was interested in what the other said" (Chopin 5).	In this quote, the author is giving a brief description of Robert Lebrun and Mrs. Pontellier, as well as a small summation of their relationship.  By describing them by their ages, the audience is able to make judgments about who they are as well as what they stand for.  Similarly, focusing on something as simple as how both of them feel about their conversation with the other, suggests and foreshadows that the two of them have an intimate relationship, or will develop a relationship.
"The sun was low in the west, and the breeze soft and languorous that came up from the south, charged with the seductive order of the sea.  Children freshly befurbelowed, were gathering for their games under the oaks.  Their voices were high and penetrating" ( Chopin 16).	During this passage in the text, Chopin uses a great deal of imagery and describes the whole atmosphere of the setting.  By using specific diction, the author very accurately and descriptively describes how upbeat, and welcoming the ambiance is. Also, by talking very in-depth about the children of the society, we are given a perspective of not just their town and the world they live in, but also who the people are and what they stand for.
"The Pontelliers and Ratignolles walked ahead; the woman leaning upon the arms of their husbands" (Chopin 36).	This short, simple quote suggests the whole essence of the book: the relationship between men and women, and more specifically between husbands and wives.  Here, Chopin is showing a small nugget example of woman's apparent reliance on men, and how even on a day-to-day basis, when simply walking through town, women are expected to be dependent on men and always walk arm in arm with her husband.

Happy Ending Structure and Style

"John and Mary meet." - simple sentence

"What happens next?" - interrogative sentence 

"Mary falls in love with John but John doesn't fall in love with Mary" - compound sentence 

"Mary is hurt" - declarative sentence 

"Mary collects all the sleeping pills and asprins she can find, and takes them and a half a bottle of sherry" - compound-complex sentence 

"John tells Mary how important she is to him, but of course he can't leave his wife because a commitment is a commitment" - compound sentence 

"Fred and Madge have no problems" - declarative sentence 

"Yes, but Fred had a bad heart" - compound sentence 

"John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die." - repition 

"... Everything continues as in A, but under different names" throughout the end of each section - repition 

"Now try How and Why" - compound sentence 

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Literary Analysis

In "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," Ursula Le Guin tells the story of a corrupt society. Through setting, symbolism and situational irony Guin demolishes any kind of rational behind such a debauched community.
In the very beginning of the story, Guin eloquently describes the setting, "In the silence of the broad green meadows one could hear music winding through the city streets, farther and nearer and ever approaching, a cheerful faint sweetness of the air that from time to time trembled and gathered together and broke out into the great joyous clanging of the bells" (Guin).  By using such vivid, upbeat language and description, the author really shows the reader the beauty of Omelas.  This also helps Guin to prove her point of how appalling the society is because when contrasted with the sourness of the child, the true evil of what is being done is revealed.  Similarly, there is much symbolism within the piece, which also foreshadows the end.  When describing the people of Omelas, she said "We can no longer describe a happy man, nor make any celebration of joy... [the people] were not naive and happy children--though their children were, in fact, happy" (Guin).  In this passage, age is symbolic, meaning knowledge.  When children are young, they are oblivious to the suffering child, and are therefore still light, happy kids.  But when they reach a certain age, they are informed of the horror of the society, and therefore loose their happiness.   Finally, this also demonstrates Guin's use of situational irony in the piece to emphasize the horror of what they are doing.  Children run around ignorant to the town they live in, making the audience feel greater remorse and pain for the suffering child because the happiest people in the town do not even know why they are truly happy at that point in time.
Through setting, symbolism and situational irony, Guin uncovers the true horror behind the irrational community of Omelas.