Paper Summary:

This paper is an analysis of the book, "The Awakening," that was published in the late 19th century and reflects upon the life of women during this period in history. The story revolves around the family vacation and the events that transpire during this summer. Edna, the main character meets a young man and begins a love affair with him that will mark the beginning of her transformation. According to the author, Edna is already unhappy with her life as it is and is looking for other outlets to fulfill her needs and desires as both a woman and mother. She is trapped in the society and the status to which she was born into and as a result, feels that her life has no meaning or purpose. The author feels that "the awakening" that she undergoes during this summer released a flurry of feelings and purpose in Edna, that ultimately she could not handle. She was ahead of her times, but her own fragile emotional state made her unable to handle these changes and lead to her untimely death at her own hands.

From the Paper:

"Even Edna's relationship with Robert changed after her awakening. Although they usually met and enjoyed each other's company during harmless outings at the beach, after her awakening, she didn't wait for him to come and get her. She sent for him. I also found it refreshing that she fell asleep while on a particular outing with him. It seems that she had the first refreshing sleep that she'd had in a long time. When she awoke, she said that she felt as if she had been asleep for 100 years. I wonder if the author meant that statement as a metaphor to her awakening. Mrs. Reizt's playing is the catalyst for Edna's awakening. Her change of mood is quite evident in the following passage."

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