Paper Summary:

This paper addresses the theme of women and their role in community in Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" in comparison to Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper". The paper argues that the true meaning and importance of such novels comes from the characters' gender and role in the community, as well as what the novel can tell us about women in society. The paper discusses the novels' initial reception and reputation, as well as their influence over time. In order to support its claim that the feminist lens is the best way to read these novels, the paper contrasts the psychoanalytic view, considers the authors' intentions, look at "communities of women" and analyzes the main characters.

From the Paper:

"While the psychoanalytic view can be interesting to consider and certainly has its merit, it is not the most effective way to view The Awakening. To fully grasp all that Chopin offers with this novel, we must understand why Edna is fighting with her inner and outer world in the first place. Edna's situation as a woman in a society that would not let her fulfill her potential as a human being is the real struggle in Chopin's novel; therefore it is best understood when examined though a feminist lens."

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