Abstract This paper presents a book review on the "Awakening" by KateChopin. The review picks out one aspect of the book-the character's coming out-and tells why this point is of particular importance.
Abstract This paper presents a biographical background to the life and upbringing of Katherine O'Flaherty, who we know today as KateChopin. The paper describes the superb education she received which was unusual for girls in the mid 19th century. Her marriage to Oscar Chopin is covered in the paper, as well as the early influences on her writing. The paper mentions several of Chopin's works, but focuses on the book "The Awakening". The paper explains how "The Awakening" initially received lots of negative criticism and was only acknowledged for its worth after Chopin died. The paper presents a review of this book.
From the Paper "Kate Chopin (Katherine O'Flaherty) was born on February 8, 1850 to Thomas O'Flaherty, an Irish immigrant, and Eliza Faris, a Creole. On November 1, 1855, Thomas O'Flaherty joined city leaders in celebration of a new line of the Pacific Railroad. As the train crossed a bridge, the structure buckled under the weight. Ten cars plunged thirty feet into the river, amidst rain and lightning. Thomas, Kate's father, and 29 others were killed in the incident (Fourrier). Kate was only five, in a household now run solely by women. Her great-grandmother, Victoire Charleville, was determined to take over her education. She taught Kate music and French in the evenings. By day Kate attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart. The nuns there gave Kate an elite education for French intellectual women. This was unusual because most girls didn't go to school at all (Fourrier)."
Abstract This paper discusses how both KateChopin and Joyce Carol Oates can best be characterized as feminist authors of their respective centuries who show how apparently positive female social roles actually limit women. The paper first looks at how KateChopin was famous for chronicling the frustrations and limitations of the role of married women during the 19th century with such novels as "The Awakening" and "The Story of an Hour." In comparison, the paper then examines how Joyce Carol Oates also delves into the role of modern women in her fiction writing.
From the Paper "The wildly prolific Joyce Carol Oates also delves into the role of modern women in her fiction writing, although a quick review of her works spanning the course of the 20th and 21st centuries, suggests it is more difficult to draw as direct a connection between Oates' major works and biography than it is with Chopin. However, like Mrs. Mallard of "The Story of an Hour" briefly delights in a fantasy coming to life, only to find her hopes dashed when the promise of freedom is taken away, the heroine Connie of "Where are you going, where have you been," finds her fantasy of being seductive and more beautiful than her conventional mother and sister to be far different than she realizes in reality. In Oates, much more explicitly than in Chopin, the trap of femininity 'used' as a vehicle of liberation for the teenage Connie becomes a lie, as Connie becomes the victim of rape and possibly (it is implied) even murder. "
Abstract This paper describes the life and works of KateChopin, author of short stories, such as "A Pair of Silk Stockings", "The Kiss" and "A Respectable Woman", and novels, such as "The Awakening" and "At Fault". The paper outlines her writing career and examines her writing style, through brief descriptions of some of her literary works. The fact that Chopin's writings were ahead of their time, is constantly mentioned in the paper.
From the Paper "Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was born Katherine O"Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1850. She didn"t begin her writing career until after 1882, the year in which her husband, Oscar Chopin died (Toth). She spent several years publishing short stories, based on the Creole and Cajun cultures of Louisiana, where she and Oscar had lived. Her first novel, At Fault, was published in 1890. It was her second novel The Awakening that caused the backlash of the press because of Chopin's depiction of a woman with a developing sense of independence, and sexual discovery (Toth). This novel has since become her masterpiece and legacy, and what she is remembered for. She died in 1904, long before her genius was truly recognized or appreciated."
Abstract This paper traces the life and writings of author, KateChopin. It looks at her origins and early life. It then moves on to a brief analysis of her most important work, "The Awakening", focusing on what sparked the rediscovery of her works by the feminist movement of the 1960's and 70's.
From the Paper "A once successful 19th Century writer, Kate Chopin faded into obscurity for decades. During the feminist era of the late 1960's and ?70?s, her writings were rediscovered and her critical popularity has made her forever a writer of renown. Her novel, "The Awakening" that launched the demise of her fame when it was shunned for its sensuality, is now included on standard college literature reading lists. She is now spoken of in the same breath as Flannery O?Connor and other southern women writers. Although asleep for decades, she re-emerged as brilliant color on the landscape of American literature."
Tags: origin, woman, feminist, Awakening, American, literature
Abstract This paper explains that KateChopin is recognized by many critics as one of the best regional writers who uses settings depicting circumstances common in the Deep South in the 19th century. The author points out that Chopin was more interested in the emotional development of her characters than social settings because, while many Southern writers romanticized slavery, Chopin generally presented her characters with a certain amount of dignity and focused on the interior life of the individual rather than slavery as a social issue. The paper concludes that KateChopin's stories help us understand the power of culture and the way it operates on many levels; her Southern locales add richness to her stories and allow us to comprehend the society in which she lived and wished to depict.
From the Paper "After her husband's death, Chopin returned to St. Louis where she published her first novel at the age of 39. Her stories reflect the environment she was accustomed to, specifically the Acadians and the mid-Louisiana parishes of Natcitoches and Avoyelles. Collar (2003) maintains that Chopin was what we would call a "New Woman". She was independent and supported herself financially. Her personal experiences undoubtedly paved the way for the independent female characters we encounter in many of her stories."
Abstract This essay discusses the controversial author KateChopin, and two of her works: "The Story of an Hour" and "The Storm". Both works focus on the issue of marriage. The writer accuses Chopin of having a narrow focus and argument and analyzes her writings to provide proof for his argument.
From the Paper "Marriage is a phase in life that almost everyone will certainly consider. Is this the right woman for me? Is this the right man for me? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with this person by my side? The controversial author Kate Chopin, in two of her works, "The Storm" and ?The Story of an Hour,? offers several arguments concerning marriage. She is attempting to persuade the reader to her way of thinking; however, her focus is too narrow and, thereby, turns this reader away because of her unorthodox opinions. "
Abstract This paper explains that these short stories by KateChopin show clear insight into women's liberation for the protagonists Desiree and Mrs. Mallard. The author points out that the slow process of change from submissive wife to independent woman are clear as Chopin reveals the critical turning points which allow these women to separate themselves from their dominating husbands. The paper describes the way that the women in these stories learn independence and freedom from domestic patriarchal institutions.
From the Paper "This study examines the transformation of male dominated women into independent heroines within the short stories: "Desiree's Baby" and "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. By analyzing these feminist tales, a transformation takes place that reverses both Mrs. Mallard and Desiree from victims of patriarchal households, into women with free ambitions to be govern their own lives. Chopin, in these two stories, presents women that do not wish to live under the domination of their husbands, and take the necessary steps to achieve independent lives. In the story "Desiree's Baby", Chopin presents Desiree as a woman who is unaware that she has African American roots in her lineage. Armand, her cruel slave-owning husband marries her, but does not tell her that she and her baby are both related to the slaves on the plantation."
Abstract This paper describes the life of KateChopin and reviews her book, "The Awakening." It begins by providing an overview of Chopin's early life and discusses how she began to publish stories and then went on to become a serious and prolific writer. The paper then focuses on her work, "The Awakening," written in 1899. It specifically looks at how Chopin may have been expressing some of her deepest feelings and emotions through the character of Edna.
From the Paper "Kate married Oscar Chopin when she was 20 years old, and spent her honeymoon in Europe. Oscar was a successful cosmopolitan cotton broker from New Orleans, and shortly after marriage, the couple moved there to begin their married life and eventually raise a family. Oscar was a surprisingly accommodating husband in this male dominated society, and Kate took advantage of every opportunity of her freedoms. She "took long solitary walks, daringly showed her ankles when lifting her skirts to cross a street, smoked cigarettes and kept an intermittent diary" (Lichtenstein). She did not hide her obvious intelligence nor did she hide her disdain and rebellious attitude for "proper society" (Lichtenstein). Oscar died only 12 years after the couple married, but in that time, Kate bore him six children and performed the role of the perfect homemaker as society expected."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that when KateChopin wrote 'The Awakening', several themes were popular in literature. One of these was naturalism, or the belief that natural forces, such as heredity, environment and physical and emotional drives motivate people to act as they do. The writer points out that "The Awakening" includes numerous examples of how naturalism impacts character Edna Pontellier's values, thoughts and actions. More importantly, the book shows what happens when one's natural inclinations conflict with an awakening of unconventional and "unnatural" desires. The writer relates that ironically, it is the sea, a true part of nature, which carries Edna away for the very last time and allows her to disappear forever from her internal conflicts. The writer concludes that in the end, according to Chopin, nature wins.
From the Paper "In Victorian times, women were primarily recognized as mothers and wives or, as in The Awakening, even possessions of their husband. In several instances, the book's characters confirm this role. For example, in an early scene, Mr. Pontellier criticizes Edna for not attending her sick child and worries that she is not a proper mother. Although these demands on women are part of the patriarchal society, they are based on the belief that women bear the children in the human species and have, or should have, an innate need to nurture and protective their children."
"Edna is a complex character who has many sides to her nature. Part of her recognizes the need, in fact is inwardly driven, to be a good mother."
Abstract KateChopin's "The Awakening" has been publicly ridiculed for years due to its "liberal" ideologies of the rights of women. After having the publication of the novel halted for indecency in the late 19th century, Chopin's work was revived in 1960 as a classic depiction of women's roles of the era. This essay explores the reasoning behind the negative criticisms and forms of banishment that were placed on Chopin's work.
From the Paper "At a time when the ideals of women's rights were emerging, it only seemed natural that the literary world would follow suit. As early as 1820 through 1830, women began to advocate their rights in a previously patriarchal society discussing the options of birth control and liberal divorce through radical journals of civil rights. In 1869, the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) was formed in Boston, and by 1870 several journals such as Women's Journal and The Woman Voter (New York) emerged supporting women's right to vote. Despite the fight for equality, upon the publication of Kate Chopin's The Awakening critics abhorred the novelette and gawked at the thought of a woman fighting for her individuality through sexuality and art. It is through these short-lived attempts to stifle Chopin's second, and last novel that invariably ascended the literary piece to its future claim in the history of classical American literature as "[o]ne of the most often taught of all American novels" (Bernard Koloski)."
Abstract This paper explains that, although one can certainly argue whether Edna was an exemplary early feminist or if she was merely a selfish woman who chose the easy path in the end, the text of KateChopin's "The Awakening" is valuable outside of its literary aspect because it contains a great deal of revealing information about the nature of gender relationships in the Victorian era and defines its feminine response by detailing the setting of the story. The author points out that the fine line between author, narrator and heroine is crossed in this story as the author presents her most intense convictions about the role of women in Victorian society: Chopin often presents a model of a certain ideal of the Victorian age and then offers the antithesis. The paper states that, although Chopin attempts a realistic view of the time period and women's struggle in society, she misses her objective to demonstrate the oppression of the character Edna by her choice of this character's behavior and instead leaves the reader with a message of contradiction.
From the Paper "As a side note, it should be remembered that Chopin had enjoyed great success as a writer of "local color" stories that dealt mildly with issues of gender and sexuality but that "The Awakening" did not receive the great praise of her other, more "tame" stories. She died only a few years after the publication and subsequent ill reception of the story of Edna's awakening and in this sense, it hard to separate Chopin from her female heroine. Chopin had been raised in an intellectually open environment and was less familiar with the typical marital relationships of the Victorian era than many of her contemporaries. This set her apart as a unique, but ultimately too potent writer in a literary period that had not yet awakened to the more modern notions of feminism."
Abstract The paper portrays KateChopin as a brilliant author and a fighter for women's rights in society. The paper centers on the book by Chopin,"The Awakening" which is a frank portrayal of a woman's social, sexual, and spiritual awakening. The paper criticizes the critics of Chopin's book who denounced it and caused it to be banned from general use. Finally the author concludes,in his opinion, that KateChopin was too early for her time in her opinions, but in modern day she would have been accepted.
From the Paper "Whether readers understood many of the implied messages in Chopin's stories, they enjoyed the fine detail of her style, spare in its narrative but shaped by sensual detail of the soft southern nights, of the delights of food and dancing, of flirtation and sexual anticipation. But when Edna Pontellier, raised in Presbyterian propriety and a mother of two sons, responds to another Alcee, Chopin, the public thought, had gone too far. "I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier's possessions to dispose of or not" she tells the young man she loves: "I give myself where I choose. "
Abstract This paper explains that in her novel "The Awakening", KateChopin allows the reader to look at women in the nineteenth century when they were subject to the traditional conventions which society placed on them, especially the relationship between men and women. The author points out that the men of the nineteenth century were not able to offer the emotional support their wives needed; as a result, many of them, like the protagonist Edna, suffered realizing instinctively that they were something more than a wife and mother. The paper stresses that Chopin wanted to emphasize the fact that, while Edna was ultimately responsible for her own actions, she also was a victim of her time.
From the Paper "The relationships outside her marriage offer Edna no solace. While her husband was emotionally unavailable to her, Robert, in his promise of love, is still not what Edna is seeking. Parini notes that because Leonce "cannot acknowledge Edna as an autonomous person", Edna places "all her hopes for a complete life in Robert, only to learn that he, too, cannot see her as an autonomous person." Because Robert was responsible for bringing Edna "out of a life-long stupid dream" (Chopin 143), his leaving makes more of an impact on Edna, even though she is aware that he alone cannot satisfy her. Edna's affair with Arobin also emphasizes the emptiness the Edna fills and tries so desperately to fill."
Abstract The paper explains that the character Edna in KateChopin's "The Awakening" longs for freedom and finds it only to realize that the freedom she found cannot exist in her Victorian world. The author points out that, although it is debatable whether Edna was acting out of noble motives or was merely a selfish woman who chose the easy way out, the story mirrors the plight of women in the early twentieth century. The paper relates that this book reveals much information about gender relationships in the Victorian era by depicting the tragic story of Victorian women trapped in a world in which they did not belong. The author stresses that, while some people have suggested that Chopin was a feminist ahead of her time, categorizing this work as feminist or Victorian is a mistake because of the complex setting of the story itself and the complex nature of the time period.
From the Paper "This image, while short and appearing to only establish setting, is filled with a number of insights into the Victorian mindset and understanding of femininity. Madame Ratignolle is the perfect "mother-women", contrasted to the explicit statement that Edna is not . Here the readers are shown at a distance, a woman in white (the essence of purity, of course) with immense grace, who may at first appear royal and near-divine. As the children come and "cling to her skirts", she lavishes her words of affirmation on them, opening her arms to receive them, doling out grace and divine dispensations."
