Select a quote from Chapters 1-10 of
The Awakening that characterizes Edna. Choose something that may have multiple connotations regarding her character, not just her physical description. Cite the quote with page # and then discuss what is suggested about her character.
"An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish." The Awakening pg.8
ReplyDeleteThis quote proves that Edna feels unhappy with her life. It is not that Edna does not care about her husband and children, but rather it is the expectations that society has set on women that is the source of her unhappiness. In truth, Edna is the book's feminist who questions the societal norm where wives have to do whatever their husbands say. Also, Edna questions the expectation that women need to love children and be what the book refers to as "mother women."
"The excessive physical charm of the Creole had first attracted her, for Edna had a sensuous susceptibility to beauty." (Page 18)
ReplyDelete- The quote listed above describes Edna's liking for appearance and physical characteristics of people instead of character. Appearance is important to most women even today; however it isn't the only thing that matters in life. This could enforce Trey's point of how unhappy Edna is with her lifestyle.
"Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristics hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a small child she lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life--that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions" (page 18)
ReplyDeleteThis quote suggests that Edna Pontellier knew that she was supposed to act a certain way, according to her society, but secretly questioned these ways. This characterizes Edna because from this quote, we can tell that she does not always agree with these ideas.
"Feeling secure regarding their happiness and welfare, she did not miss them except with an occasional intense longing.Their absence was a sort of relief, though she did not admit this, even to herself." (page 25)
ReplyDeleteIn this quotation, it shows that she has a feeling of relief while away from the life she is supposed to live. She would rather be away from her family than be with them, so this signifies that she is unhappy with her arranged life.
"But that night she was like a little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over confidence." (page 37)
ReplyDeleteThis quote suggests that Edna is still developing as a person. Like a child Edna can learn anything and everything about the world around her. She is learning to become independent and stand on her own; however she doesn't know where this will take her. That is how the quote describes Edna's character.
"In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her." (13)
ReplyDeleteEdna's connections to Robert and to the other members of her social group are starting to make her question her happiness. She is now realizing that maybe the Creole husband and mother life isn't what she wants. She starts to think more of herself and less of her family around her. Edna begins to fall for Robert and stray away from her housewife life.
"A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over: "Allez vous-em! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That's all right!"
ReplyDeleteEdna and the parrot are one in the same. They both are trapped in a cage forced to repeat other's beliefs and are pets. The parrot vocalizes the tension that Edna is feeling from holding her desires within for Robert. The parrot understands the mocking-bird language as does Edna. They see from a point of view that is not accepted in society and therefore is seen as a different language.
"Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristic hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself." (pg 18)
ReplyDeleteThis suggests that Edna has been taught a certain way to act, behave and think. Even has a child, she was acting opposite to the way she wanted to act due to the role and expectations of women. Until now, she has been the person society expected of her to be.
"At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life--that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions" (18)
ReplyDeleteThis quote exposes how Edna goes through the motions of how the females were supposed to act when how she really felt inside how she wanted to act. She actually feels mistreated but keeps it to herself.
"A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before" (27)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows the beginning of the realization that she is so much more than just a mother and a woman. Edna has been told her whole life and her whole marriage what to do and how to act in order to "be a woman", and she's realizing that isn't exactly the truth of who she is. Edna is a woman who is ready to defy the social limitations and exceptions that have been put on her always and be her own person, making her own decisions, and owning who she is. While she may have just learned to swim, more than that she learned she is capable of learning new things, experiencing new things, and being a new person.
"Edna Pontellier could not have told why, wishing to go to the beach with Robert, she should in the first place have declined, and in the second place have followed in obedience to one of the two contradictory impulses which impelled her. " (Pg 13)
ReplyDeleteThis quote demonstrates that Edna has certain female impulses that she knows are wrong being married, but she can't help but to follow her impulses, which flaws her character. She shouldn't be doing these type things with Robert as she knows they are wrong, but she can't help herself.
"An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day,"(6).
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that Edna is unsatisfied with her life but doesn't know why. She feels ashamed because she is not as interested in her husband and kids as society says she should be. She feels confused because she does not know why she is depressed and so unattached from her family when her husband treats her wonderfully and her kids behave well. This depression worries and confuses her, which makes her even more upset than she already is.
"She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart, she would sometimes forget them." (page 25)
ReplyDeleteThe way Edna treats her children seems as if she either a) was treated like that as a child, or b) has deep psychological disorders, or both. The fact that Edna seems to go through "phases" of when she loves her kids, proves a lot about her character already. If she cannot commit to her children, then of course she cannot commit to a marriage. Edna lives in a time when she is commanded to an identity and told how to live, so it seems, with her children especially, she isn't going to be the person women are "supposed" to be, which results in Edna being a neglectful mother and wife.
"Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life—that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." pg. 35
ReplyDeleteEdna feels as though she must put on a front and appear to look happy when she is not. She cannot continue like this, which I think leads to her 'Awakening'.
'Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." (page 57)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that Edna's inner self-consious is different and contradictive to her outward personality. The Edna that appears to everyone, is the Edna that conforms to society and demonstrates at her best ability what the "woman's" role should be. On the inside Edna is a completely differnet person, one who questions her thoughts and actions daily. She will soon begin to realize that she doesn't have to conform to society as every other woman does and she will become less of a half and half personality but become more of a whole enlightened individual.
"Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristic hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself." (p. 13)
ReplyDeleteEdna has never been like all the others. She has always lived in her own little world as a young child. This is apparent in how she acts now, because she doesn't necessarily think of others according to her husband. She does not follow the role of the woman that Mr. Pontellier expects her to be fulfilling. She even say that she is not a mother-woman, so she even knows this. She is not what people expect her to be and she is okay with that.
"You are the onlyone worth playing for. Thoes others? Blah!" (Pg 35)
ReplyDeleteMademoiselle Risze Tells Edna this. Showing she can relate to her more then the prude rich high class others in the family
Turning she thrust her face, steaming and wet, into the bend of her arm, and she went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms. She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life. (8)
ReplyDeleteEdna was unhappy in her marriage. She had many experiences like this one occur over the time of their marriage, but she never let it bother her as much. At this point she no longer cared what she looked like or what others thought she just had to get it out and she could not tell others why she was so upset because she herself was not 100% sure. She knew it was better to be unhappily married then happily single and she was willing to pay the price every now and then.
"She couldnot have told why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life" (8)
ReplyDeleteEdna was happy with her marriage, but yet she acted like she was not one of the people that would normally marry and live a fulfilly life and be happy. She liked adventure and seeing new things happen.
Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristics hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a small child she lived her own small life within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life- outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions it. (18)
ReplyDeleteEdna has always felt as if she must put on a facade to please others, and conform to the standards they set for her. However, there is a part of her that questions this lifestyle, and makes her wonder what it would be like to live differently. This quote tells us that Edna is unhappy with the way she lives, and even if she is told this is the way things are to be, she will continue to wonder otherwise.
"She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart, she would sometimes forget them." (18)
ReplyDeleteThis quote describes Edna because I believe that she does love her children, but in a way she's kind of forced to. She loves that they love her but when they aren't with her she's easy to forget about them. I think it's because she never really wanted wanted children but now she has them so she might as well feel a little something for them. The book even goes on to say how she's not a "mother-woman".
'Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristics hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a small child she lived her own small life within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life- outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions it." (18)
ReplyDeleteThis quote explains how Edna, even from an early age, felt alone in the world. She knew that she was expected to be and act a certain way, yet she questioned the significance of outward appearances. It seems as if she is remembering who she was, now longing to revert to that young child she once was,
"The acme of bliss, which would have been a marriage with the tragedian, was not for her in this world. As a devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of reality, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance and dreams" (pg. 18).
ReplyDeleteEdna is living a lonely life. She has a husband who cherishes her, but her lack of freedom due to social stereotypes is crushing her soul. She is in an unhappy relationship, therefore she is unhappy.
"She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them...Their absence was sort of a relief, though she did not admit this, even to herself. It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her." (page 18)
ReplyDeleteEdna believes that she is not fit to be a mother as well as a wife. She proclaims that this is her "fate" and therefore it cannot be changed. This suggest that she may not put forth any effort to be a fit mother and wife in the future although she recognizes that her behaviors and thoughts are abnormal and potentially the cause of conflict.
She couldnot have told why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life" (pg8)
ReplyDeleteEdna Pontellier is not as happy in her marriage and she wishes to be. She is not unhappy, but the life she loves within her home is not the life she wished for herself. She feels confined to her home and her circumstances and this is why she cries so often that it becomes characteristic of her.
"She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them." (18)
ReplyDeleteEdna Pontellier was not a matronly woman and she didn't really want to be a mother. She is unhappy with her life. The life she is living was nothing she wanted. This suggest that she could easily change or do something that is different than the life she is living.
Mrs. Pontellier's mind was quite at rest concerning the present material needs of her children, and she could not see the use of anticipating and making winter night garments the subject of her summer meditations. But she did not want to appear unamiable and uninterested, so she had brought forth newspapers, which she spread upon the floor of the gallery, and under Madame Ratignolle's directions she had cut a pattern of the impervious garment. (18)
ReplyDeleteEdna was not a mother women. She wasn't concerned at all of of children in the way Madame Ritignolle.She would be considered "selfish" and not a good wife. Unike most women, Edna didn't idolize her children or make her life centered around being a wife. Edna found her family more of a weight than something that can bring opportunities and joys.
this is mine
Delete"She is not one of us; she is not like us. she might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously." (26)
ReplyDeleteThis quote is from Madame Ratignolle when she is talking to Robert. This shows that even the other women notice that there is something different or unique about Edna because she says that she isn't like the rest of them. We find out throughout the book that Edna is very different than the rest of the creole women in regards to how she acts towards her kids and her husband. She doesn't really enjoy the life that she is living like the rest of the women do.
"Edna Pontellier could not have told why, wishing to go to the beach with Robert, she should in the first place have declined, and in the second place have followed in obedience to one of the two contradictory impulses which impaled her."
ReplyDeleteThe Awakening-chapter 6-pg.13
-This suggests that Mrs.Pontellier does not do what she is supposed to do as a woman. She goes against what is proper going with Robert somewhere when she knows she has stronger feeling for him than just friendship. Edna does not want to do the proper things. She wants to be independent, and she regrets marrying Mr.Pontellier because she is not happy. Edna knows when something is wrong, but she feels as if she should do it anyway because it makes her feel like she can do whatever she wants even though people would not approve of why she does whatshe does, especially her husband.