Symbolism is no new concept in literature, and yet it is still an effective method of communicating significant points in a written work. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin uses the sea as one such symbol. As I will discuss below, the strategic … Continue reading →

The tan of the seashore had left her face, and her forehead was smooth, white, and polished beneath her heavy, yellow-brown hair. There were a few freckles on her face, and a small, dark mole near the upper lip and … Continue reading →

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. This may seem like a ponderous weight of … Continue reading →

Kate Chopin has demonstrated that she is a masterful writer when it comes to lexicon, but she also utilizes symbols in a unique way. In using water – the ocean – to not only entice her character but represent her … Continue reading →

Rebellion from the main character Mrs. Pontellier is something made clear from the get-go, at first in a subtle way. Mrs. Pontellier rejects the strict rules for women in this time period. At the start of the book this is … Continue reading →

One thing that resonates with me about Kate Chopin through her novel The Awakening is that no matter how long the story is, she is able to show so much through her words. When reading The Awakening, readers are able to … Continue reading →

There is a critical line spoken by Edna Pontellier in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself.” (64) There … Continue reading →