Suggested Readings

Bloom, Harold, ed. Kate Chopin. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. A collection of ten critical essays on Chopin’s works, with considerable discussion of The Awakening. The editor’s introduction contains a thought-provoking comparison of The Awakening with the poetry of Walt Whitman.

Bonner, Thomas, Jr. The Kate Chopin Companion: With Chopin’s Translations from French Fiction. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988. An attractive and useful volume consisting mainly of a dictionary of characters, places, titles, terms, and people from the life and work of Chopin. Most of the translations are of stories by Guy de Maupassant, including “Solitude,” which is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand Chopin’s psychological outlook.

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Edited by Margaret Culley. New York: W. W. Norton, 1976. Contains fifteen essays or critical excerpts and ten 1899 reviews. Also contains background material on the situation of women in Chopin’s time.

Ewell, Barbara C. Kate Chopin. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1986. A biography of Chopin which surveys her writings in their entirety. Ewell emphasizes that The Awakening is Chopin’s best-known and most important creation but represents only a portion of her total achievement as a writer. This excellent study also contains a chronology, a bibliography, and comprehensive endnotes.

Fryer, Judith. The Faces of Eve: Women in the Nineteenth Century Novel. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. A chapter describes Edna Pontellier as the first woman in American fiction who is a fully developed character.

Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1981.

Keesey, Donald, Comp. Contexts for Criticism. 2d ed. Mountain View, Calif.: Mayfield, 1994. Considers The Awakening from the perspectives of historical, formal, reader response, mimetic, intertextual, and poststructural criticism.

Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on “The Awakening.” Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1988. A collection of four essays about Chopin’s novel with a lengthy introduction by the editor, who provides an overview of Chopin’s life and work. Each essay offers a distinct point of view; together they are intended to represent the best contemporary ideas about The Awakening by the so-called New Critics.

Platizky, Roger. “Chopin’s The Awakening.” The Explicator 53, no. 2 (Winter, 1995): 99-103.

Seyersted, Per. Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1969. Reprint. New York: Octagon Books, 1980. An excellent biography by an authority on the author who served as editor of The Complete Works of Kate Chopin, published by Louisiana State University Press in 1970. Seyersted was influential in bringing Chopin back into the literary spotlight as a feminist writer of the first rank.

Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin. New York: William Morrow, 1990. An exhaustively researched book regarded by many critics as the definitive biography of Chopin. Toth identifies real-life models for Chopin’s literary characters. Many photographs are included.

Ziff, Larzer. The American 1890’s: Life and Times of a Lost Generation. New York: Viking Press, 1966. A social and literary history of the decade. Depicts Chopin as an artist and a pioneer in women’s rights.

Sources

Quotations from The Awakening are sourced from the following editions:

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Avon Books, 1972.

[and]

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening, edited by Margo Culley, 2nd edition. Norton, 1994.

Dyer, Joyce. The Awakening: A Novel of Beginnings. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993.

Koloski, Bernard, ed. Approaches to Teaching Chopin’s The Awakening. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1988.

Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on The Awakening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.

Skaggs, Peggy. Kate Chopin. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985.

Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin. New York: William Morrow & Co., Inc., 1990.

For Further Study

Review of The Awakening. In Public Opinion, Vol. 26, 1899, p. 794. This critical review of The Awakening condemns the book's perceived immorality, questioning "the possibility of a woman of solid old Presbyterian Kentucky stock ever being at all like the heroine" and concluding that "we are well satisfied when she drowns herself."

Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Views: Kate Chopin. Chelsea House Publishers, New York, 1987. This collection features viewpoints from renowned critics like Larzer Ziff, Cynthia Griffin Wolff, and Susan Rosowski, offering analyses ranging from "Flaubertian detachment" to feminist interpretations.

Bogarad, Carley Rees. "'The Awakening': A Refusal to Compromise." In The University of Michigan Papers in Women's Studies, Vol. II, No. 3, 1997, pp. 15-31. Bogarad reviews the novel, labeling it a "novel of development." She suggests that Edna's awakening is dual: first, realizing her desire for autonomy and envisioning a life aligned with her dreams within society; second, accepting that her self-definition cannot align with society's expectations. The review provides detailed support for this perspective.

Bonner, Thomas, Jr. The Kate Chopin Companion. Greenwood, 1988. Bonner compiles an encyclopedic dictionary of all Chopin's characters, including several of Guy de Maupassant's short stories translated from French to English by Chopin.

"Books of the Day." In The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. Chicago Times-Herald, Vol. 1, June, 1899, p. 9. The reviewer praises The Awakening for its "strength," but overall, the review is negative. It mentions that "it was not necessary for a writer of such great refinement and poetic grace to enter the overworked field of sex fiction. This is not a pleasant story, but the contrast between the heroine and another character who is utterly devoted to her husband and family saves it from utter gloom."

Boren, Lynda S., and Sara deSaussure Davis. Kate Chopin Reconsidered: Beyond the Bayou. Louisiana State University Press, 1992. This collection of essays provides various feminist interpretations of The Awakening and some of Chopin's short stories.

Bryan, Violet Harrington. The Myth of New Orleans in Literature. University of Tennessee Press, 1993. Bryan explores the impact of New Orleans culture on Chopin's fiction, with a strong focus on issues of gender and race.

Dyer, Joyce. The Awakening: A Novel of Beginnings. Twayne, 1993. Dyer explores the theme of female awakenings in Chopin's short stories and in The Awakening. She posits that Chopin, being attuned to male perspectives as well, addresses broader human nature rather than solely focusing on female experiences.

Elfenbein, Anna Shannon. Women on the Color Line: Evolving Stereotypes and the Writings of George Washington Cable, Grace King, Kate Chopin. University Press of Virginia, 1989. Elfenbein examines the dual challenges faced by Chopin's mixed-race characters and their strategies for combating prevalent prejudices. Although her primary focus is on short stories, the book offers valuable insights into Chopin's views on racial equality.

Ewell, Barbara C. Kate Chopin. Ungar, 1986. Ewell interprets The Awakening as a feminist novel while also providing biographical context and analysis of Chopin's short stories.

Huf, Linda. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman. Ungar, 1983. Huf describes The Awakening as "a tale of a young woman who struggles to realize herself—and her artistic ability."

Louisiana Literature, Vol. 2.1, 1994. This journal edition contains a section dedicated to essays from the Biannual Kate Chopin International Conference. Emily Toth's introductory essay highlights new issues in Chopin's work, making it particularly useful for newcomers to her literature.

Manning, Carol S., ed. The Female Tradition in Southern Literature. University of Illinois Press, 1993. This collection of essays briefly touches on Chopin's influence on the Southern Renaissance in literature.

Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on The Awakening. Cambridge University Press, 1988. This compilation features essays discussing the roles of the artist, modernist thought, and Edna's challenges and possible resolutions in The Awakening.

Perspectives on Kate Chopin: Proceedings of the Kate Chopin International Conference. Northwestern State University Press, 1990. This compilation of papers from the 1988 Kate Chopin International Conference, though hard to find, includes excellent essays on topics such as lesbianism, local color, and philosophical influences on Chopin. It also contains an essay on Chopin's relationship with her publishers.

Rowe, Anne. "Kate Chopin." In The History of Southern Literature. Louisiana State University Press, 1985. This essay provides a concise biographical overview of Kate Chopin.

Seyersted, Per, ed. The Complete Works of Kate Chopin. Louisiana State University Press, 1969. This volume encompasses all of Chopin's known fiction, including The Awakening, At Fault, and over 100 short stories. It also features essays, poetry, and a song. Although a few of her works have been discovered since its publication, it remains a comprehensive collection.

Seyersted, Per. Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography. Louisiana State University Press, 1969. This biography not only details Chopin's life but also provides an in-depth analysis of her texts. Seyersted corrects several inaccuracies found in Daniel Rankin's earlier, discredited biography.

Taylor, Helen. Gender, Race and Region in the Writings of Grace King, Ruth McEnery Stuart, and Kate Chopin. Louisiana State University Press, 1989. Taylor contends that Chopin's fiction is fundamentally racist, supporting her claim with numerous examples.

Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin: A Life of the Author of The Awakening. Morrow, 1990. This comprehensive biography of Chopin, which was a Pulitzer Prize nominee, is highly readable. Toth's engaging style and the abundance of personal anecdotes from Chopin's acquaintances make the book particularly compelling.

Bayou Folk, Chopin's 1894 collection of stories, depicts the lives and loves of the people in Natchitoches Parish. Chopin's prowess as both a local colorist and a skilled storyteller shines through in her vivid portrayal of the region's inhabitants, settings, and events. She tackles universal themes like prejudice and interracial relationships, which are uncommon in regional fiction. Another notable collection by Chopin is A Night in Acadie, published in 1897. This collection is also praised for Chopin's local color expertise. Unlike Bayou Folk, the characters in A Night in Acadie display stronger individuality and follow socially unacceptable impulses. Chopin explores more sensual themes, which drew critical concern.

Chopin's third volume, A Vocation and a Voice, was not fully published until 1991. Previous publishers questioned the suitability of Chopin's themes, failing to recognize the work's exceptional exploration of psychological elements like human consciousness and its links to circumstance, motivation, and action. This collection showcases less of Chopin's local color talent and more of her insight into individual motives.

The White Dove, a 1986 novel by Rosie Thomas, is set in 1930s Great Britain. It follows Amy Lovell, a young upper-middle-class woman who opts for a career over a life of luxury. Amy falls in love with Nick Penry, a passionate socialist from a vastly different background. Her quest for a meaningful and fulfilling life leads her to face tough decisions.

G. J. Scrimgeour's A Woman of Her Times portrays a woman caught between traditional roles as a wife and mother and the need to live her own life. The story begins in pre-World War I Ceylon with a young British colonial wife, transitions to her life as a London socialite in the 1920s, follows her through the 1930s as an impoverished working mother, and culminates in her eventual self-realization.

Published in 1928, Coming of Age in Samoa was a groundbreaking psychological study by anthropologist Dr. Margaret Mead, who began the study at the age of twenty-three. Mead examined Samoan children to determine if the stress experienced by American children is a "natural" part of growing up. Her findings suggested that behaviors often attributed to "human nature" are actually responses to societal constraints. Mead emphasized the right of every child to have knowledge and make free choices.

The Awakening served as the inspiration for the 1982 film, The End of August. Produced by Warren Jacobson and Sally Sharp under the Quartet Production Company, the film stars Sally Sharp as Edna and David Marshall Grant as Robert.

The book can also be found as an audio recording. Narrated by Alexandra O'Karma, the four tapes provide the complete, unabridged version of the story. This audio edition is published by Charlotte Hall, MD: Recorded Books, 1987.

The Awakening served as the inspiration for the 1982 film The End of August. This movie was produced by Warren Jacobson and Sally Sharp under the Quartet Production Company. In the film, Sally Sharp plays Edna, while David Marshall Grant takes on the role of Robert.

The book is also accessible as an audio recording. Narrated by Alexandra O'Karma, the unabridged version is available on four tapes. This audio edition was published by Recorded Books in Charlotte Hall, MD, in 1987.