The Awakening deals with the sexual awakening of a woman who has led the conventional life of an upper-middle-class wife and mother until the age of twenty-eight, then finds herself feeling so frustrated and suffocated that she is willing to defy the conventions of Louisiana Creole society to gain spiritual independence. She gradually abandons housekeeping, social visits, entertaining at home, and all the duties of a woman of her station. Defiantly, she begins to lead a bohemian lifestyle and to exercise freedom of choice in matters of sex.

The novel is divided into thirty-nine short chapters, each consisting of a single significant scene. Most of the story is told through the viewpoint of Edna Pontellier, an exceptionally sensitive and observant woman who can see into the characters of other people. The scenes not only present the various characters’ personalities but also paint a picture of homes, furnishings, clothing, servants, entertainment, and other aspects of life in the late nineteenth century.

The first scenes take place at a summer resort on Grand Isle near New Orleans. City dwellers come to escape the city heat, but even on the island the subtropical heat and humidity are oppressive. The women and children remain on Grand Isle throughout the summer, while most of the men come over only on weekends and return to the city to conduct business.

A few younger men have no pressing business matters to which to attend. These bachelors amuse themselves by flirting blatantly with the married women. This behavior is tolerated in Creole society because the code of sexual morality is so strict that it is taken for granted that the relationships will remain platonic. Edna Pontellier, who is the most attractive woman on the island, is courted by the handsome young Robert Lebrun with the benign approval of Edna’s husband. A combination of factors, however, turns their affair from a game into something more complex and potentially disastrous.

Once Edna falls in love with Robert, she experiences an adverse reaction to her husband. She realizes that she has never truly loved him and can barely stand to continue having intimate marital relations with him. Edna’s character transformation is described in detail; it is also dramatized through Edna’s overt behavior.

In one nighttime scene, Leonce keeps calling to his wife to come to bed. It was impossible for authors in Kate Chopin’s day to discuss sex in explicit terms; however, Edna’s repeated refusals to her husband’s entreaties make it clear what is happening. She knows that he wants to have sexual intercourse and, for the first time in their marriage, she is refusing to allow herself to be used.

Robert is in love with Edna but not so deeply that he is willing to make any extraordinary sacrifices. Instead, he goes to Mexico to pursue a lucrative business opportunity. Robert steadfastly avoids communicating with her by mail because he realizes that such correspondence would exceed the bounds of social propriety.

Edna accepts the advances of another young man, Alcee Arobin, although she senses that he is only intoxicated by her beauty and does not understand her as a fellow human being. Here again, the author is unable to describe how far their relationship goes, but she provides strong suggestions that Edna and Alcee become illicit lovers.

By this time, Edna finds her husband so repulsive that she insists on moving out of their home and setting up her own household, providing her with better opportunities to see Arobin. She is becoming a successful artist, and her sketches and paintings are bringing in enough money to allow her to declare her independence.

When Robert returns, Edna finds that she is even more in love with him and that Arobin means little more to her than her own husband. Robert still loves her but lacks her courage and contempt for public opinion. At the last moment, when she is prepared to run away with him, she finds a note stating that he cannot bring himself to violate her marital bonds and to disgrace himself in Creole society. Edna’s disappointing experiences with her husband, Arobin, and Lebrun have plunged her into a state of depression. Feeling that life is no longer worth living, she takes off all of her clothes and swims out into the ocean until she becomes exhausted and drowns.

*Grand Isle

*Grand Isle. Island resort in the Gulf of Mexico about fifty miles south of New Orleans, Louisiana, where Léonce Pontellier’s family stays in a summer cottage. Léonce goes to his office in Carondelet Street in the financial quarter of New Orleans during the week, returning to the island on weekends.

The Pontelliers do not have a happy marriage. Like most characters in the novel, Léonce is a Creole descendant of New Orleans’s original French and Spanish settlers, and he is quite content with his life. His wife, Edna, however, was raised in a Presbyterian home in Kentucky, and is restless under the restrictions of Louisiana’s patriarchal Roman Catholic society. At Grand Isle, she displays the first signs of independence and begins to become her own person—to “awaken.” She befriends Mademoiselle Reisz, whose creativity she admires, and carries on a summer flirtation with Robert Lebrun, a son of the property owner. She also spends time at the beach with Robert and her children, learns to swim, and even swims out far from the shore alone. Her resistance to Léonce has begun; she is, Kate Chopin writes, “like one who awakens gradually out of a dream.” Grand Isle thus represents her first feelings of freedom.

At the end of the novel, Edna returns to Grand Isle in the off season and, feeling no further possibilities in her life, removes all her clothes, swims far out into the sea, and drowns.

*Chenière Caminada

*Chenière Caminada. Island between Grand Isle and the Louisiana coast to which Edna, Robert, and others go by boat to attend mass on Sunday. After falling asleep during the service, Edna awakens and asks how many years she has slept. Chenière Caminada is one of many islands in this area that represent choices in life. Edna talks of going with Robert to look for pirate gold at Grand Terre, for example, an island adjacent to Grand Isle.

*New Orleans

*New Orleans. Colorful and culturally diverse Gulf port city, at the mouth of the great Mississippi River, where the Pontelliers own a charming home on Esplanade Street in the city’s most fashionable neighborhood. Pontellier is proud of his house, for he values all his possessions highly—including his wife, Edna. However, their life on Esplanade Street feels increasingly restrictive to Edna after the family’s summer on Grand Isle. Regarding her home as a prison, she starts to break free, first by failing to be “at home” when other women call, and then by beginning an affair with the experienced playboy Alcée Arobin. New Orleans is thus the hub of the repressive Creole society Edna seeks to flee.

Pigeon House

Pigeon House. Smaller house into which Edna moves after failing to find freedom in her own home, even when her husband and children are away. Edna is happy in her new surroundings: “Every step which she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual.” The house thus represents her physical removal from conventional and repressive Creole society.

Garden restaurant

Garden restaurant. Suburban restaurant in which Edna runs into Robert, and their affair seems about to begin. However, Robert is a product of the same Catholic and patriarchal Creole society that produced Léonce and would not think of taking another man’s property—unless to make her his own property. Edna feels trapped by every relationship; only when she is away from the city—as when she is on Grand Isle or in this garden restaurant—does she begin to feel her true nature.

Edna’s childhood home

Edna’s childhood home. House in Kentucky bluegrass country in which Edna grew up and about which she often thinks. Her last thoughts in her life return there, to the site of her early romances and happiness. It is not her childhood family that matters to her, for she later argues with her father and refuses to go to her sister’s wedding. Rather, the Kentucky home and her Presbyterian upbringing signify Edna’s differences from both her husband and most of the other Creoles in New Orleans. “She is not one of us; she is not like us,” the Creole woman Madame Lebrun warns her son—meaning, she is not from New Orleans Creole society.

Chopin lived in the South and often wrote about Southern life. In The Awakening, she focused on Creole society in Louisiana. The Creoles saw themselves as distinct from Anglo-Americans, preserving cultural traditions inherited from their French and Spanish forebears. They enjoyed gambling, entertainment, and social gatherings, dedicating much of their time to these pursuits. Creoles rarely accepted outsiders into their social circles, expecting newcomers to adhere to their customs. Men dominated the households, expecting their wives to maintain well-kept homes and bear many children to continue the family lineage. Women responded by having children and honing their social skills. While Creole men partied, their wives managed the households and polished their talents in music, art, and conversation. Such refined women elevated their husbands' social standing.

The setting plays a crucial role in Edna's conflict in The Awakening. The novel is set in the late 1800s, with most of the action occurring in the heart of New Orleans society. The city is bustling with social events, business meetings, and the impersonal pace of busy lives. However, it is at Grand Isle, a resort near New Orleans, where Edna is most profoundly affected. Grand Isle, located in the Gulf of Mexico, provides an intimate and relaxed environment for beach walks, leisurely swims, and moonlit conversations. It is here that Edna falls in love and decides to change her life upon returning to the hectic city life.

Point of View

The narrative of Edna Pontellier's journey of self-discovery in The Awakening is delivered by an objective third-person narrator. This narrator neither criticizes nor praises the characters for their traits or actions. Most crucially, the narrator refrains from passing judgment on Edna and her decisions.

Conflict

At its core, The Awakening revolves around conflict. Edna Pontellier realizes she cannot conform to society's expectations and attempts to resolve this by transforming her life. As she becomes aware of the internal conflict and starts to address it, those around her introduce new challenges. Edna believes she can be both an artist and a lover while maintaining her independence. However, Alcée and Robert shatter this belief by demonstrating that they can only perceive her in a single way. Despite their differing perspectives, both men embody society's belief that women have specific roles. Consequently, Edna finds herself back at square one.

Setting

The setting significantly contributes to the story's conflict. Taking place in the late 1800s, most of the narrative unfolds in the heart of Creole society in New Orleans. The city is teeming with social events, business dealings, and the impersonal hustle of busy lives. However, it is Grand Isle, a resort near New Orleans, that profoundly impacts Edna. The Grand Isle, located in the Gulf of Mexico, offers a serene and relaxed environment with beach walks, leisurely swims, and moonlit conversations. Edna falls in love at Grand Isle and decides to change her life upon her return to the frenetic city.

Imagery

The story employs imagery to highlight the conflict Edna faces. She realizes she cannot endure the constraints of marriage and motherhood, yet she is also not free to love and create. Society views these two choices as mutually exclusive. Other contrasting images underscore this contradiction. The rigid social norms of New Orleans city life stand in stark contrast to the freedom and ease of life on Grand Isle. Birds soar freely on Grand Isle, while in the city, they are confined to cages. Edna's friends, Adèle and Mlle. Reisz, are also polar opposites. Adèle represents the traditional Southern woman, while Mlle. Reisz is the quintessential societal outcast. The most significant image is the sea's seductive embrace, symbolizing both birth and death.

Foil

Foil is used to highlight the main conflict by accentuating the stark contrasts among Edna, Adèle, and Mlle. Reisz. Edna is certain that she neither wants to be, nor will she become, like Adèle. Adèle lives solely for her husband and children, surrendering her own will to cater to the desires of those around her, despite the mutual love within her family. In contrast, Mlle. Reisz has abandoned love and relationships to dedicate herself to her music, leading a solitary life that revolves around playing for unappreciative audiences. Edna, however, does not wish to emulate either woman completely. She desires to blend the best aspects of both: the love and need experienced by Adèle, and the pursuit of personal interests exemplified by Mlle. Reisz. The notion of remaining in her marriage, with all its constraints and responsibilities, suffocates her. Yet, she is equally unwilling to embrace loneliness as the cost of freedom. The ongoing dynamic among the three characters perpetuates the central conflict.

Symbolism

All the imagery in The Awakening gains deeper symbolic significance as the narrative unfolds, with the sea emerging as the foremost symbol. The sea embodies the contrasts between choice and blind obedience, self-determination and predestination, and ultimately, life and death. It is at the seaside resort that Edna first realizes her capacity for love and the possibility of altering her life. During this time, she also learns to swim, experiencing the profound connection between mind and body. These experiences fuel Edna's resolve to discover her true self. To Edna, the sea signifies acceptance, comfort, and self-renewal. Later, a disillusioned Edna returns to the sea, seeking to recapture the sense of freedom she felt when she first learned to swim and began changing her life. The sea calls to her once more, and Edna willingly surrenders her inner conflict to it.

Realism

The author candidly depicts Edna's struggles. Edna's initial dilemma arises when she is attracted to Robert Lebrun, feeling both sexual desire and a wish to consummate the relationship. This leads her to reflect on her role in life, which she finds unsatisfactory, prompting her to make changes to redefine it for herself. Kate Chopin places Edna in realistic situations and endows her with genuine emotions. At the time the novel was written, such an approach was unprecedented. Today, critics acknowledge that Chopin was ahead of her time in her honest exploration of the interplay between self and society.

The narrative of Edna Pontellier's journey towards self-discovery in The Awakening is delivered by an unbiased third-person narrator. This narrator neither criticizes nor praises the characters for their attributes or actions. Crucially, the narrator refrains from passing judgment on Edna and her decisions.

The central theme of The Awakening revolves around conflict. Edna Pontellier realizes she cannot conform to society's expectations and attempts to address this by transforming her life. As she becomes aware of her internal struggle and starts to confront it, the individuals around her introduce new obstacles. Edna aspires to be both an artist and a lover while maintaining her independence. However, Alcee and Robert challenge this belief, demonstrating that they can only perceive her in a singular way. Although each man has a distinct perspective, both reflect societal views that women have predefined roles. This realization places Edna back at her starting point.

The imagery in the story highlights Edna's internal conflict. She understands that she cannot endure the confines of marriage and motherhood, nor is she free to love and create. Society views these choices as mutually exclusive. Various contrasting images underscore this contradiction. The rigid social norms of New Orleans city life starkly differ from the freedom and ease of life on Grand Isle. Birds soar freely on Grand Isle, yet they are caged in the city. Edna's friends, Adele and Mlle. Reisz, also represent complete opposites. Adele embodies the traditional Southern woman, whereas Mlle. Reisz symbolizes the societal outcast. The most poignant image is the alluring embrace of the sea, symbolizing both birth and death.

The use of foils accentuates the primary conflict by highlighting the stark differences among Edna, Adele, and Mlle. Reisz. Edna is certain she does not want to emulate Adele, who lives solely for her husband and children. Although Adele loves her family and they love her in return, she has relinquished her own will to cater to the desires of those around her. In contrast, Mlle. Reisz has abandoned love and relationships to dedicate herself to music, leading a solitary life playing for unappreciative audiences. Edna does not aspire to be like either woman. She wishes to merge the best qualities of both, desiring to be needed and loved like Adele, while also pursuing her own passions like Mlle. Reisz. The thought of remaining in her marriage, with its burdens and limitations, suffocates her. Conversely, Edna also rejects the loneliness that might come with freedom. The dynamic interplay among these three characters keeps the conflict ever-present.

All of the imagery in The Awakening gains deeper symbolic significance as the narrative unfolds, with the sea emerging as the central symbol. The sea embodies the contrasts between choice and blind obedience, self-determination and predestination, and ultimately, life and death. It is at the seaside resort that Edna first discovers she can still experience love and has the power to alter her life. During this period, she also learns to swim, which reveals to her the profound link between mind and body. These experiences fuel Edna's resolve to find herself. To Edna, the sea symbolizes acceptance, comfort, and self-renewal. Later, a disillusioned Edna returns to the sea, seeking to recapture the sense of freedom she felt when she first learned to swim and decided to change her life. The sea calls to her once more, and Edna willingly surrenders her inner turmoil to it.

The author candidly depicts Edna's struggles. Edna encounters her initial conflict when she is drawn to Robert Lebrun. She feels a sexual attraction and desires to consummate the relationship. This leads her to reflect on her life role, which she finds unsatisfactory, prompting her to make changes to redefine herself. Chopin places Edna in realistic scenarios and imbues her with genuine emotions. At the time of the novel's publication, such openness was unprecedented. Today, critics acknowledge that Chopin was ahead of her time in her frank examination of the interplay between self and society.

When The Awakening was published in 1899, critics condemned it. They took issue with Chopin's forthright treatment of moral issues like extramarital affairs and female sexuality. At the close of the nineteenth century, respectable literature did not address women's emotions, ignoring the reality that women have the same impulses as men. For Edna to admit, even privately, that she felt sexual desire was shocking. For her to actually engage in an affair was scandalous.

Critics also objected to Chopin's apparent endorsement of Edna's quest for personal freedom. They were horrified by the choices Edna made to achieve this freedom. Women were expected to accept their societal roles and suppress any nonconformist feelings. Edna not only disliked her role but also openly refused to maintain it. Readers naturally sympathized with Leonce when Edna denied him sex. When Edna moved out of the house, they criticized her for abandoning her children. Critics believed Chopin overstepped her bounds by discussing Edna's thoughts and indiscretions so impartially. They felt that Chopin should have imposed some form of punishment on Edna.

The public was deeply offended by Edna's passion and infidelity, practically applauding her eventual suicide. Women who sought to maintain their social status adhered to societal norms. While men could engage in extramarital affairs and still be respected, women faced societal scorn for the same actions. Edna might have harbored her thoughts privately without consequence. However, expressing them openly and acting on them was deemed a moral outrage. The public not only disapproved of the character but also criticized the author for writing so dispassionately about such behavior. Consequently, Chopin's hometown library removed the book from its collection, and the local Fine Arts Club barred her from membership.

The Awakening faded into obscurity for several years following the initial uproar. However, in the 1930s, the book resurfaced when a new generation of literary critics reevaluated it. A thorough analysis uncovered its positive attributes. The researcher who first revisited the work admired Chopin's meticulous attention to literary form, particularly her mastery of structure and theme. Chopin's writing possesses a poetic unity achieved through her use of symbolic imagery to enhance the plot. For instance, her use of the sea serves as a symbol of both life and death, as well as the primary setting for the story's main events.

Since that initial reevaluation, other critics have praised Chopin's use of psychological realism, symbolic imagery, and sensual themes. Per Seyersted, for example, noted that Chopin was the first female author to address sex in an intelligent, realistic, and non-judgmental manner. Other critics concur that Chopin employed sexual themes in The Awakening not to moralize but to reveal the psychological dimensions of her characters. This approach rendered the characters as real people with genuine emotions. According to Margo Culley, who edited the second edition of The Awakening, this attribute elevated the book above the "sex fiction" one critic accused Chopin of writing. The book's form, style, characterization, and symbolism have contributed to both its early criticism and its celebrated acceptance today.