Bri’s Comments (group member since Feb 04, 2022)

Bri’s comments from the AP Literature and Composition (SHHS) group.

Edna's wealthy upbringing affects her views and actions as she was raised with whatever she's needed and in a familiar environment. This made her entitled and drove her adult life to what it is now as she isn't be satisfied we anything about her current life, the only other thing she can do is grow angry about it. This reflected in our modern society as many people feel they need to force people or even get violent around themselves in order to gain what it is they crave.

Respond to only ONE of the following: (Bri, Tyson, Savannah, Paige)

1. Chapters XXI-XXVII introduce a couple of minor characters (The Colonel, Alcee Arobin, Doctor Mandelet). What influence do these characters have on Edna’s marriage thus far?

2. In what ways do we see Edna expressing herself through different means, especially in moments when she is alone? Concerning Edna, do you think there is a limit to self-expression, especially against the conditions of societal standards?

Kaleb wrote: "The driving conflict is Edna's own enmity towards her expectations. She spent a good deal of her life coasting along and now finds herself lost and lacking a very important voice in her own life. Th..."

I highly agree with the Robert and Leone analogy, But I do want to say that Leonce doesn't exactly view Edna as a housemaid as he goes above to show he cares for her and give her all she needs, its Edna's lack of self-indulgent in her environment that makes his actions look a bit off. For leone, he is treating her like any creole woman would like, forgetting that she isn't Creole and therefore isn't contemptuous with what the rest of the women around him might be. Robert however, responds as she wants to make him ultimatly Leonce's foil character.

Paige wrote: "Q1: The conflict that is driving this novella is between Edna Pontellier and the struggle to find herself. The conflict Edna faces is that she has this picture-perfect life with a wealthy husband w..."
I agree with what Paige wrote as it may seem as though she is ungrateful, but really its because she personally doesn't know who she is that she, or maybe she does be cant live her truth, that she is enabled to feel at ease with the steady lifestyle she's come to live in. I also love the sentence where she mentions that Mr. Pontellier brings out Edna's conflict. I think several things like the people around her, her kids, and the setting all shape the conflict, but it's really Leonce's presence that sets it all.

The driving conflict in the awakening would definitely be Edna's inability to blend in with the world she's in, leading to several subs-conflict like her inability to care for her children in a better way. Her ways of living don't accord with the one society seeks and the more she discovers what she is really capable of, the more held back she feels as it is unethical in the society she lives in. Madame ratignolle is the embodiment of what society views as the perfect woman, she is happy and content with the life she lives. She prides herself in taking care of her family and keeping it growing, her ideologies are fully congruent with men about women's roles, she is the women's role model. Her overall role is to show what a contrast she is to Edna and how different they feel and are treated around society for it.