AP Literature and Composition (SHHS) discussion
This topic is about
The Awakening
Discussion #1
2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?~Robert is a character only after his own gain, he's said to date older married women. He impacts the plot by keeping it moving. He will continue to act in a continuous pattern to gain what he wants, also making the other characters around him move forward for his benefit.
3. Considering literary criticism, what is one criticism that could be used to analyze this novella? Why?
~ "Expressive criticism treats a literary work primarily in relation to the author" The Note before reading the book it talks about Kate Chopin's life which is similar to the main character Edna in this book; since she has so many personal experiences this book feels like an expression of her life.
A driving conflict in the novella is the one between Edna's awakening and the expectations of women in society. As Edna begins to realize her freedom and expresses her independence, she realizes that the path she is taking is much different than the women around her. She is not really a loving wife or a nurturing mother, which creates conflict between her and Leonce. Leonce wants a wife who is like Madame Ratignolle, for example, because her entire life revolves around her pleasing and caring for her husband and children. Leonce Pontellier seems to be a character who cares greatly about appearance and what others think of him and his family. His role affects the plot as he feels that Edna has failed as a mother and wife because she does not fit the stereotype. He views her more of an object than a person and has little respect for her, which serves as a driving force for Edna's awakening and sense of individuality.
The novel has contained multiple conflicts up to chapter XX, including Robert leaving for Mexico abruptly and Edna being offended by this. She is upset to see him go having had no prior awareness of this want of his. Another conflict being Leonce's distaste for the new personality Edna has assumed, as he finds her to be acting like a different person. When in reality, she is finally shedding the costume she wore for so long as the supple housewife and mother of two. There is even a small conflict between Madame Ratignolle and Edna as she is disturbed to hear that Edna would not sacrifice herself for her children. Their differing views preventing them from seeing the perspective of the other person. The overarching conflict, however, being Edna's internal conflict as she feels herself being pulled in two directions. One half of her belongs to her home with her children and her husband, though her attachment to that life is feigning and was never completely true. Whereas the other half pulls her toward a daring life, coming and going as she pleases, and not being tied down to motherly or wifely duties. She seeks change, a characteristic which likely draws her to Robert, who is such an impulsive and flirty character. With this main conflict, feminist criticism, or gender studies, would be a fitting way to critique this novel. As the central character is a women that leads a somewhat traditional life of being responsible for tending to the children and being a good wife to her husband, her identity can be unpacked using this lense. Edna is a woman stuck in the role of "dutiful housewife" and longs to break free of it, similarly to how women longed to assume suffrage and enter the workforce. Edna can be analyzed as wanting this change and this awakening so that she may feel more purpose in her life.
One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce. Leonce wants Edna to be a wife that adores him and he wants her to be more attentive to him and their children. On the other hand Edna does not love Leonce at all, nor does she always care much about her children. Edna wants to be free to live her life and do as she pleases, however her husband has always stopped her from doing this before. Leonce thinks that if he is forceful and steadfast in what he wants Edna to do and be like, then she will listen to him. However Edna has begun to disobey the wishes of her husband, creating more conflict, as the blatant disobedience angers Leonce. Leonce is then unknowingly driving forward the plot as his continual pushing Edna to be more "perfect" in his eyes, only pushes Edna further away from him, and she becomes more disobedient. As the plot continues we will probably see more pushback from Leonce against Edna's independence, and Edna's possible break away from her husband because of it.
Taylor wrote: "A driving conflict in the novella is the one between Edna's awakening and the expectations of women in society. As Edna begins to realize her freedom and expresses her independence, she realizes th..." I absolutely agree, Edna faces so many expectations from the people in her life as well as from society itself, it all must be very overwhelming. Your point specifically about Leonce's expectations is spot on, as he thought she was neglectful and seemed to be different when in reality she was stuck in a life that did not give her a sense of purpose.
A driving conflict of The Awakening is Edna Pontellier's actions which contrast the societal norms that were placed upon women at the time. Repeatedly Edna is shown to disregard her homely duties such as entertaining guests, keeping the home in order, and caring for her children as well as husband. Furthermore, Edna chooses to ignore and come in conflict with her husband, Leonce Pontellier, by arguing with him and not following his direction. Through these role-breaking actions of Edna a conflict against the standards of society is established. Robert LeBrun has been a character that has significantly impacted the plot, through Robert the actions and views of Edna became more contradicting with norms. When Robert was in Edna's life she acted in accordance with how she was expected to, for the most part. However, after Roberts leave to Mexico Edna's attitude altered and she became more standoffish in the face of expectations. Once parted with Robert, Edna did not listen to anybody and she did as she pleased, leaving her house alone and coming back at whatever hour she pleased. Thus, through Robert the plot became advanced as he exacerbated the conflict between Edna and her role-breaking actions against societal expectations.
1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?
One of the main driving conflicts in the novella is the waging war between Edna's desires and feelings, versus her thoughts and acceptance of societal expectations. The man vs self conflict represents the battle of wills between Edna's Id and Ego, as her Ego attempts to rationalize her behavior and get her to conform to the expectations placed upon her as a mother, and the Id being relentless in making her misery in that position known. Edna was never fulfilled in her position as a caretaker and mother, and with this knowledge, she attempts to quench her desire to be free of it. She attempts to be the perfect mother, but finds her attempts unsuccessful. This internal struggle torments Edna. The presence of Adele Ratignolle in this story, directly representing what Edna is supposed to be, may also provide another source of conflict in the story. It is yet undecided whether or not Adele will be problematic in the story, due to Edna's own insecurities. So far, Adele has proven to be the perfect housewife, and this may cause tension in the plot as Edna's internal battle escalates. Edna was comparing herself to Adele even in the earlier chapters, as she wondered why she hadn't considered the childrens' clothing for the winter, but Adele did. This leaves room for resentment.
A driving conflict of the novella is largely due to Edna's epiphany about her role in her family as well as her new love interest in Robert. Edna begins to realize from the start of the story that she is unhappy with the position she has taken on in her marriage, as she does not love Mr. Pontillier any longer and finds taking care of her children is a chore. She is not passionate about her life in many ways and projects her feelings towards Robert. Robert is a playboy, as he flirts with women and uses them- with the slight attention he gives to Edna she begins to fall for him. They have been friends for a long time, but these feelings begin to overcome her; in chapter 16 she expresses her feelings after he left, her feeling melancholy and even jealous, despite never being with him romantically. Robert's character takes hold on Edna, and this hold drives her actions and pushes her to a selfish route to who she wants to be. His character is incredibly important to the story, as his departure causes Edna to be more in touch with her emotions and she begins to start a new path. Without his character, she would have no interests outside of her marriage, those of which push her away from her family. I think if Robert wasn't in the picture, she wouldn't have as strong of a desire to take selfish actions in the future and leave her current life.
Ian wrote: "One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce. Leonce wants Edna to be a wife that adores him and he wants her to be more attentive to him and th..." You're right about Leonce's expectations, while he sees it as a longing for a caring wife and mother of his children, she feels smothered and unheard, leaving her to feel isolated. I think that as Leonce's expectations of Edna were unrealistic for her personality, he was driving her closer to Robert, hence her sense of infatuation with him.
Madame Ratignolle is a character that enjoys what life wants her to be. She furthers the plot by providing Edna with an example of what society wants a woman to be like. Madame Ratignolle is a very nurturing person and does not care much for what Edna is doing to be different other than pointing it out. Madame Ratignolle pointing out that Edna is different highlights that Edna is not really accepted into the community she lives in, likely because of how different she is from what society deems a woman should be. Madame Ratignolle furthers the plot by creating a driving conflict. Edna is opposite Madame Ratignolle, she is not very nurturing and often dislikes her situation in life. Edna wants to be like Madame Ratignolle because she wants to fit into society for once, but does not know how to start because they are two different people. Which causes Edna conflict because Edna now has to choose between being what society wants to be, which is something she wants to fit in. Or to continue her path of being different, which is something she longs for so she can get out of her situation of self-hate because she put herself there and knew she wouldn't like it.
Leonce's position as a husband plays a large part in the development of the plot in the way that he enforces a motherly role on Edna. He's traditional and will take no part in taking care of his kids, only going out to provide for his family and going to bed at the end of the night. It's mentioned several times throughout the novella that Edna wasn't the maternal type, opting to let her kids learn through experience rather than her nurture and her feeling as if she was stuck after having them. Leonce's expectations of her enable Edna's realization of her potential as an individual rather than this woman whose societal responsibility is to stay home and take care of some kids.Because of this, the feminist lens is the easiest to take in reading The Awakening. The novella covers the topic of gender norms, those being 'woman=caretaker, man=breadwinner' and the expectations put on women to be delicate, homely, and loving. Edna is none of these things, instead being "neglectful" of her kids and ignorant when her husband is talking to her. Her lack of motherly instincts paints her out to be a failure of a woman according to society, but Edna slowly begins to realize that those stereotypes and norms are set to oppress her.
Ian wrote: "One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce. Leonce wants Edna to be a wife that adores him and he wants her to be more attentive to him and th..." I completely agree with you, Ian. I think that one of the main forces that drives Edna away from Leonce is the disconnect between their wants and needs in a marriage. Edna struggles with the societal expectations that men have for women (Leonce being one) and just wants to have freedom. Leonce wants a picture-perfect household, which they do have on the outside, but on the inside, their marriage and family are crumbling beneath them. Edna's awakening plays a large role in this, as she wants the complete opposite of her husband.
Ian wrote: "One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce. Leonce wants Edna to be a wife that adores him and he wants her to be more attentive to him and th..."I completely agree, Leonce is unknowingly a driving conflict because he is trying to hold Edna back from being free and doing what she pleases. Since Edna wants to please Leonce, but also do what she wants, it leads to a conflict within Edna because she wants to please her husband, but also wishes to do her own thing.
The driving conflict is Ednas 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. These feelings cause her to disassociate with her life and reflect upon her choices. Her marriage is stretched thinner and thinner as she attempts to find herself. When she is removed from the social interaction of the island Edna delves deeper into this rut she has found herself in. Her tendency to alienate from her marriage and her motherly "duties" is exposed when she is left in new orleans without word from her husband. Robert is used as a foil for Leonce throughout the text as he gives edna the attentiveness and the respect she so craves. He views her as a person while Leonce views her as a housemaid. Without his presence Ednas view on Leonce may not be as pronounced, yet her fulfillment from someone other than Leonce drives her conflict aswell as the plot.
Ryley wrote: "A driving conflict of The Awakening is Edna Pontellier's actions which contrast the societal norms that were placed upon women at the time. Repeatedly Edna is shown to disregard her homely duties s..."I agree, I think that Robert helped to instill in Edna a sense of adventure, or at least made her aware that she doesn't have to be like most people. With Robert out the way she no longer feels as if she has anyone she can share her feeling with as she could with Robert, which helps create more conflict within herself.
Amy wrote: "1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?
One of the main driving conflicts in the novella is the waging war betwee..."
I agree Amy, Adele is what society deems "perfect" and it leads Edna to resent herself for not being more nurturing or attentive to her children like Adele is. It will likely end up causing tension within Edna herself because of her inner conflict between her wants and what society says she should be.
Ian wrote: "One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce. Leonce wants Edna to be a wife that adores him and he wants her to be more attentive to him and th..."I agree with your assessment on how Leonce forcing his expectations on Edna is creating a major conflict. Edna, who expressed her infatuation with Robert, clearly does not wish to heed the word of a man that she is not in love with. The conflict that subsequently arises between the two then promotes a further conflict between Edna and societal norms. As Edna wishes to distance herself further and further from her husband she also begins to disregard how society dictates that she must do the opposite.
CJ wrote: "Leonce's position as a husband plays a large part in the development of the plot in the way that he enforces a motherly role on Edna. He's traditional and will take no part in taking care of his ki..." I agree that the feminist perspective is very pronounced in the novella. Because the plot is based off of Edna's internal struggles, feminism can also be considered another one of the main things that progressed the story.
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 who worships her and two kids yet she doesn't feel comfortable living it. This meaning she doesn't know her own identity. She struggles with living life and taking care of her kids because she doesn't know what she desires from it. Q2: The character that is impacting the overall plot is Mr. Pontellier (Leonce). Although he's gone for most of the week on business whenever he is present there is a change in the way Edna presents herself or how she responds. She seems as if she's detached herself from the life she's been given. For example, when Mademoiselle played the piano she felt passionate about it. Yet, whenever she speaks to Mr. Pontellier she lack empathy and arousal. Whenever he is home he impacts the way Edna see's her life. He is bringing out the overall conflict Edna needs to come to terms with.
Ms. Marshall wrote: "Craft a response that addresses two (2) of the following topics:1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?
2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?
3. Con..."
The most prominent driving force of the novella is that Edna is unsatisfied with her life up to this point. She does not enjoy the traditional wifely duties as Madame Ratignolle does. Edna dismissed her motherly responsibilities, often leaving her children attended by her housemaids and the family's nurse to explore the town. Her dislike of being stuck in the house drives Edna to see the world from her newfound perspective, which displeases Leonce, who believes in the traditional ways of how a home should work. Another driving force is Robert going for Mexico, leaving Edna lost and confused about what she should do. Edna finds herself exploring more and wishing that Robert would come back, listening to anyone who will talk about him. Since Robert is not around to keep Edna company, she ventures off to explore the town instead of being stuck at home, hopeless to find a better life.
Robert keeps the plot moving, allowing Edna to find herself in his absence. When Edna first met Robert, she was a housewife, but Edna acted on her unfulfilled life throughout the summer, spending more time with Robert and enjoying their moments together. In Robert's time in Mexico, she spends her days searching for enjoyment from other places. Edna's new perspective of the world is more content but still unfulfilled, hoping Robert will come back to see her. Robert provides Edna with hope and a reason to explore.
Lauren wrote: "Madame Ratignolle is a character that enjoys what life wants her to be. She furthers the plot by providing Edna with an example of what society wants a woman to be like. Madame Ratignolle is a very..."I agree, Madame Ratignolle is a great foil character for Edna and shows her what she almost should be in society. Leonce also notices how Madame Ratignolle acts with her husband and child, and I think that because of that Leonce tries to push Madame Ratignolle's character onto Edna, creating more conflict between Edna and Leonce.
Lauren wrote: "Madame Ratignolle is a character that enjoys what life wants her to be. She furthers the plot by providing Edna with an example of what society wants a woman to be like. Madame Ratignolle is a very..."I agree with this. As I stated, Madame Ratignolle has the power to create conflict in the story with the characteristics and principles that she embodies. Because she is the direct opposite of what Edna wants for herself, Adele might even be considered an antagonist in some sense
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.
3. Considering literary criticism, what is one criticism that could be used to analyze this novella? Why?The most prevalent literary criticism in the novella would be feminist criticism. The major conflict of the book is Edna's inner conflict with expectations and being true to herself. The novella explicitly reveals the expectations of women through Edna's foil, Mrs. Ratignolle. Mrs. Ratignolle is the epitome of the "perfect woman", being beautiful and a great mother. Having a foil like Mrs. Ratignolle emphasizes how Edna is considered a disappointment to society. She should be doing her job and loving it, but the reality of the situation is that women are human and have emotions outside of being loving toward their families. Furthermore, allowing Edna to awaken and do what she desires helps break the mold of women having to fit society's design.
4. What are the ways that you are connecting with the novella? And/or overall opinions of the novella?
In many aspects, I can resonate with Edna's feeling of being suppressed and yearning for more. As an Asian American, there was an expectation of having to be perfect. To this day, I struggle with taking care of myself because I was taught that I had to put my grades first and that I had to fulfill the idea of the "model minority". This is similar to Edna in which she has the expectation of being a "mother-woman". However, she has more bravery than I do because she finally acquired the ability to acknowledge what she wants and to do it. I am excited to see where this ability takes her. There is no doubt that there will be retaliation for her breaking out of the mold, but a part of me is rooting for her happiness in the end.
A psychoanalytic criticism may be used to analyze this novella because of the novella's focus on psychological development. As Edna reflects on the conditions of her life and on her own perceptions, she begins to gradually change her outlook and her behavior. How she changes in relation to her own values versus the views of society evokes significant questions such as "Should a parent love their own children?" or "To what extent should a person act in accordance with what society expects of them?"I appreciate the novella and the scenarios which it presents the reader with. Edna's introspection is something which I connect with to a great extent. I think that the novella effectively captures reasonable changes a person may make to themselves and their effects. As a result, this novel has great value in taking a look at society, parental responsibilities, self absorption, and other themes.
Dom wrote: "Ms. Marshall wrote: "Craft a response that addresses two (2) of the following topics:1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?
2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the ..."
I agree her separation from her responsibility exasperates her desire to be free, along with Robert pushing her towards change.
Bri wrote: "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 bet..."I agree, Edna continuously contradicts the way in which others act. For instance, the actions of Edna totally differ from the actions of Leonce or Madame Ratignolle, because they accept and act in accordance with societal expectations. However, Edna breaks through societal norms and seems to act in any way other than what's expected.
Taylor wrote: "A driving conflict in the novella is the one between Edna's awakening and the expectations of women in society. As Edna begins to realize her freedom and expresses her independence, she realizes th..." I agree that Edna's awakening is a driving factor for the plot of the novella. Her and her husband want opposite things in their marriage. Edna wants freedom in her marriage and feels that her marriage and children have become a burden to her. Leonce wants the societal expectation of a marriage, like the rest of the families around them. This disconnect in their wants leaves Edna with only one option- to leave.
Ryley wrote: "A driving conflict of The Awakening is Edna Pontellier's actions which contrast the societal norms that were placed upon women at the time. Repeatedly Edna is shown to disregard her homely duties s..."I agree that a driving force is Edna's defiance of societal expectations is a driving force. She seems to have opened herself up to the possibilities of a different lifestyle by making her own decisions. It seems to affect Leonce a great deal that she does not listen anymore which I'm sure will cause more conflicts than just their arguments at the dinner table.
Amy wrote: "1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?
One of the main driving conflicts in the novella is the waging war betwee..."
I really like the idea that Mrs. Ratignolle is a source of conflict in the story. Although she is kind and looks out for Edna, as shown through her telling Robert to stop his romantic advances, the sheer fact that she is a perfect woman in the eyes of society can lead to resentment and self-deprecation on Edna's part. I do like their friendship though, and I ultimately want both women to be happy because it would promote the idea that no matter what lifestyle a woman chooses, they should choose what makes them happy.
Robert is a man who is known to be flirtatious towards women through his tender actions. His relationship with Edna abides by these expectations as he spends his days with her, taking care of her like when she felt ill and needed to rest so he went and collected food for her as she rested inside Madame Antoine’s cot. His caring actions have helped Edna experience feelings that she has not felt before or even imagined feeling. His presence inspires her to be free through her own character. As an example, one night instead of going inside when her husband demanded her to, Edna instead told him that she will not listen to him and that he should not talk to her like that. Through his inspiration, the development of the plot is a development of Edna and her character as she is slowly discovering who she is. A way that I am connecting with the novella thus far is through the different influences others have on me. Edna interacts with Madame Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz who are contrasting characters. Madame Ratignolle is a woman who abides by societal expectations, constantly tending to her children and husband, influencing Edna to behave more like her. Mademoiselle Reisz is a confident pianist who is portrayed as strong, influencing Edna to become her own person like she is. In my life, there are different people who influence me to act in different ways such as my classmates who influence me to work hard in school through academic conversation and goals while my friends influence me to act upon intrusive thoughts in hopes of making the most out of life.
In its portrayal of a path to self-discovery and journey for individuality, I believe that the novel does a great job with representing the struggles and hurdles we must overcome beforehand. Just like how Edna, despite being adamant about staying within the hammock, is soon overcome with an obligation to go back inside: the escape from a rut of normalcy is oftentimes tedious and leaves us guilty. Obviously, big changes rarely happen overnight, but I appreciate the novel’s display of a complex human nature that truly makes the progress to self-improvement genuine and relatable. While a minor character, Mademoiselle Reisz’s peculiar personality possesses a certain charm. Out of every other character, it seems like she is really the only person who understands Edna’s position in her life, appearing at times to understand it better than Edna herself. Seemingly disinterested in the concerns of others with a selfish disposition, her attitude towards Edna displays a perceptiveness beyond words. In the form of music, Mademoiselle Reisz's piano seems to inspire something Edna that she doesn't even seem to see herself, leaving her emotionally overwhelmed with an unspeakable passion.
Savannah wrote: "2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?Robert is a character only after his own gain so he will impact the plot by keeping it moving. He will continue to act in a ..."
I respectfully disagree, yes Robert effects and impacts the plot but I don't believe its for his own gain. With him she's honest and open about her family and her fears. I think he sees her for a woman trying to find herself and he impacts the plot in that way, by influencing her identity search.
Natalie wrote: "The novel has contained multiple conflicts up to chapter XX, including Robert leaving for Mexico abruptly and Edna being offended by this."Even after Edna's return to the city, she seems to remain bothered by this conflict, seemingly as a result of her continued attachment to Robert. Do you think that Robert may have left intentionally because he noticed Edna's great attachment to him? If Robert stayed, do you think it would have also resulted in a conflict?
Kaleb wrote: "The driving conflict is Ednas 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 didn't think about Robert being a foil to Leonce but it makes sense, Leonce holds Edna back from the person she wants to be but Robert pushes her to change and have a life outside the house. I agree that without Robert, Edna's feelings towards Leonce would not be seen because she would still be submissive towards him.
CJ wrote: "Leonce's position as a husband plays a large part in the development of the plot in the way that he enforces a motherly role on Edna. He's traditional and will take no part in taking care of his ki..."I agree her own realization of strength empowers her into making a change. Ednas shift from compliant to vengeful marks a big change in her outlook on the world.
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.
CJ wrote: "Leonce's position as a husband plays a large part in the development of the plot in the way that he enforces a motherly role on Edna. He's traditional and will take no part in taking care of his ki..."I completely agree. I think Leonce forces the entire role of motherhood on Edna. He's emotionally distant from them which causes her to handle all of the family's needs.
CJ wrote: "Leonce's position as a husband plays a large part in the development of the plot in the way that he enforces a motherly role on Edna. He's traditional and will take no part in taking care of his ki..."It's interesting to note that the novella categorized Edna not coddling her children as not being mother-like. There is a point where protecting your children becomes detrimental to their development, and the children of these "mother-women" will eventually become spoiled. In my eyes, she is not even the bad mother that Leonce views her to be.
Natalie wrote: "The novel has contained multiple conflicts up to chapter XX, including Robert leaving for Mexico abruptly and Edna being offended by this. She is upset to see him go having had no prior awareness o..." Similarly like you have stated, the multiple conflicts in the novel reveal that the novella can be analyzed through feminist criticism and gender studies. Through a feminist criticism lens, Edna is portrayed to be a conflicting character because she chooses herself over her children and husband even though she is expected not to. When Madame Ratignolle was first introduced, she was characterized with positive and angelic diction. Is she portrayed to be as beautiful as she is because she abides by societal expectations?
Ian wrote: "One of the driving conflicts in the story is the relationship between Edna and her husband Leonce."Edna herself says that she chose to marry Leonce. What is your opinion on whether or not she accepted responsibilities when she made the decision to marry him, and what do you think those responsibilities are? Do you think that Edna's actions or Leonce's betray any of the responsibilities that they may have accepted by becoming married?
Mackenzie wrote: "A driving conflict of the novella is largely due to Edna's epiphany about her role in her family as well as her new love interest in Robert. Edna begins to realize from the start of the story that ..." The impact Robert has on Edna influences her to become her own person. It is interesting that you say that if he was not in the picture then her desire for self-actualization would not be happening because it has caused me to think if she would continue to live her life as it is or find another person/ thing to influence her to change. If not, what is so special about Robert that has inspired her in this way?
Rebecca wrote: "Robert is a man who is known to be flirtatious towards women through his tender actions. His relationship with Edna abides by these expectations as he spends his days with her, taking care of her l..."I definitely agree that Robert does indeed evoke some sense of "inspiration" within Edna with such a comical and free attitude. In fact, this bond between them seems to consist even more than simple teases and quips, especially as we progress further and Edna begins to realize her own infatuation after he leaves. I found it strange that despite having such a special connection (or at least that's what it seemed like), Robert does not truly reach out and fails to quell Edna's desperation, leaving much to be desired.
Dom wrote: "Ms. Marshall wrote: "Craft a response that addresses two (2) of the following topics:1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?
2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the ..."
I like that you saw Robert's departure as less of a problem, but more of a necessary catalyst for Edna's development towards self-discovery. With Leonce rarely at the house (which is ironic since he is trying to uphold traditions, but in the same manner neglectful of his children and Edna herself) and Robert gone, Edna finds relief in drawing and being alone.
Mackenzie wrote: "A driving conflict of the novella is largely due to Edna's epiphany about her role in her family as well as her new love interest in Robert. Edna begins to realize from the start of the story that ..." I definitely agree with this. Though we know Leonce's feelings toward Edna, Edna has not given much mention of how he makes her feel. From her actions it can be assumed that she is not satisfied with him or has realized he feels she is not a suitable wife or mother. Because of this, along with her state of being awakened, she gives into Robert because he is the only one at this point giving her validation and attention - similar to what you said.
Rebecca wrote: "Robert is a man who is known to be flirtatious towards women through his tender actions. His relationship with Edna abides by these expectations as he spends his days with her, taking care of her l..." I agree with your response in regards to Edna and Robert's relationship. While it seems that Edna genuinely enjoys Robert, I feel that she also gives into him and his "charm" because she is not receiving any romantic/caring gestures from her husband. I also agree that Robert's role is helping Edna express her individuality as well, as it can be seen at certain points that she is becoming more willing to stand up to her husband/express herself.
A driving conflict of the novella focuses on Edna's struggles about discovering her individuality, understanding that she has a different perspective about being a mother as compared to the expectations of society. She wants to gain freedom because she feels like her husband expects her to follow the typical motherly obligations and duties, including taking care of the children and the work in the house. Edna couldn't fully express what she truly feels towards her husband because they have contrasting views about the roles of women and men. Edna values finding happiness within herself rather than allowing societal norms to restrict her from accomplishing her independence. Therefore, she is eager to escape from the expectations and boundaries of motherhood in order to gain a greater understanding of herself. Robert Lebrun impacts the overall plot by his charming and carefree personality, representing his inability to commit to his decisions. He is attracted to married women, but his behaviors don't relate to his intentions. In essence, when Madame Ratignolle questions Robert about his intentions towards Edna, he expressed how their relationship is not serious. However as Edna begins to spend more time with Robert, she feels that she is gaining awareness about emotions and desires. As a result, Robert influences Edna to realize that she will not be controlled by her husband, allowing her to develop her own decisions about her future.
Bri wrote: "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 bet..." I agree with your statement because Edna seeks discovery within herself as compared to following the expectation established in society about the way mother's responsibility and obligations. In addition, she has a different perspective about parenting style than her husband, so she is not able to fully express her emotions and decisions. On the other hand, I agree that Madame Ratignolle is the opposite of Edna because she is a devoted mother and what society views as what mothers should be.
Lauren wrote: "Madame Ratignolle is a character that enjoys what life wants her to be. She furthers the plot by providing Edna with an example of what society wants a woman to be like. Madame Ratignolle is a very..." I agree because they have different perceptive about the roles of women in society, which Edna doesn't follow societal expectations, and Madame Ratignolle portrays the perfect mother as she is willing to make sacrifices for her family. So do you think Edna is jealous of Madame Ratignolle?
1. What are the driving conflicts of the novella?
2. Choose a character--how is that character impacting the overall plot?
3. Considering literary criticism, what is one criticism that could be used to analyze this novella? Why?
4. What are the ways that you are connecting with the novella? And/or overall opinions of the novella?
In addition: If you have anything specific that you feel you need to ask about the novel thus far, feel free to do it here! Either Marshall or a classmate will help you figure it out!
--Respond to this question, and at least two of your classmate's posts.