AP Literature and Composition (SHHS) discussion

How does Edna's wealthy upbringing affect her views and actions? How is this reflected in our modern society?

Edna's wealthy upbringing has given her a bird that doesn't need to fly the coop. As she never had to leave to acquire things on her own as she was always given them. She needed financial stability after becoming an adult she married a husband. She did lose her mom so learning how to be a woman was rocky but she most definitely had a nanny, same with her children she has house workers, and the places they live her children are assumed safe so she doesn't raise them attentively. her mental health becomes poor but even then she's allowed to go fill it with material things and realize her wealthy life hasn't made her independent. with that, she becomes more independent and able for herself but always will have this safety net. she only learned a different mindset from leaving, she could've lived in her bubble with a therapist and been "fine".

Kaleb wrote: "How does Edna's wealthy upbringing affect her views and actions? How is this reflected in our modern society?"

Edna's wealthy upbringing affects the views of her own life. I believe her wealthy upbringing may have affected her ability to be honest with herself. Being wealthy she felt entitled to this life given to her and not realized that's not actually the life that makes her feel something. This is reflected so much in modern society through celebrities, actors, and influencers having so much wealth yet realizing after having this wealth it doesn't actually make them happy. So many of them now are admitting publicly about their mental health and how much they struggle with it.

Much like most of the other characters, they all possess a certain air of pretentiousness and indifference towards lives separate from their own. For Edna, it's not just her wealthy upbringing that attributes to her respectability, but her marriage with Leonce is characterized by materialistic ideals that causes her to feel undervalued (Leonce's fixation on the house furniture). Eventually, this causes Edna to want to live in a "tiny" house on her own, believing it will give her the "the feeling of freedom and independence" she desires (Chopin 80). This may be reflected in our modern society by our fixation on material goods and property, while many turn away from these things to seek self-awareness.

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.

I feel like if Edna did not have family money, and if Mr. Pontellier were not wealthy, Edna would not feel as inclined to leave her family. Considering the time period, if she would have made a full break, she would not have been able to get a high-paying job to be able to support herself. So, her being able to leave Mr. Pontellier and go off on her own are signs of her privilege and status. This concept can be seen in today's society because many people stay in relationships because of financial confines, especially women. In controlling and manipulative relationships, one spouse is financially dependent on the other, making it extremely hard to leave for the other because if they do, they will not have access to any money. Edna's wealth is important in this short story because she would not be able to leave without it.