Kate Chopin and Sharon M. Harris - The Awakening

Pros: Beautiful writing, use of imagery and symbolism
Cons: Buried for 50 years

Unlike other writers from the Realism period, including Edith Wharton, Kate Chopin did not shy away from female sexuality. Her novel, The Awakening, published in 1899, shocked the reading public of the time with its frank depiction of an...

Pros: Amazing imagery, wonderful commentary on society.
Cons: Slow, obvious, makes you want to throw the book against things at times.

Now don't get me wrong here. I love reading and I love books and I have a passion for the written word. But when I was assigned The Awakening to read for my AP English class last summer, I was not exactly looking forward to it. It was a slim...

Pros: Chopin's work transcends the feminist genre with its message of liberation...
Cons: May be too methodical for modern audiences...

Kate Chopin's The Awakening has been lauded by critics for over a century as an essential contribution to the canon of feminist literature. Yet, as the evolution of society continues, it is possible that the genre may grow obsolete as world ...

Pros: Chopin beautifully uses artistry inside, as well as in the construction of her novel.
Cons: none

The impressionistic painting is a beautiful yet vague picture of a very realistic idea. The colors and shapes seem to blend together, but in such a way that nature’s splendor is vividly portrayed as what it truly is - bold, yet very subtle. The...

Pros: Interesting Perspective Of Writing
Cons: None

The Awakening is dedicated to the ideas of a woman's emancipation in society and of the awakening of a woman's soul to life. Kate Chopin creates a character that symbolizes the "awakening" of a woman in a chauvinistic society, her revolt against the...

Pros: Edna's character development
Cons: PREDICTABLE, slow reading

Previous to this, I'd read only a short story of a few pages by Kate Chopin. I'd enjoyed it, and that part of what bothered me about this novel, published in 1899.

From the get-go, The Awakening makes it blatantly clear that Edna Pontellier...

Pros: eye opening, well written, good characters, good plot
Cons: short (I would have liked more story to have been told)

Ok, so I admit that I was forced to read this book for a college English course, but that doesn't mean that I can't fall in love with the books. This book really opened my eyes to a completely different time period in history. And because of the book...

Pros: Interesting story, well written.
Cons: None

I had to read "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin several years ago for a school assignment. When first told of the task, I was less than thrilled about it, but as I began to read the book my opinion changed.

Chopin's story is not...

Pros: strong character analysis, deals with meaning of life
Cons: somewhat glorifies death

Imagine realizing that your entire life you have been living someone else's life, that you have never truly lived the life you would want to love. What if you had never been able to dream?

In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, our heroine Edna...

Pros: Excellent View of Victorian Society
Cons: Could have had more details

In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the main character, Edna Pontellier, is awakened to the depths of her soul when she first swims into the abyss of the ocean. “Mrs. Pontellier, who has been trying to learn how to swim the entire summer, suddenly and...

Pros: French/Creole Expressions add to the feel of the novel
Cons: Might feel too short

My English teacher suggested a few classic books that he believed would interest me. I was pleasantly surprised by "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin. Not only am I a big fan of New Orleans culture, but I could really associate with the main character, Edna....

Pros: style of the novel, an emotional, moving story
Cons: Some of Edna's behavior

The Awakening is a brief, classic story with feeling and emotion. It is a beautiful story about a woman who is struggling with the changes that are going on in her life. She longs to find herself. In doing so, she breaks away from convention.

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Pros: Historically insightful
Cons: None.

In the 1890’s, amidst the infancy of various equality movements challenging a senile Victorian tradition, Kate Chopin specifically attacks the gender inequality hardship of women via her novel, The Awakening.
Chopin employs direct statements...

Pros: good story
Cons: ending leaves many issues unresolved

Realism was a literary movement of the late 19th century an early 20th century, which attempted to make literature resemble life. Realist writers often sought to portray ordinary life as real people and attempted to show characters and events in an...

Pros: feminist ideas
Cons: a little dry and conservative

This book can sort of be seen as a feminist novel, where the lead character is caught in the all too real, and harsh realities of a male world. She is trapped by her gender. She is trapped by her kids. She comes to the ultimate conclusion that there is...