Customer Reviews

The Awakening (Norton Critical Editions)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" is the classic novel about women that "Madame Bovary" purports to be but isn't. It's not just a "woman's" novel, though, it perfectly (and poetically) captures the inner life of a solitary person who is forced to live for the sake of others. And while this has been a distinctly female position for a large part of Western history, it is a position that can be identified with by just about anyone in our current age of employee internet-use monitoring. This is a twentieth-century tale of discomfort with and reaction to antagonistic surroundings. For those of us who don't feel the need to procreate in an overpopulated world, Edna's (and presumably Chopin's) discomfort with children will make sense. For those of us who may not always know exactly what we want out of life, this story will strike a chord.

Kate Chopin's writing is deliberate but not labored. She is particularly successful at depicting ambiguity in a way which is highly descriptive and communicative. This is a skill which I can't praise highly enough, and it culminates in an ending which is absolutely perfect. While criticism could be raised against "The Awakening" as another apology for the suicidal artist, Edna's literal and symbolic escape is less pretentious than Harry's in "Steppenwolfe," nor as indecipherable as that of any of Joyce's creations. Kate Chopin's novel is truly a classic in the sense that it should be a part of any survey of American literature. The Norton Critical edition is the best way to go, too, with helpful biographical information and literary criticism. If you want a more enriching experience with this novel, I'd highly recommend this version.

Saralee says
The Awakening is a part of many required reading lists and is also a fashionable choice for book club discussions. Why is this novel that was written more than 100 years ago relevant today?

During the 1890s, if you were a part of the well to do Creoles of New Orleans you spent your summers at Grand Isle - a resort for those who could afford it. Edna Pontellier is there with her husband, their children and their servants. As the story opens, Pontellier is on the beach with Robert Lebrun and her husband is deciding whether to dine with his family or if it would be more socially beneficial for him to spend the evening at his club. We soon learn that appearances and social position are what matters most to Pontellier's husband and as long as she abides by those rules, she will get along just fine. When she decides not to abide by the rules, the story becomes interesting and the book significant.

Kate Chopin was one of the first to write about women outside of their mandated roles as satisfied domestic companions. She boldly wrote about what a woman feels like who discovers sexuality and independence and it was courageous for her to write this book. Pontellier was raised as a Presbyterian in Kentucky and it was on a whim that she married her husband who was part of the Creole Catholic establishment. Her character enjoyed taking risks but was heartbroken with the consequences.

What did you think about Pontellier's relationship with her children? Was she selfish or bold by putting her needs first? What do you think she did that offended society most? At what age should someone read this book? How did you feel about Pontellier's last act of defiance? Did her character win or lose? Why did this book end Chopin's promising career as a writer? I recommend reading a text of The Awakening that includes both the context and criticism. The context will help you understand what all of the French phrases mean and also explain Creole society and the background in which the story takes place.

Larry's language
The Awakening is all about Edna Pontellier and her moral, sensual and personal growth and development. This 1899 novel by Kate Chopin is very modern in its tone and in its honest treatment of human feelings and emotions. While proper society in the 1890s was still very Victorian in its outlook and pronouncements, its citizens were human to the core, as Pontellier demonstrates.

She is trapped in a dull marriage in New Orleans in a social climbing, status seeking family where - instead of summering in the Hamptons or a mountain retreat - she and her husband and their servants vacation at Grand Isle. Like a good husband in that society, he leaves Pontellier each week to return to the city to make money. While he is gone, she enjoys the company of the other families in a social setting where rigid rules govern the proper behavior and emotions that may be expressed regardless of true feelings.

Pontellier's social rules instead are far more like a modern country club environment where certain manners are demanded, at least in public, until the lights are low, drinks are flowing or the spouses are absent. For Pontellier, these rules rapidly give way to her expression of her inner desires and thoughts.

What are the boundaries for an individual and for a society in the expression of personal desires? Was Pontellier only lusting in her heart or did she actually sin? Morally, is there a difference? Do you think modern authors like Erica Jong or John Updike treat sensuality and marital rules differently than Chopin?

This was a shocking novel in 1899 but today Pontellier's turmoil and dilemma would be neither unusual nor frightening and perhaps that is why modern man and woman usually succeed in handling these situations in a far better way than Pontellier.

I read this book when I accepted a challenge to be more aware of the authors I chose to read -- i.e., deliberately read more books by women, by minority authors, and by third-world authors.

A friend recommended five books by women, all of which I loved. "The Awakening" is a fascinating look at women's place in society at a point in time when things are beginning to change. The female characters in this novel are not two-dimensional, moving about in silent submission to oppressive patriarchal authority; rather, they are presented as individuals with thoughts, desires, feelings, etc. of their own. While by today's standards this is not a revolutionary idea, at the time Chopin was writing, it was rather novel.

This book, then, served as a fascinating glimpse into a world that is past -- a world that was on the brink of change. Even if this were not a gripping story in its own right (which, by all means, it is), "The Awakening" would be worth reading simply for this social-historical vision.

This edition of The Awakening is a beautifully compiled work. I found it incredibly insightful as I used it for research papers in high school and college. The essays and criticism from Chopin's era are priceless. It was so helpful to have those along with the text, they really gave insight one could not find elsewhere. The Awakening continues to be my favorite book, this my favorite edition. If you are going to write a paper on this book or Chopin there is no other book that will help you more.

This was beautiful; the kind of book that makes you realize just how much more powerful fiction is when there is so much you cannot say and have to use every creative fiber to express yourself. I'd heard all kinds of things about The Awakening before reading it, since it was controversial at the time of publication in 1899 and has been elevated to a cult classic of sorts. It's even more stunning when you realize WHY it was so controversial. Since the synopsis indicates that it's about a married woman who desires another, younger man she meets at a summer resort, I thought it would be along the lines of Lawrence - and The Awakening is often spoken of in the same breath as Lady Chatterley's Lover - and there would be all the imagery and language issues you'd assume would come with a story like this and that association, but that's not it at all. There's not a single forbidden word or scandalous passage. It's more like a long dream sequence or a Bronte poem, so beautifully told it's like music for the heart and eyes. That sounds trite but I truly was moved by Chopin's sparing and lyrical use of language. That kind of artistry is a reminder of why I love reading. There are so many poor and mediocre books out there that I almost forget sometimes what it's like to experience the joy of truly brilliant writing.

Edna's attraction to Robert may be the catalyst - the `awakening' of the title - but actually just marks the dawning of a new overall awareness in herself, and it becomes much more complex than the mere appeal of another man. Rather, she comes to realize that she is not fully living life; that she's not entirely sure who she is, and feels stifled by society and its expectations. She has an intense, painful longing to free herself. The fact that the discontent of a fictional female character was such a topic of scandal is, to me, the most telling. Obviously nobody in those days wanted to hear, even in fiction, that a privileged wife and mother might be dissatisfied with her life and want more; that she might harbor passions and undercurrents of feeling not befitting a proper lady of society, and that she might actually attempt to discard what is false or unsatisfying and be true to herself.

I disliked the way it ended, which I won't give away. I see why the author took it there, I suppose. It's worth noting, too, that Kate Chopin had up to that point been a fairly distinguished writer in American literary circles, but was figuratively cast out after the publication of this book and died in near-poverty and obscurity. It was apparently a topic the masses just weren't ready for at the time.

This small volume reads like a lazy afternoon on a balmy day in the Big Easy. This is the story of a young woman, Edna, married, with two small boys, who begins to sense an unfolding yearning within herself, which she is unsure how to fulfill. When the book was written in 1899, it was considered scandalous and avant-garde, garnering scathing reviews. By today's standards it is slow and undulating, barely shocking, and somewhat slow paced, considering what Edna undertakes as she tries to reconcile her longings with social convention. This book takes one back to an era when literature relied on style, language and imagery to provoke a reader. It is a tight psychological journey, which may leave you thoughtful rather than breathless.

When I was told I was going to have to take a course called "Modern Novel "I instantly thought "Great, another book that won't help me in my pursuit of my major". However; when I read the first chapter I couldn't put it down and I had the book completely read in 3 days.

The story is revolved around a woman named Edna in the mid to late 1800's and her inner thoughts and struggles. While reading the novel I was able to acquire an inside look into how women struggled with their identity and purpose in a society that was about "the man". Being a woman in a male dominated career (Computer Networking) I was able to relate to her lashing out to gain independence and wanting to be known as Edna and not Mrs. Pontellier. The novel affected me in such a way that I had all the women in my immediate family read it, which had a chain reaction to even having my father read it. The universal theme about an individual going through an identity crisis can definitely be related by everyone.

The lot of women in the 19th century wasn't a terribly impressive one -- many of them had been reduced to babymakers and inoffensive "property" for the men.

And Kate Chopin caused a massive scandal when she wrote about one woman who drifted from societal normal in "The Awakening," leading to a world of exploration, love, and ultimately tragedy. Her misty, vaguely dreamlike writing can pull a reader into the world of 1900s New Orleans and its society, but her heroine sometimes feels more like a vessel than a fully-realized person.

Edna Pontellier is the wife of successful New Orleans businessman Léonce, and mother of two lovely young boys. Yet she is dissatisfied by her life, and feels no connection to the other wives and mothers, who idolize their motherhood and subservience. And when she encounters handsome young Creole Robert Lebrun while on vacation, she begins to "awake" to the feelings she has left behind during her marriage.

Distancing herself from Leonce and her sons, Edna begins exploring art and emotions that have been denied her by the strictures of her society -- as well as an affair with the flirtatious Alcée Arobin. She even moves out into a cottage of her own, much to the horror of those who thought they knew her. Her romantic feelings have not moved on from Robert, but his return makes her realize how different she has become...

Kate Chopin's most famous work is often cited as a sort of proto-feminist work, with a woman rebelling against the male-dominated role she has been given. The fact that a story about a woman abandoning her husband and kids caused such a scandal only adds to that belief.

But that's a rather restricted label to give such a versatile author, and "Awakening" is a book with too many facets to be so restrained. In many ways Chopin resembles a Southern version of Edith Wharton, exploring the stultifying society that she once dwelled in, and the often-tragic consequences of people -- particularly women -- who dared to step outside those unforgiving boundaries.

Chopin's lush writing elevates this story even further, weaving an atmospheric, vaguely dreamlike web around everyday New Orleans. She makes readers feel the heat of a summer's day, the remote beauty of a party, the eerie majesty of an empty sea. And though "The Awakening" is infused by a feeling of languid dreaminess, Chopin creates a feeling of tension and inevitability that grows as the book goes on. It's almost a shock at the book's finale, when that tension releases in a quiet burst of poetic language.

And to her credit, Chopin is able to make her points about women and society without setting up straw-men. Such characters as "angel of the house" Adèle Ratignolle and the stuffy Leonce (who sees Edna as his personal property and expects her to obey) are examples of the usual society of the time, yet Leonce is a fully realized character who loves -- but can never understand -- his wife.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that Edna herself is at times rather thin as a character. While she has many conflicting desires, she sometimes seems like a mere vessel for all those desires to be displayed over time. But there are some scenes where she does seem like a fully realized person, such as when she meditates on her lack of housewifely virtues, is struck by wild mood swings around her sons, and befriends Mademoiselle Reisz.

"The Awakening" is more than just an early feminist novel -- it's an exquisitely written story about the roads that our own desires can take us down, and the tragedies that can come from it. A must-read, if nothing else for Kate Chopin's powerful writing.

Although this book starts of rather slow, it soon becomes riveting as the characters become more developed. As I became acquainted with Edna and the awakening she goes through, I found that I could identify with her on a deeply personal level. Many of us have felt that we are living our lives in a false way, as if we have put up a facade to show to the world. Edna desperately wants to be free of her loveless marriage, but even the man with whom she is in love, and who loves her, will not permit her to break her vows to her husband; she belongs to him. To a modern reader, the story is even more of a tragedy, as her unhappiness seems needless.

This is a short novel, but doesn't suffer from it's length, or lack thereof. There are several fascinating characters, besides Edna and her lover, Robert. There is also the alluring setting of 1890's New Orleans and its Creole community. The Awakening is a terrific example of an early feminist work, and provides a tragic example of the consequences of the foolish "proprieties" demanded by society.

It's important to know before reading this book that Kate Chopin belonged to a no longer used genre called "Creole Writer". The Awakening is very much set in New Orleans and there is frequent use of French or it's Creole equivalents. Fortunately, this Norton Critical Edition provided translations and other explanatory information as footnotes to the text. These aids were much appreciated.

Chopin is not a great American writer. However, she is very good. The plot makes for a compelling read and the ending is a delightful surprise. But what really struck me about this book was how modern, how relevant the story is. Edna's identity crisis, if you'll allow me to call it that, reminded me of very much of Saul Bellow's novella, The Dangling Man.

Bottomline: This book isn't for everyone, but the discerning reader will enjoy it immensely.