Manh Huynh
Period 2
12/15/14
Awakening The novella,
The Awakening
, include many of Edna Pontellier’s awakenings, but the most memorable is the moment she bound herself to the sea. This is the peak of Edna’s awakening because it symbolize that no one will ever chain her again, the only way that she can gain freedom is through death, free from society’s expectations and free from her husband’s and children’s grip. In my opinion, I believe Edna’s awakening share similarities with Janie
Crawford from
Their Eyes Were Watching God
.
When talking about their awakenings, one must consider about each with their own background. Edna is regarded as more prominent and wealthy, living in Grand Isle reserved for the richest, while Janie have been through a more difficult upbringing that requires her to be dependent on the first husband that she married to, of whom she did not love. Thus concluded that the climax of Janie’s awakening reflects on many obstacles that she faces in the past, while
Edna’s awakening is very “abovethesurface,” she only act on what she thinks is appropriate. Edna’s awakening is when she gave herself to the sea, while Janie is when she killed Tea
Cake, her beloved husband. Both are very broad and unrelated to each other, but let’s look at it through a feminist perspective. Both lived in an era where men are more superior towards
women, so the thing they would want most is freedom. Edna realizes that with society’s
expectations
