The Awakening Rhetorical Analysis Essay

My discursive piece is inspired by Kate Chopin’s novella, The Awakening, which explores the complexities of womanhood within the constraints of a patriarchal society through the growth of the protagonist Edna, denoting women’s mistreatment throughout time. This inspired me to explore the theme of growth using the discursive form, represented through literary devices, to depict the journey of womanhood, towards self-actualisation.

In my writing, I took inspiration from Chopin’s use of imagery to convey a sense of confinement and oppression inherent in the experiences of women. This is reflected in the metaphor, “The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings,” Chopin highlighting the strength of women despite society’s prejudice towards them. Similarly, the symbolism evident in the anecdotal accumulation, “Wake up”. Cooking for the breakfast. Tend to the children, he said. Clean. Make a lunch. Crochet a cardigan. Prepare dinner. Waiting for husband to get home. Repeat,” the truncated sentences underpinning the sense of dissatisfaction with life, stemming from the mundane routine women are stereotypically …show more content…
Likewise, I amplified the sense of frustration and inner turmoil inherent in women through rhetorically questioning, “Is my whole purpose in life delineated by this?”, effectively conveying a woman’s yearning for a more empowered existence. Furthermore, the parallelism inherent in the rhetorical question, “Will it ever change?”. Will we ever change?”, underscores a sense of frustration and uncertainty. By framing these questions, I effectively invite consideration of societal constraints on women, encouraging contemplation on the potential for empowerment and

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