Reaction to Cynthia Griffin Wolffś Critical Essay The critical essay Un-Utterable Longing: The Discourse of Feminine Sexuality in Kate Chopinś The Awakening by Cynthia Griffin Wolff explores the role of sexuality in Kate Chopinś controversial novel The Awakening. After reading the novel, I would rate Wolffś analysis ¨very convincing¨ based on the use of historical context and different perspectives to describe the overall meaning of the novel. Griffin used different techniques to write a convincing paper such as historical context. Using historical context to describe the society in which Chopin lived in when she wrote The Awakening adds a deeper meaning to the main characterś, Edna Pontellier, newfound independence. According to Griffin,…show more content… By addressing that “Mademoiselle Reisz and Alcee Arobin both hold out possibility that Edna might resolve her dilemma by usurping the prerogatives of me. Yet each offers a solution that would constrain Edna to relinquish some significant and valued portion of herself. (Griffin 390)¨, she makes the argument that people noticed that Edna was different from other women in society who followed the Puritan traditions. Adele, the model of a nineteenth century Creole woman, described Edna as ¨not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the Unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously.(Chopin 35)". Adele, like the other woman in their society, judges Edna for her lack of maternal instincts. Edna does not believe that her children are her whole life like Adele who is overbearing to her children. Griffen states ¨Thus Ednaś rejection of this emotional mutilation lies behind the many tortured examination of her relationship to the children and informs.. Renouncing what she can clearly recognize as an unacceptable violation of her emotional integrity is Ednaś most confident step toward freedom.(Griffin 385). Edna´s attitude that she" would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself.(Chopin 69)” is the complete opposite of the expected attitude of women of her caliber during her time. Griffin brilliant use of historical
