Literature Analysis # 1 - The Awakening

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
The whole story is based around Edna and her family who are staying in Grand Isle. Edna is followed by a guy named Robert and visits her friend Adèle often due to her husband being gone with business. Usually after some of the visits with Adèle, Edna realizes she doesn't want to follow her husbands every whim like her friend, and she undergoes these "Awakenings." These awakenings brings forth emotions that she never would have shown, such as her "PASSION" or her defiance. The sweet and light love between Robert and Edna starts becoming noticeable in Edna. She vents her feelings of longing for Robert by committing adultery with Alcee. All for the ending of the book have her swallowed up by the sea.

The narrative fulfills the authors purpose since on the first note page, Kate Chopin was also exposed to the Creole culture, having six kids. I believe this gave her a reason to write the novel and expose the life of a woman during this time influenced with this culture.

Exposition- Chopin describes the everyday life of the Main characters, "Sunday papers had not reached Grand Isle." Lets reader know the setting, and  the appearance of  Mr.  Pontellier.

Inciting Incident- The expectation of Edna to be like every other Creole woman, have a duty should be toward her children, and be a "mother-woman." Early on in chapter 4 Mr. Pontellier expresses his unhappiness with Edna, ".. his wife failed in her duty toward their children." Which I believe lead her feeling oppressed with those expectations always there.

Conflict- Edna expected to be the perfect Creole woman, faithful, loyal, and a care taker of the kids, while she preformed duties and helped boost her husbands reputation, while she wanted to be independent and do as she pleased without being someone's property. Being seen as property vs. being seen as an equal.

Climax- For me personally, since I was told the book was about adultery, I was waiting for it to occur throughout the entire book, so the climax was when Edna committed adultery with Alcee.
But the actual climax I would say it was when Robert confessed he left to Mexico to try to escape his love for Edna, since the whole storyline built up how she loved him, but couldn't leave behind her husband and kids.

Falling Action- Shortly after Robert leaves a note, Edna goes off to the water and lets her self be consumed by it; Committing suicide.


2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
It  follows the theme of rebellious or adultery in general. Throughout the novel Edna is constantly with Adèle, while shortly after she obtains these revelations how she wants to be free or revelations that she is drifting away from Leonce, which explains for her behavior to defy Leonce and move out or ignore the Tuesday gatherings. But after these "awakenings" she's thinking of Robert or her personal desires in the erotic sense, which bothered be considering she was married with children.

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
Objective- The author shows the thoughts of all the characters and shoes the good and the bad of both, Mr. Pontellier  is basically a workaholic while his wife is an adultery. We get to see the opinions of everyone such as "It would have been a difficult matter for Mr. Pontellier to define to his own satisafation or any one else's wherein his wife failed in her duty toward their children"-dramatic
( at the scenes where Edna undergoes her awakenings. )
"She did shout for joy... A feeling overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before."
In contrast to the serious tone she takes on throughout the majority of the novel, she makes this huge build up to the swim, if you didn't know it was about a swim that turns into an awakening, one would assume some GREAT ordeal is going on, but only her acting differently toward her husband comes out of this particular awakening



4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.) 

Dover Thrift Edition.

Imagery-  Describes the lifestyle of the Pontelliers and the surrounding area in the Grand Isle. "Two young girls, the Farival twins, were playing a duet from Zampa upon the piano. Madame Lebrun was bustling in and out, giving orders in a high key to a yard-boy whenever she got into the house." pg 2

Figurative language, comparing his wife to property instead of an equal. "looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage."  pg 2

Foil, the characters Edna and Adele act as a foil, one who does everything her husband wishes in spite of the fact he is considered a brute while Edna wants to be an equal. "his wife failed in her duty toward their children" while shortly after the wife's failure, the novel presents Adele ".. every womanly grace and charm. If her husband did not adore her, he was a brute, deserving of death by slow torture... Nothing subtle or hidden about her charms;" pg. 7-8

Simile, to demonstrate how women who submissively follow their husband and pay interest to their kids they are like angels. "They were women who idolized their children,worshiped their husband, and esteemed it a holy previlage to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels." pg. 8

Foreshadowing- After Robert making flirtatious remarks, Adele tells Robert to leave her be since Edna might fall for him basically, then you can assume it happens. "Let Mrs. Pontellier alone." "Why" he asked; "She is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously." pg. 19

Symbolism- The sea made Edna into a woman who finally receives control of herself, and she wanted to do what no other woman has done (equality between man and woman). The quote from the book demonstrates how the sea represents strength and force. "A feeling overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before." pg. 27

Epiphany- Final realization of the main character, while nearly everyone knew but she was unsure herself. " Are you in love with Robert? "Yes" said Edna, it was the first time she had admitted it and a glow overspread her face, blotching with red spots. pg.  81

Dialects- To remind the reader throughout the novel about the French Creole custom and contrast it to the English.  "Bonne Ménagère" pg. 57 "bon ami" pg. 66  "Ah! si tu savais Ce que tes yuex me disent" pg. 90 " Allez vous-en! Sapristi!"  pg. 1

Personification-  Kate Chopin makes the sea sound alive as if it reached out and grabbed Edna, so it really sets the scene for Edna's suicide. "The water of the Gulf stretched out before her, gleaming with the millions of lights with the sun. The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing... the touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace."  pg.  115