The Awakening Background on Chopin Romantic Movement Realism Naturalism Major themes symbolsim

Kate Chopin Born Catherine O’Flaherty on Feb. 8, yrs of age, sent to Catholic boarding school in St. Louis Lost father to train accident, sent home to mother, grandmother and great- grandmother Returned to Sacred Heart after two years, studied French and English

More Kate Chopin Always surrounded by intelligent and independent women Lacked male role models = rarely witness to traditional female submission and male domination of the 19 th century marriages Consistent themes of female freedom and sexual awareness

Kate’s Marriage and Motherhood Married Oscar Chopin in 1870, son of prominent creole family Bore 6 children in first ten years of marriage Good wife and mother but oftentimes, restless: escaped to smoke cigarettes and talk long walks through New Orleans Took strong, often controversial positions on political issues Supported by Oscar Became subject of much gossip for her nontraditional habits 1882 – Oscar dies and Kate continues to live independently 1883, returns to Missouri and her mother, who dies shortly after her return 1889 – begins writing fiction 1899 – publishes The Awakening

The Awakening Marked the end of Chopin’s writing career Public shocked by the sympathetic view toward the actions and emotions of the sexually aware and independent female protagonist Feminist movement just began to emerge in other parts, but under Louisiana law, a woman was still considered property of her husband The novel was scorned and ostracized for its open discussion of the emotional and sexual needs of women

Romantic Movement Elements in the Novel Romanticism themes included sublime, terror, and passion, three themes in The Awakening Primal power of nature and spiritual link between nature and man was subject of writing Sense of liberty, dreamy inner contemplations, exotic settings, memories of childhood, scenes of unrequited love, and exiled heroes Success from failure, immensity of America, power of man to conquer, individualism

Realism in The Awakening Stressed the real over the fantastic, and developed as a reaction of the romantic movement Writers probed the recesses of the human mind via an exploration of the emotional landscape of characters

Naturalism in The Awakening Grew out of Realism and stressed the uncaring aspect of nature and the biological destiny of man Man’s instincts dominate actions and cannot be evaded Human beings are hostage to their biologies

Themes in The Awakening Search for individuality and freedom Rebellion against society and death Humanity is captive to its biology Relationship between the sexes Fate: Edna is a victim of fate, an uncaring world, and an indifferent sea

Symbols ART: freedom and failure BIRDS: ability to communicate, entrapment of women, flight for freedom CLOTHES: shedding of societal rules, growing awakening of self FOOD: the Last Supper Houses: cages for Edna, supposed freedom LEARNING TO SWIM: empowerment THE MOON: sexual goddess, strength OCEAN: freedom and escape PIANO PLAYING: placement in society SLEEP: moments of awakening, means of escape