Essay On The Awakening And Children Of Light

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Courtney Worsham 6 January 2014 The Awakening vs. Children of Light Women’s role in society has changed greatly since World War II. In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, and Children of Light by Robert Stone, Edna Pontellier and Lu Anne Bourgeois are both mothers and wives who lived in different time periods. Women’s roles have changed since WWII and this paper will compare and contrast it with The Awakening and Children of Light. During World War II, 350,000 women served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Women helped manufacture ammunition, weapons, and aircraft and also worked in the fields to contribute to the war. (World War II-The Home Front) One of four married women worked outside the house between the years of 1940 and 1945. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt along with women’s groups and General George Marshall were supporters of the idea of having women serve in branches of the Army. (American Women in World War II) The Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was instituted in May of 1942 by Congress. It was later changed to the Women’s Army Corps which also had full military status. There were more than 100,000 WAC’s and 6,000 female officers by 1945. Another role women played in the war was given by the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots. (American Women in World War II) Women who obtained a pilot license prior to service became the first to fly American military aircraft. Over 1,000 WASPs served in the military and thirty-eight lost their lives during the war. The fallen WASPs were not granted military benefits or honors and it was not until 1977 that they were given full military status. (American Women in World War II) Many women worked in many different positions that were previously closed to them. ... ... middle of paper ... ...by only looking out for themselves and their own happiness instead of thinking about their family and friends. Both Edna and Lu Anne gained freedom by killing themselves. They would never be tied down as a housewife or mother and they would not have to set aside their wants and needs. Before Edna took her life she reminisced back to when Robert said “Good-by--because I love you.”(Chopin 162) She also thinks back about her father and sister and knows that no one will ever understand her reasoning. Both women are insane because they are not legally or morally responsible for their actions. Suicide is the result of two women who are mentally and physically regretful. Robert Stone and Kate Chopin made it a statement to show how the complications of Lu Anne and Edna’s life led to them losing all hope of ever becoming free, thus, resulting in them committing suicide.

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