Edna Pontellier Identity

Flannery O’Connor’s work opens up wide doors and gives direct access to the true heart of the story through the characters and their actions or gestures. Traces of these actions are visible in the book The Awakening by Kate Chopin. The main character, Edna Pontellier, searches for her identity through a series of awakenings. At the same time she tries to open up to her role beyond “mother-woman” and her position in the society. Chopin reveals information about the nature of gender relationships in the Creole society in order to understand Edna’s actions.
Readers have to look at characters and their actions in order to reach the true heart of the story. Throughout the novel Edna Pontellier is searching for her identity through different actions

They had to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father to the protection of her husband. Edna does not fit into this role. She neglects her children throughout the novel. She sees them as a barrier to her freedom. She tries to keep her distance from them. She feels relief when they are away and not bothering her. In a conversation with Adele Ratignolle, Edna declares: “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself. I can’t make it more clear; it’s only something which I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me" (Chopin117). Edna is unwilling to sacrifice herself for her children, although she would give her life for them. She finds it difficult to express how she feels about this. Edna is not satisfied with devoting her life to her husband and children, she wants more, she needs to be her own person. She wants to be Edna, a woman, instead of a mother, or a wife. Towards the end, Edna is seen at an increasing distance from her children. Edna totally avoids the obligation she has towards her children for her own selfish reasons. They became her enemies and she was afraid that they will pull her into the soul’s slavery. This particular fear causes Edna to walk into the

Chopin draw the world, Creole society, where women seen as a possession of husband and as a business asset. In order to understand Edna it is important to comprehend society in which she lived. Once married, women are transformed into property and have the legal status of a slave. In this society a woman has little hope, other than to pray that the man she marries is kind to her. Chopin, through her literary work, tries to show her readers how Creole men acted toward women. She presents a male dominating culture where women faced many issues. Creole culture puts emphasis on responsibility and duty. Women assigned to the duties of maintaining the household, caring for their husband's every need, and taking care of children while the male figure worked and brought home the money. Society considered women to be better employed in the house rather than out in society. Women during the Chopin’s era were not able to disobey their husbands because society thought of it as wrong. They did not have as many opportunities as men had. Men were seen as dominant figures and the women lived under their roofs, and followed their