Individuality And Patriarchy In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, Chopin criticizes society by emphasizing society’s flaws, such as: expectations of women, society’s portrayal of individuality, and patriarchy. Kate Chopin criticizes society with cynical examples throughout the novel, in order to evince to society their flaws. Kate Chopin evinces these examples in order to society to take notice of their own flaws and “wake up” in order to become individuals and live in a life of liberty.
Within The Awakening, Kate chopin criticizes society with examples of society’s portrayal of individuality . The portrayal of individuality displays the oppression society puts in women. An example of society’s portrayal of individuality is in page 10: “In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman” …show more content…

Patriarchy evince the arrogance in men, not giving women a say in what they desire to do in their lives. An example of patriarchy is in page 79: “You are are too lenient, you are too lenient by far, leonce, authority, coercion are what is needed. Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife.” Edna’s dad tells leonce he is weak, he needs to take charge by forcing Edna to do whatever he wants. Both Edna's dad and her husband, Mr. Pontellier, are controlling of their wife, they want to be a dominant figure in their life. Chopin criticizes men by evincing their haughty characteristics, which diminishes someone’s perception of them. An example of patriarchy is in page 119: “ I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier’s possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where i chose.” and “I should laugh at you both.” Edna does not want to be a possession of any man anymore. She is tired of being someone’s “possession.” Edna wants to be an independent woman that is not having to following any expectations to live by. Edna laughs because she is tired, she thinks marriage is a joke, it only leads back to society oppressing

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