...In literature, we often see a character sacrifice or forfeit something significant to them because of their beliefs. The Awakening showcases the character of Robert Lebrun; a young man who sacrifices his love for a woman named Edna. Robert’s sacrifice of Edna’s love because she doesn’t fit his domestic expectations supports the meaning of the novel as a whole, which is the struggle of an individual against societal and domestic expectations. Towards the beginning of the novel, we see that Robert starts to develop feelings for Edna during their stay at Grand Isle. These feelings, however, as it is later revealed by Ms. Reiz, scare Robert because he has never felt anything like them before. Because of this fear, he ‘flees’ to Mexico, while...
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...In the Awakening, we see the change of a woman, and in the process from her start to her downfall, we see sacrifices made , in which her values are revealed. As the novel progresses, the main character- Edna Pontellier seems to alter her values as she sacrifices the things she once valued the most for her own satisfaction. At the start of the novel, Edna is portrayed as a modest, moralistic housewife, who values her children above all, and she strongly values her image. Edna Pontellier valued others’ perception of her. Edna was a very affluent housewife, who maintained an image of the ideal housewife in the eyes of society. Edna cared for her children while her husband was away, and made her marriage out to be perfect when in the presence of others, despite its struggle behind closed doors....
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...The Awakening Close Reading Discussion Questions Always reference page numbers as part of evidence for responses. Always add new vocabulary to your notes to expand your diction. Chapters 1 through 5 • What observations can be made from the cover? What might be meant by “The Awakening”? • What does the introductory paragraph/page introduce? Why? • Are there any symbols? • Character descriptions (What kind of husband/father is Mr. Pontellier? Mother/wife is Mrs. Pontellier? How is Mrs. Ratignolle described? Robert Lebrun?) • What is the setting (time and place)? How does it factor into the interactions of the characters? • Page 18, why is Edna crying. Find the best word from the text to describe what she is feeling? • Chapter 5, paragraph 4, how is Adele Ratignolle described? To what is this allusion referencing? • What is a Creole? Chapters 6 through 10 • How does the Chapter 6 relate to the title? • What is the significance of the sea? • What is chapter 6 saying about Edna’s emotional state? • Why does the author spend time referencing Edna’s childhood? • Lady in black and the lover imagery is referenced in the same paragraph, multiple times in these chapters, why? • What is the significance of Adele and Robert’s conversation on the way back from the beach? • Alcee Arobin is introduced as a character. Why? How does he contribute to the story? • Where is Vera Cruz? What is its significance...
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...“The years that are gone seem like dreams—if one might go on sleeping and dreaming—but to wake up and find—oh! well! Perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one’s life.” Even though Edna’s awakening leads her to suffer from the wisdom and self-awareness it affords her, the year of joy and understanding that accompanies this suffering is worth more to Edna than a lifetime of the semi-conscious submission that defined her former existence. According to Edna, to live with self-awareness, possessed and controlled only by one’s own soul, offers an existence far richer than a life lived according to the restricting “illusions” that are imposed by the expectations of others. Edna Pontellier is a respectable woman of the late 1800s who not only acknowledges her sexual desires, but also has the strength and courage to act on them. Breaking through the role appointed to her by society, she discovers her own identity independent of her husband and children. Many of Kate Chopin’s other stories feature passionate, unconventional female protagonists, but none presents a heroine as openly rebellious as Edna. The details and specifics of Edna’s character are key to understanding the novel and its impact on generations of readers. At the beginning of the novel, Edna exists in a sort of semi-conscious state. She is comfortable in her marriage to Léonce and unaware of her own feelings and ambitions. Edna has always been a romantic...
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...Edna didn’t listen to anyone who gave her orders or tried to stop her. Many individuals believe that she could have taken the advice from Adèle since she was getting out of hand. Not worrying about what others think is a great thing which Edna possessed, however when any advice is being offered and be so closed minded is a terrible thing. Farther into her awakening, more people began to be uneasy with Edna, especially Léonce who was afraid of everyone knowing what Edna had done with Alcee because it affected his reputation in the community he lives in. He tried communicating with her, although she refused because she didn’t want to live or remember that prison like life. When Robert came back from his trip to Mexico, Edna thought deeply into what Robert was doing to her and realized that Robert wasn't what Edna thought he’d be, he turned out he was just like every other man she despised...
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...me, it doesn’t matter about Léonce Pontellier- but Raoul and “Étienne! She understood now clearly what she had meant long ago when she said to Adéle Ratignolle that she would give up the unessential, but she would never sacrifice herself for her children” (188). In killing herself, Edna has chosen to give up her life for her children. She knows she cannot properly fill the role of a mother for them and knows her decision to have an affair could destroy her husband’s reputation and her children’s lives, “She thought of Léonce and the children. They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul” (190). She recognizes this as she is about to kill herself, however, she would not give up her true self, not even for her children. At this point in the novel, Edna has grown so much and has completely shattered the role of a woman in her time period. At this time, women were expected to sacrifice everything for their children, yet Edna completely does not identify herself as a mother, and she cannot do this. She does, however, have love and compassion for them, and has the intention to make a decision in their favor. The night before she drowns herself, Edna returns home after visiting Adele in attempt to find Robert again. She is reminded again of Adele’s words, “’Think of the children; think of them.’ She meant to think of them; that determination had driven into her soul like a death wound-- but not tonight. Tomorrow would be time...
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...The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin A PENN STATE ELECTRONIC CLASSICS SERIES PUBLICATION The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin is a publication of the Pennsylvania State University. This Portable Document File is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. Neither the Pennsylvania State University nor Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, nor anyone associated with the Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the document or for the file as an electronic transmission, in any way. The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin, the Pennsylvania State University, Electronic Classics Series, Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, Hazleton, PA 182021291 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing student publication project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them. Cover Design: Jim Manis Copyright © 2008 The Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university. Kate Chopin (born Katherine O'Flaherty on February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904) was an American author of short stories and novels, mostly of a Louisiana Creole background. She is now considered to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century. —Courtesy Wikipedia.org Contents ...
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...Concept of liberty and femininity in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Awakening I decided to examine the concept of femininity and liberty in a short story “The Yellow Wall-paper” from the American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman and in the book “The Awakening” from Kate Chopin. I chose these two books in order to demonstrate how society in the nineteenth century treated woman and how those woman were trying to escape from this concept. Femininity refers to set of behaviours and roles which are appropriate for women and judged by certain culture. In the nineteenth century were women expected to stay at home and wait for their husbands´ return each evening. Women should have these four attributes: piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity. (Rula Quawas,2006) Women who had these attributes were considered happy and satisfied. It was also believed that there is a sharp line between home, the woman sanctuary, and the economic world because it is a hard world only for men. The Yellow Wallpaper The story begun with moving of the main hero and her husband to the colonial mansion. Her husband´s name is John and he is a high standing physician. They moved for a while because she had to undergo a rest-cure. This method of treatment of the main hero of The Yellow Wallpaper is Dr. Mitchell´s rest-cure for women which included no intellectual stimulation and no writing. Her brother is a physician as well and agrees with her husband, but she doesn’t think that the way they cure her is...
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...| Transformational Leadership: Characteristics and Criticisms Iain Hay School of Geography, Population and Environmental ManagementFlinders University A prime function of a leader is to keep hope alive. (John W. Gardner)Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means. (Albert Einstein) Collectively, these three short quotations capture some of the key characteristics of transformational leadership, a form of leadership argued by some (Simic, 1998) to match the Zeitgeist of the post-World War II era. Academic debate about the nature and effectiveness of transformational leadership has developed since key work on the topic emerged in the 1970s. This short paper sets out to provide summary answers to three main questions about transformational leadership. What is it? How is it applied? What are some of its key weaknesses? In the course of the discussion, the following pages also provide a brief background to the origins of transformational leadership theory and point quickly to a possible theoretical future for a transformed transformational leadership. Transformational Leadership TheoryAccording to Cox (2001), there are two basic categories of leadership: transactional and transformational. The distinction between transactional and transformational leadership was first made by Downton (1973, as cited in Barnett, McCormick & Conners, 2001) but the idea...
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