...Sacrifice Essay In the Awakening Edna makes many sacrifices and she forfeits much of herself to fit a role that she doesn’t want. Edna begins to lose much of herself in the process of trying to be the perfect wife and mother. Edna is expected to abide by certain expectations which is slowly making her unhappy. She no longer wants to continue with this cycle. During this time period, women have a certain etiquette which they are expected to follow. Edna’s actions went against some of those expectations and created problems within her life. Women are expected to get married, have children, and be the perfect wives. he is not happy with her marriage to Leonce. Edna abides by these expectations not because she wants to but because she is...
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...In Kate Chopin’s, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is used to highlight the oppressive, sexist roles imposed on women in 19th century Louisiana. Wife and mother of two, she is expected to be a perfect “mother-woman” like the creole women her family is surrounded by in Grand Isle. She is not prepared to sacrifice every fiber of her being for her husband, children, and home. Edna continually sacrifices her desires in order to keep the perfect Victorian household, so common in french creole communities. As time goes on, Edna no longer can conform to society’s norms, preferring to committing suicide rather than endure the burden of her time. At the beginning of the novel, we see that Edna has given up on her teenage desires, settled down with Mr. Pontellier, and had two children, reluctantly accepting her role in society. Edna gave into the...
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...Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a novel that demonstrates the struggle to find a balance between freedom and commitment. The leading man in the story, Robert Lebrun is viewed as a character who has sacrificed a considerable amount for the betterment of himself and others. His sacrifices demonstrate how truly important maintaining his values of family life, love, and commitment are to him. After falling in love with the married Edna Pontellier, he distances himself from her and is forced to make a difficult decision. The meaning of the work as a whole is divulged through Robert’s sacrifice of his possible life and happiness with Edna to uphold his values as a battle to find harmony between freedom and family life. Throughout The Awakening,...
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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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...The Awakening is the story of Edna Pontellier discovering more about herself, and her increasing desire to achieve the ultimate freedom. Kate Chopin uses Edna to illustrate the problems concerning marriage. Chopin’s novel contrasts The Bible’s perspective of how a marriage should appear, yet also compares in the case of the Ratignolle’s marriage. The Ratignolle’s were a family who befriend the Pontellier’s and become foils of one another. When comparing The Bible to the marriages within The Awakening there are several stark contrasts concerning submission, separation, and love; however, there are some comparisons as well. Marriage is mutual respect and submission between two people. In the biblical perspective of marriage, both the husband and wife must “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (The Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:21). Submission does not mean one party has control of the other. Submission, in a biblical perspective, expresses a mutually beneficial relationship that is dependent on the cooperation of both the man and woman. In The Awakening, Leonce and Edna Pontellier’s marriage lacks mutual submission. Leonce...
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...William Truman March 5th 2014 Timeline Part I Major Event/Epoch in American History | Time Period/Date(s) | Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History | 1) Describe three different American Indian cultures prior to colonization. | 1421-15211492-1504 1541- 1937 | Aztec Indians: They were located in central Mexico and they spoke Nahuati language. In 1520-1521 Small pox hit, between 10% and 5o% of population was affected. The government was a system of tribute. They believed in human sacrifice. Eastern woodland cultures were along the Atlantic coast mostly during the summer time. During winter they were forced to diverse because of how many people to be fed and the weather. They were mostly small villages during the summer time. The English settlers were most likely to encounter the Algonquian-Speaking Indians. They were the Plains Indian and they were located where Kanas, Oklahoma, and Texas. They had villages up to 20 houses. For their government they had council circles but it is unclear what they actually did. | 2) The effects of British colonization on the Native Americans. | 1492-1810 | There were many affects from the British colonization on native Americans. They were forced to be slaves if they did not die from diseases, because not having freedom they decided to kill them self or if it was a women were pregnant they had abortions. | 3) The evolution of the socio-political milieu during the colonial period, including...
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...Social acceptance or freedom, love or lust, these conflicts arise in The Awakening by Kate Chopin as Edna Pontellier struggles with her internal conflicts. In a time where women are expected to be subordinates, Edna begins to defy the standards and her oppressive husband. The first set of foils include Robert and Alcee, or love and lust respectively. In addition, compliance and individualism are exemplified by two polar characters: Adèle Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz. These women act as foils and provide references to the reader in understanding Edna’s awakening. On one hand, Adèle epitomizes the ideal woman of the nineteenth century, but Reisz represents the feminist movement; Robert and Alcee also develop as foils that impact Edna. Which...
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...Rites of Passage 02/18/10 The Awakening The Role of Art in Edna’s Life Throughout The Awakening by Kate Chopin, art becomes a symbol of freedom for Edna. Even though Edna uses art as an escape from her husband, Léonce Pontellier, it also symbolizes failure. Edna believes that if she becomes an artist she will achieve the independence that she desires. She learns about the power that art can have on someone from Mademoiselle Reisz. Mademoiselle Reisz views art as a test of individuality. Edna is unable to pass the test because she incapable of defending her individuality against society and social rules. As Edna makes progress in her paintings and illustrations, she also grows as an individual. Music also becomes a symbol of freedom for Edna. Through the arts, Edna is able to create an independence from her husband. In The Awakening, Edna sees the role that music plays in women’s lives through Mademoiselle Reisz and Adèle Ratignolle. Having two different women that play music, allows Edna to see two paths that she can take to achieve her art and independence. Edna’s friend, Adèle Ratignolle, plays the piano to keep her husband and children happy. Edna enjoys when Adèle Ratignolle plays the piano, but she prefers listening to Mademoiselle Reisz because she thinks Reisz pieces are powerful. When she listens to Mademoiselle Reisz, she discovers unexplored emotional territories. Chopin writes “The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen...
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...Suicide is most commonly viewed as the act of giving up completely or self-destructing, probably for good reason. This decision usually leaves behind broken families and friends with no closure or explanation. This topic is touched on in literature with various opinions. One such is Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening,” where Edna Pontellier, the novel’s protagonist, brings about her own end through her eventual suicide. In her case, the significance of her suicide is ambiguous, and although published over one hundred years ago, still creates a myriad of interpretations. The most accurate of these, however, is that Edna’s suicide demonstrates her growth over the course of the novel because it was Edna’s only viable solution for herself and the protection of her husband and children, and...
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...She continued to be an artist and express herself as Mademoiselle Reisz does. Since her “awakening” it began to isolate her from other more and more, it also led her to a state of solitude. Her awakening also led her to good elements at first, yet she doesn't genuinely know what she wanted to do throughout her awakening. Every time something happened, she went along with it even though she had no intention of it happening, such as with Alcee Arobin where she had sexual relations with him with little known about him. Edna had no idea what was going to happen so she did whatever kept her satisfied. Over time her friends began to go against her once they found out what she did with Alcee which was not a good individual to Edna. Her friend Adèle Ratignolle began to convince her back to her normal way of living, since she thought Edna was getting out of hand, such as cheating with another man and leaving her children behind. 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...
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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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... there are at least five recorded instances where Jesus restores sight to the blind (Matt. 9:27-31; Matt. 12:22-23; Matt. 20:29-34; Mark 8:22-26; John 9:1-12). The idea of giving the blind sight is symbolic of the spiritual awakening one may go through, understanding who Jesus is. Some people who become Christians later in life use this metaphor to describe life before and after believing. Of course these miracles were performed before the people were fully aware of the...
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...Underneath it All Yakini Kemp and Kate Chopin use similar motifs to depict their characters. Covering of the body and art are pieces used to reflect the characters of each piece. Both women deceive their husbands in a fashion by using a “cover up”. Covering in both stories ranges from a piece of cloth to the crown of hair on ones head. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier goes through stages of shedding her body covering. In the beginning of the novel Edna is fully clothed. As the novel progresses she slowly alters her attire. In one instance Mrs. Pontellier went from wearing glamorous “reception gowns” on Tuesdays, her “reception day”, to wearing an “ordinary house dress”. This showed the beginning of her distancing herself from society. On another occasion the actor noticed that she had “transformed” and reminded him of a “sleek animal waking up”. At the end of the novel the shedding of her clothing shows Edna shedding the societal views in her life and her attachment to the world. “She stood naked in the open air for the first time”. To Edna the release of her clothing was an awakening, she felt like a “new born”. When Edna commits suicide she is finally naked, she has shed everything she has in her quest for selfhood. Women in Edna’s community was very cautious of their complexion “twined gauze veil about her head, dogskin gloves, with gauntlets that protected the wrists and a dressed in pure white dresses with fluffiness of ruffles” (Chopin-...
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...to Edna soul. The observation of the artist Mademoiselle Reisz reader’s examines the aspects in several ways, being a single woman during that era, in which she lived, having a profession and as a friend. A brief description of her life one can say that she is living single during a time the expectation of men is women are to marry having spouses support. Generally speaking, the author’s interpretations of this character symbolize a time in history whenever women chase professions they expect one to be single. As a result, life for her produces a personality trait of offensiveness and having little respects for others. However, her physiques, age, being an older woman and displaying pride suggest the writer implies an artist’s path of sacrifice entitles her to act in such a manner....
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...JOSE RIZAL THE MOVIE Reaction Paper Heroes are not about persons having super powers or super strength just to save other people’s life. But it’s about how you make sacrifices and giving everything you have without any hesitation. The movie Jose Rizal is a 1998 biographical film of the Philippine National Hero directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya. This movie shows what the real meaning of “patriotism” that was being inculcated in our minds until now. It also shows how noble person Rizal is. It focuses on the condition of society and government at the time of Spanish Colonization in our country. With the use of the written novels of Rizal (Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo), the Filipinos have awaken to the abusive ways and discrimination of Spaniards towards Filipinos. It really gave the picture on how the Spaniards treat us in our own country and rule the government with their own ways. Dominican Friars symbolizes justice and should be followed. Because of that Dr. Jose Rizal started the war by awakening the hearts of his people through his malicious works that gets the attention of Spanish Government and triggers the Filipino people to fight for their own discretion. It shows that being brave is not about killing others but also using the power of mind through writing. The movie had successfully showed the characteristics of a Filipino like being brave in their own way and patriotism. And the most important for Rizal was to give his country the freedom and justice until the...
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