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This book is about an existential crisis for the main p.o.v. character. Readers need to keep in mind that Chopin wrote The Awakening before women had the right to vote. Lack of enfranchisement is not simply a political handicap, immediately remedied by gaining that right, but a reflection of the status of women in Chopin's time. Women appeared to (generally) have two levels of status, either poor and worked nearly to death, or infantilized, which Chopin portrays in the sensual treatment of Edna,
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I wasn't so impressed that this is an awakening. To me, this is the age old story of girl marries, decides she's bored with it all, falls in love with someone she shouldn't be even considering and then destroying self and family. I don't see it as a feminist work either. A book about a woman being a victim of her emotion and then committing suicide, leaving her children without a mother, is not my idea of feminism. The only person in this book that was truly awakened was the old lady, Mademoisel
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The Awakening by Kate Chopin
4 Stars
115 Pages
The daughter of a wealthy Kentucky farmer and wife of a wealthy New Orleans businessman, Edna Pontellier has an easy life, one that would bring most women nothing but happiness. And at first, Edna is quite content with her life. She sees nothing wrong with her husband treating her as nothing more than another of his prized possessions, and is happy, if a little bored. They spend their summers on Grand Isle in the company of other members of New Orleans ...more
4 Stars
115 Pages
The daughter of a wealthy Kentucky farmer and wife of a wealthy New Orleans businessman, Edna Pontellier has an easy life, one that would bring most women nothing but happiness. And at first, Edna is quite content with her life. She sees nothing wrong with her husband treating her as nothing more than another of his prized possessions, and is happy, if a little bored. They spend their summers on Grand Isle in the company of other members of New Orleans ...more

May 01, 2014
Ashley Husemoller
rated it
liked it
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review of another edition
Shelves:
1001-before-dying,
rory-gilmore-challenge
This book was better than I was expecting. You have a woman who feels trapped, who feels less than. Add to that the societal obligations of the late 19th century. Who are you when you don't belong to yourself? 24/1,001
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Fantastic book about women and their limited choices


Jul 13, 2009
Diane
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
Shelves:
1001-done,
feminism,
1001,
classics,
19th-century,
radcliffe-100,
rory-gilmore,
1000-books,
western-canon,
500-women



Feb 14, 2011
Ned Hayes
added it

Apr 18, 2012
Andre Mitchell
marked it as to-read

Dec 30, 2012
Cora
added it
Shelves:
lost-in-fire,
classic,
america,
social-commentary,
1001-books,
19th-century,
american-south,
relationships,
marriage,
feminism

Jan 06, 2014
Kris
marked it as to-read


Aug 12, 2015
Mindy aka serenity
marked it as to-read
