About The Awakening – by Kate chopin

1. About The Awakening – by Kate chopin AMERICAN Literature

2. About the Novel • Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a frank look at a woman's life at the turn of the 19th century. • Published in 1899, Chopin's novella shocked critics and audiences alike, who showed little sympathy for the author or her central protagonist, Edna Pontellier.

3. Main characters • 1. Edna Pontellier– bored housewife who feels oppressed by her role as wife and mother. • 2. LeoncePontellier– Edna’s husband. He is a wealthy businessman ad gentleman. • 3. Robert Lebrun – Edna’s 26 year old close friend. He is known for his flirtatious ways. • 4. Adele Ratignolle– Edna’s close friend and super mom. • 5. Mademoiselle Reisz–Edna’s close friend. People think she is rude. She is also unmarried and an amazing pianist. • 6. Alcee Arobin– is a known womanizer who is used to having his affairs with women go according to plan.

4. The Setting- 1890’s Louisiana • Settings to Note: •  The beach and Grand Isle •  Home on Esplanade Street in New Orleans •  The Pigeon house •  Mademoiselle Reisz’shome •  Madame Antoine’s •  The Jockey Club •  Catiche’s (the café) •  Ratignolle’s home

5. Events to take note of • Any dinners/parties •  Swimming •  The church service •  The races •  Ratignolle giving birth • Think about how the setting of the novel is described, both the physical and social setting. There are several important social events that you need to analyze as you read

6. Motifs • A Motifis an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work. • In a literary work, a motif can be seen as an image, sound, action that has a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme. • Motifs: •  Birds •  Clothing •  Water •  Art •  Fairy tales  Food  Sleep

7. Symbols and motifs • Symbols are images, ideas, sounds or words that represent something else and help to understand an idea or a thing. • Motifs, on the other hand, are images, ideas, sounds or words that help to explain the central idea of a literary work i.e. theme

8. Female characters • Think about and note evidence in the text that relates to the following: • a. Female roles for women • b. Friendships/Confidantes • c. Relationship/role in Edna’s awakening

9. Female Characters to watch • Aside from Edna Pontellier… • Madame Ratignolle •  Mademoiselle Reisz •  Mariequita •  "lady in black" •  Madame Lebrun •  Quadroon Nurse

10. Male characters • Think about and note evidence in the text that relates to the following: • a. How they treat Edna and make her feel • b. Their expectations of Edna- what do they seek from her? Why? • c. Relationship/role in Edna’s awakening

11. Male Characters to watch • LeóncePontellier (Edna's husband) •  Robert Lebrun •  The Colonel (Edna’s father) •  AlcéeArobin •  Dr. Mandelet

12. Things to Think About as you read… • This novel asks us to consider the change that occurs within Edna Pontellier- The physical and social setting, as well as the cast of male and female characters all play into that change and how the reader perceives that change. It also asks us to consider the ending in the context of these elements.

14. Vocab list • 1. quadroon– a person who has one African- American grandparent • 2. Creole – a person descended from the original French settlers of Louisiana • 3. patois – a French dialect