The Awakening
One doesn't have to look beyond the first line on the first page ofKate Chopin's The Awakening to understand that art, music, beauty andpoetry are about to come up hard against traditional values which are sofirmly planted that nothing can move them. But it is because of this veryobvious crash of values that Edna Pontellier finds herself, and setsherself free from the mundane in the end, and in a highly symbolic and In the opening scene, Mr. Pontellier is annoyed by a bright andattractive parrot that says, over and over, "Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Simply, the bird opens the book by telling anyone listening to "moveon." The one who apparently moves on is Mr. Pontellier, so he can continuereading his paper, a mundane and traditional activity. Indeed, that noiseand all the other noises in the resort area where he has taken his familybother him. Clearly, Mr. Pontellier is moved only to anger by what a morepoetic character would see as charming, exotic, and free. But theinstructions of the bird, which Pontellier avoids, might also be taken as Edna does move on-by bumping into tradition embodied i
Her soul has been pushed far from shore. Edna flits back and forth between those two worlds like abird. Coupled with the description of her plump body, flaming hair and redcherry lips, it is clear that Madame Ratignolle will move Edna to herescape not by being a role model, but by being the very 'high art'opposite, a totally traditional woman against whom Edna can measure herawakening sensibilities. Butit might as easily refer to the emotional and artistic beauty ofMademoiselle Reisz. " It is clear from the start that music, art, poetry. Edna's hands are strong, whereas Chopin's description of MadameRatignolle's hands, makes clear the difference between them. Chopin writes: Never were hands more exquisite than hers, and it was a joy to look at them when she threaded her needle or adjusted her gold thimble to her taper middle finger as she sewed away on the little night-drawers or fashioned a bodice or a bib. Madame Ratignolle is a traditionally lovely Victorian lady withoutmuch in the way of sensibility. Edna was more comfortable in the milieu of the Ratignolles;she understood it. Indeed, shesimply goes on with her day. The differences between the ways of life of the two women are equallydisconcerting. Mademoiselle Reisz is, in fact, not physically attractive, and she also hasodd ideas about adornment, ideas that are at once artistic and expressiveof the disdain in which she holds the trappings of civilized society. In the large and pleasant salon which extended across the width of the house, the Ratignolles entertained their friends once a fortnight with a soiree musicale, sometimes diversified by card-playing.
Common topics in this essay:
Mademoiselle Reisz,
Madame Ratignolle,
Edna Pontellier,
Madame Reisz,
Edna French,
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That's Simply,
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chopin writes,
edna's hands,
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madame ratignolle's hands,
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physical beauty madame,
ratignolle's hands,
beauty madame ratignolle,
ratignolle mademoiselle reisz,
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Acceptance Essays
