The Awakening an Analysis of Edna Pontellier

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Edna’s Awakenings: An Analysis of Edna Pontellier’s Evolution within The Awakening In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening our main character Edna Pontellier is new to her Creole home of Louisiana. Growing up in Kentucky, Edna Pontellier finds her surroundings not only new but a cause of a struggle to fit in with the Creole culture. Edna finds herself married to Leonce Pontellier who is a Catholic and a Creole as well a man that holds true to time and place in the roles of a man and a woman. Edna’s evolution begins in a summer at Grand Isle at a resort on the Louisiana coast. Edna Pontellier finds herself on vacation with her children and husband on the coast of Louisiana. Edna is trying to fit in with Creole society and is hopeful that this time away and mingling with society can help her find herself and her place among her Creole counterparts. Our story tells us that Edna has married Leonce Pontellier as a man that will worship her. She has felt deep feelings for a man before, but he did not know how she felt. Her marriage with Leonce Pontellier is one of convenience and well-being for herself and for the children she bore. We learn in the story that Leonce Pontellier is very firm with Edna. He likes things done a certain way and voices his criticism toward Edna if there is any variance from his standards. Leonce wants his wife to be the everyday housewife and she should live to serve her husband and her children. We begin to see in the novel that Leonce’s ideas and beliefs of what Edna should be begins to push her away and she begins to seek companionship elsewhere. Edna finds companionship on the shores of Grand Isle with Robert Lebrun. They become inseparable as Robert follows Edna around like a lovesick puppy. One of Edna’s awakenings occurs as she begins to realize that she is in love with Robert. Robert shows her the attention,

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