The Awakening is often seen as one of the classic feminist novels. It was assigned to me as part of a college class, and I though I didn't enjoy it, I was able to see the greatness of the novel. The lost and confused character of Edna Pontellier is one of epic proportions. However, I think the best part of the entire novel is the language conveyed by Chopin. She constantly discusses the strength possessed in the individual. Many critics have gone on to perceive that Chopin was an extreme feminist, and that her message is only directly conveyed to women. While I do believe in the power of women, I must say that I am annoyed with that kind of statement. This ...  Read the complete review

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the Soviet Union, is often quoted with the sentence, "He who comes late is punished by life." Kate Chopin (1851 - 1904), author of The Awakening experienced after its publication: "She who comes early is punished by life." Chopin began writing when she was widowed at the age of 32 to support herself and her six children, her stories and sketches were published in magazines and were well accepted as was her first novel At Fault, she gained national recognition during the 1890s as a member of the local-colour movement focusing attention upon the distinctive regional cultures of America. She lived in ...  Read the complete review

Introduction A friend recently suggested that I read this book. I didn’t really have any idea what it was about; finding out that it was about a woman trying to ‘discover’ herself in the late nineteenth century did not make it any more appealing. I was surprised to find that the book was actually very compelling and beautifully written. Sadly, it caused such a scandal in American society for suggesting that a woman could have another life outside of her husband and children that Kate Chopin was discouraged from writing any more novels. The story Edna Pontellier, a young woman belonging to the New Orleans Creole community, is married with two young ...  Read the complete review