I'd heard of The Awakening before, and when I saw it somewhere for $.50, I went ahead and got it. It was a rather quick read for me, compared to what I had read before it - Heart of Darkness, but engrossing.
The novel seems depressing because it ends with what most argue is suicide. I was not, however, left with a feeling of depression. Though I wholeheartedly disagree with suicide, I found that I can sympathize with her decision. The reason I say this is because of how the novel unfolds. Edna continually feels hopeless.
I recently read Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman. He talks of learned helplessness. It leads to depression that is pervasive and permanent. It cripples an individual. Edna is in a state of learned helplessness. Though in her case she was a product of her society and time. Her husband essentially owned her.
Throughout the novel Edna tries to lift herself out of this situation. She makes many decisions that I wouldn't myself, but I can see how she reasons she is in control of her life. I think that the major conflict for her is finding a balance within herself where she feels like she is in control of her life. She moves out, she has an affair, and she is turned down by the man, Robert, who she wants more than any other. All these actions are made with an attempt to gain control of her life, but she actually is losing control. I believe that it's this conflict that drives her to swim out too far. In this ultimate last choice, she is still trying to gain control. She decides that she take control in that small way.
The CDC lists some reasons a person might choose suicide. Edna has, arguably, five of the things on the list. She feels hopeless (has no control), impulsiveness (gained and displayed by her moving out) feels isolated, depression, and she loses her relationship with Robert.
Though Edna's journey throughout the novel seems to be a downward spiral, it seemed to me that she felt liberated and at peace at the end.
I recommend the novel and any thoughts you might have about it.
(Am I doing this the way you imagined Kerri?)
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I've always wanted to read Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" but have never gotten around to it (like so many other books). I remember hearing somewhere that the book was controversial for it's time, but it seems like it wouldn't be today. I have read "The Story of an Hour" by Chopin. It literally takes place in an hour, and is also about a woman in a trapped relationship. I guess Chopin likes to write about women in bad relationships.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to read that story. And yes, she's called a proto-feminist, the first feminist, etc. She was concerned with a woman's place in society.
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