About the Awakening Book
This novel was written by Kate Chopin and was first published in 1899. It is a feminist literature piece set in New Orleans at the end of the 19th century, and it tells the story of Edna Pontellier, focusing on her struggles without judgment as she battles femininity and motherhood.
In this book, one can easily detect the naturalism in Kate Chopin’s style, as she takes an insightful outlook on the social structures and their psychological effects on women. This book talks about female marital infidelity, and as of 1899-1900, this subject was not as prevalent, which caused a lot of uproar against for Kate.
Book Summary
The Awakening book opens with the Pontellier family vacationing at a resort on Grand Isle in the Gulf of Mexico. The family includes the father, Leonce; the mother, Edna; and two sons, Etienne and Raoul. The resort is managed by Madame Lebrun and her two sons, Robert and Victor.
Edna starts to pay attention to Robert, who is actively trying to win her affection. When the tumultuous relationship between them starts to get serious, Robert flees to Mexico under the guise of business. Eventually, the Pontellier’s return to New Orleans, where Edna has difficulty getting over Robert.
She starts to disconnect from her family and withdraw from motherhood duties. When her husband leaves for a business meeting, he sends the children off to his mother, and Edna is left alone to her wiles. She reconnected with Robert for another stormy affair until she had to travel down to help Adele with childbirth.
Upon her return, Robert left a letter saying he was leaving her for good. Out of heartbreak, she returns to Grand Isle and drowns herself.
The Awakening Quotes
Many themes are portrayed in the Awakening book, each of which resonates with you at different emotional levels. Here are some powerful quotes on freedom, femininity, and recognizing yourself as a solitary soul to the world around you:
Edna Pontellier: “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children, but I wouldn’t give myself. I can’t make it clear; it’s only something I am beginning to comprehend, revealing itself to me.”
Mademoiselle Reisz: “Moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul.”
Leonce Pontellier: “She won’t go to the marriage. She says a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth.”
Kate Chopin: “There was something in her attitude, in her whole appearance when she leaned her head against the high-backed chair and spread her arms, which suggested the regal woman, the one who rules, who looks on, who stands alone.”
Essay Structure on The Awakening
The Awakening book is adopted in colleges and high schools because students are asked to assess just how far Edna Pontellier was willing to go to find herself. If you are given The Awakening essay to write as an assignment, you can use the structure below:
Introduction
Start by introducing your ideas to the reader with a hook. This is to capture their attention and keep them hooked on the story until they conclude. However, holding the reader’s attention requires effort.
Remember, you are submitting this essay along with several other people. The reader is probably short on time, so they will lose interest first if you don’t make it worthwhile. If your hook is strong enough, it will prompt the reader to go further.
After the hook, the reader must find context. This tells them what the essay is all about and why you chose to write it.
Body
Edna Pontellier went through a complete 360 change in behavior, and due to her behavioral complexities, there is a lot of material for the body of The Awakening Essay. That said, you first need to figure out how many words your essay will be.
This would give you an idea of how to break the paragraphs into sections. A standard essay consists of three body paragraphs, an introduction, and a conclusion.
Conclusion
This might be the concluding part of the article, but it should not be treated as an afterthought. It is the section where the readers finally align with your message and understand your reasons.
They might not necessarily agree with you, especially in an argumentative essay, but your conclusion should relay your emotional position in a way that gets them to at least sympathize. We always advise that our students include moral lessons in their concluding paragraphs.
6 Tips to Consider While Writing An essay about The Awakening
Writing an essay might not be easy, but there are certain tips you should follow that will increase your chances of scoring high as a student. When you are working on your Awakening summary, here are a few tips that can help your work stand out:
Read the Book
Thankfully, the Awakening book is an interesting read, so you will have a nice time getting to know the characters. From Edna’s strange journey to self-awareness to Robert’s deliberate wooing of her to her husband’s negligence and naivety, there is so much going on that you will not get bored. When you read and analyze the book, it will be easier to research and write an essay about them.
Choose a Topic
You want to choose a topic with exciting themes that readers cannot resist, no matter how busy they are. When your topic is compelling, you grab the reader at first glance. They look at your The Awakening essay topic and instantly want to know more. This is a great sign.
To get the perfect topic, you must first finish your paper. When this is done, read through your work and find the idea that stands out the most. You can find this in your thesis statement. The titles or topics of your The Awakening essay must have the same idea as the thesis so as not to jar or throw off the reader.
Create the Outline
Writing an essay requires a lot of brainstorming. At a point, you might be filled with so many ideas you will be unable to navigate them. However, there is a practice that helps you stay focused on the topic at hand without digression. This is creating an outline.
Before you start writing, get a pad and a pen just to write down your ideas and discussion questions. Sectionalize the essay, so you know what detail to put in the intro, the body, and the conclusion. You will find a lot of assisting materials on the internet.
Write a Thesis
After jotting down important details and creating an outline, the next step is writing your thesis statement. There are so many ideas you might find it difficult to pick and choose one, but eventually, it has to be a cluster of sentences that stand out and represent the entire book.
In the Awakening, we see how Robert’s love transforms Edna and turns her into another woman. This is a perfect thesis statement.
Include a Moral
In the Awakening Book, we find out how much of herself Edna lost in marriage and motherhood, to the extent that she became a different character in the process of finding herself. People put up a facade almost all the time, so it will be wise to just take it with a pinch of salt in your interactions with people.
Conclusion: Proofread your Work
No matter how great and extensive your The Awakening essay is, it will score badly if the reader records badly spelled words and grammatical errors. Read your essay as often as possible to catch even the slightest errors. Fortunately, there are many grammatical checkers on the internet, so you don’t have to worry too much about that.
However, if you are too busy handling other assignments to focus on this one, that means you need help. We can help you write your essay assignments faster and better; simply send us a message to get started!
FAQs
What is the story The Awakening about?
Of a conventional wife and mother, Edna Pontellier, who fell in love with Robert and was suddenly awakened to tumultuous feelings of love and lust, all of which she wasn’t getting in her marriage. The Awakening book takes us through her journey to self-discovery.
What is the main idea of The Awakening?
Feminism. The book subtly hints at a woman’s right to sole ownership of her body and identity. Despite being a wife and mother, a woman should never get lost within herself.
When was The Awakening banned?
It was never outrightly banned. Upon its release, it became very controversial due to the suggestions and propaganda in the book. This led to its censoring.
Why should you read The Awakening?
You should read it because every one of us has felt like an imposter in our body at least once. Although far from being the best moral compass, this book tells the importance of always finding yourself.
