The Awakening

1. The Awakening Karen Tong, Stephen Koh, Predrag Vulicevic, Femi Alege, Han Yan

2. Setting • Nighttime • Moon is out • Beach • Ocean • Hammock in front of porch

3. Tone • Intimate-- personal and emotional • Poignant-- producing keen or strong emotion, touching • Sentimental-- emotional attachment • Quizzical-- questioning • Bittersweet-- good but a little sad as well

4. Cult of Domesticity • True womanhood • Piety • Religion was valued-- did not take away from a woman's proper sphere • Purity • Submission • Domesticity-- housework, taking care of children

5. Symbols • Ocean --> freedom, escape, liberation • Independence, self-dependence, loneliness • Water is often a symbol of baptism and cleansing. • Edna in water --> rebirth • Newfound identity • Sexual rebirth --> start of "throbbings of desire"

6. Symbols cont'd • Moon • Illuminates the dark • Enlightenment • Artificial transformation • Moons do not produce their own light, only reflect the sun's light. • Phase changes, but does not physically change.

7. Symbols cont'd • Hammock • Male dominance • Robert supports the hammock. • Edna reclines in it but does not completely feel comfortable in it. • Beginning to turn away from a male dominated society

8. Symbols cont'd • Gulf spirit • Robert tells Edna story of Gulf spirit • Edna has gained favor of Gulf spirit • Represents Robert • Edna has captured his heart and may finally make him commit to a relationship (something he hasn't done in the past)

9. Motif • Light and Darkness • "But the night sat lightly upon the sea and the land. There was no weight of darkness; there were no shadows. The white light of the moon had fallen upon the world like the mystery and the softness of sleep." (29) • This idea of light representing an opportunity for change into a "new women" seems to be a recurring part of "The Awakening." It is in this light where Edna begins her transformation. The quote mentions the darkness being "weight" preventing her from change. When Edna finally begins to feel this change taking place, it is interesting to note that when she leaves to return home by herself, she is no longer within the light shining upon the sea, as if the darkness represents traditional women, and she just barely experiences her change and is already going back.

10. Motifs cont'd • Women holding onto men's arms. • Dependency • "The Pontelliers and the Ratignolles walked ahead: the women leaning upon the arms of their husbands" (28). • "She had been walking alone with her arms hanging limp... She took his arm, but she did not lean on it. She let her hand lie listlessly, as though her thoughts were elsewhere..." (31) • Attached to her husband, by his side, dependent on him for support --> independent but tired from the newfound strength --> back in the confines of a male dominated society but more able to support herself

11. Motifs cont'd • Rebirth • Child in water • Swimming for the first time • Newfound strength • Independence

12. Motifs cont'd • Scents • Sea • Weeds • Grow anywhere and can survive anything • Difficult to get rid of • Kills other plant life • Accepted female doctrines • Newly plowed earth • Start of new life • White blossoms • Female beauty and dominance • Strength and power • Female sexuality

13. Point of View • Third person limited • Strong insight into Edna's thoughts • Feelings of newfound strength and desire • Sights • Fears: visions of death • Robert's emotions are explored minimally.

14. Edna's Disposition • Wants to be alone • Reinvigorated • Newfound strength, independence • Self-dependent • Starting her enlightenment, her awakening

15. Edna's Relationships • "She waved a dissenting hand, and went on, paying no further heed to their renewed cries which sought to detain her." • Does not seek the companionship of her husband, Madame Lebrun or the Ratignolles • Only Robert is welcome • Madame Lebrun labels Edna as capricious-- given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior • Starts falling in love with Robert

16. Femi's Passage "Edna had attempted all summer to learn to swim. She had received instructions from both the men and women; in some instances from the children"(29). This is a significant insight to Edna's character and starts to portray the importance of the ocean. Edna is trying to learn how to swim, but is struggling to physically swim even though she has attempted to take instructions from men, women and even children and is essentially having a difficult time gaining her independence. She is being characterized as childlike or even younger because even kids have to teach her. Once she knows how to swim she will finally have a way to literally escape from her husband and children and she will figuratively be independent.

17. Stephen's Passage "But that night she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who all of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over-confidence". • Edna is being characterized as childlike because she is new to certain experiences (swimming away from the men who control her life) • Similar to a baptism • Applies to her later actions when she doesn't want to accept role of mother/wife and is "awakened" into a younger state • Edna is new to certain feelings like not following the societal expectations which other female characters, like Mademoiselle Ratignolle readily accept

18. Predrag's Passage "A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and soul." (29) Analysis • This is a significant turning point in "The Awakening" and it symbolizes the brief point of change for Edna as a woman. As we discussed before, the water represents a rebirth and Edna finally begins to experience the metamorphosis (changing from the tradition woman to the new woman). She finally begins to feel some control over her body and soul. She is physically able to swim out on her own (redefining traditional view of women and doing something independently). As dynamic and emotionally unstable character as Edna is, she finally feels some control over her life.

19. Han's Passage " She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before... Once she turned and looked toward the shore, toward the people she had left there. She had not gone any great distance-- that is what would have been a great distance for an experience swimmer. But to her unaccustomed vision the stretch of water behind her assumed the aspect of a barrier which her unaided strength would never be able to overcome...But by an effort she rallied her staggering faculties and managed to regain the land." - Edna's struggle with the water symbolizes the struggle between what she wants and what tradition requires of her. - Edna is strong willed since she is not overwhelmed by the water. She is also able to carry herself back to land; back to traditional life. - The significance of this action is that Edna makes an effort to leave her society and live independently. However in her fight against the tradition of women she eventually swims back to it out of fear for leaving accepted doctrines.

20. Karen's Passage " 'Will you get my white shawl which I left on the window-sill over at the house?' When he returned with the shawl she took it and kept it in her hand. She did not put it around her" (32). • Shawl --> pure womanhood • Left in the house: leaving her identity as a "woman" in the household (female domain) • Asks for it back: apprehension for her new transformation, wants to revert back to her old self • Takes shawl but does not wear it: does not abide by the standards of men anymore Shawl --> purity • Sexual rebirth: "first throbbings of desire"