Characters & Plot
Who is the protagonist of The Awakening?
Edna Pontellier
What does the sea symbolize in the novel?
Answer: Freedom, solitude, and self-discovery
What does "bewilder" mean?
Answer: To confuse or puzzle completely.
Who says, “The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring”?
Answer: The narrator
What literary device is used in the phrase “the voice of the sea is seductive”?
Answer: Personification
Which character encourages Edna’s artistic and personal awakening?
Mademoiselle Reisz
What is the significance of birds in The Awakening?
Answer: They symbolize entrapment and freedom, representing Edna’s struggle between independence and societal constraints.
What does "ponderous" mean?
Answer: Heavy, slow, or difficult to move due to weight.
What does Edna mean when she says, “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”?
Answer: She values her individuality and refuses to lose her identity, even for motherhood.
What is the narrative point of view in The Awakening?
Answer: Third-person omniscient
Where does Edna first begin to feel a sense of independence and self-discovery?
Grand Isle
Which theme is best represented by Edna’s rejection of traditional roles?
Answer: Feminism and self-identity
What does "tumult" mean?
Answer: A state of noise, chaos, or confusion.
What does Robert’s return symbolize for Edna?
Answer: Hope for love and independence, but also the realization that societal norms prevent them from being together.
What is an example of foreshadowing in the novel?
Answer: The mention of a bird with a broken wing foreshadows Edna’s tragic fate.
Why does Robert leave for Mexico?
He leaves to distance himself from Edna because of his feelings for her.
How does music influence Edna’s awakening?
Answer: Mademoiselle Reisz’s piano playing stirs deep emotions in Edna, inspiring her independence and self-expression.
What does "fictitious" mean?
Answer: Not real or imaginary; created for a purpose.
Why is Madame Ratignolle described as the perfect “mother-woman”?
Answer: She embodies the ideal woman of the time, devoted entirely to her husband and children.
How does Chopin use irony in The Awakening?
Answer: Edna seeks freedom but ultimately finds it through death, which is ironic given her struggle for independence.
What is the final decision Edna makes at the end of the novel?
She walks into the sea and presumably drowns, symbolizing her ultimate escape from societal expectations.
What does Edna’s move into the “pigeon house” represent?
Answer: Her desire for independence and a break from societal expectations.
What does "commiseration" mean?
Answer: Sympathy and sorrow for someone else's hardship.
What does Edna’s final swim symbolize?
Answer: Her ultimate liberation and defiance of societal expectations, though it also suggests despair.
What type of imagery is frequently used in the novel? (example?)
Answer: Water imagery, particularly related to the sea.