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A review by kaylisbookshelf
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
3.0
I read The Awakening for a school project, and while it is an important novel showing how diffucult it was for women to express themselves, it was frustrating.
Edna is not only a feminist, but also strings along 3 men? I'm not mad at her for that, but I'm mad she has not only a husband but two side flings and is so depressed about in when it's quite literally her fault. Her husband isn't a horrible person- not great, but then, the other men weren't either. The other men loved her, but let's be honest- they all knew she was married and didn't want to get serious! She paved her own way to failure....
However, the feminist aspect of the book I DID like. Edna didn't want to be a mother (even though she already was one) and she wanted a man who treated her like the person she wanted to be. I like how Chopin used the husband to show how many expectations were placed on women- motherly duties, wifely duties, being lively and open and emotional and overbearing.... I understand the pressure.
The ending was cowardly in my opinion. Edna swims too far and drowns? Stupid. It was an excuse to kill off Edna so we can see how the pressure of society drowns women. She knew how to swim and there's no chance it would be an 'accident'- maybe she killed herself, but still a coward's death.
I'm -2 stars because the plot was slow and boring, but I'll keep 3 stars because the feminism is good enough for me.
Spoiler
Edna is not only a feminist, but also strings along 3 men? I'm not mad at her for that, but I'm mad she has not only a husband but two side flings and is so depressed about in when it's quite literally her fault. Her husband isn't a horrible person- not great, but then, the other men weren't either. The other men loved her, but let's be honest- they all knew she was married and didn't want to get serious! She paved her own way to failure....
However, the feminist aspect of the book I DID like. Edna didn't want to be a mother (even though she already was one) and she wanted a man who treated her like the person she wanted to be. I like how Chopin used the husband to show how many expectations were placed on women- motherly duties, wifely duties, being lively and open and emotional and overbearing.... I understand the pressure.
The ending was cowardly in my opinion. Edna swims too far and drowns? Stupid. It was an excuse to kill off Edna so we can see how the pressure of society drowns women. She knew how to swim and there's no chance it would be an 'accident'- maybe she killed herself, but still a coward's death.
I'm -2 stars because the plot was slow and boring, but I'll keep 3 stars because the feminism is good enough for me.