Search - The Awakening

I'm not a huge fan of required reading, but this was one of my favorites. The original women's fiction it looks at one woman's life and how she feels trapped in her times, and the dark way that she deals with it.

Excellent writing - timeless. (This copy is well-used and does have underlining in it.)

This was a fast read that I found rather depressing. I am glad that Edna had an awakening into her life but the results were tragedy and an early death. I would like to think that an awakening would make her life more fulfilling, not lead her to the conclusion that the only way to remain free would be to end her life. I do not consider myself a "mother woman" in that I have lost myself to my children and husband, but I do find them them fulfilling and satisfying.

This book was first published in 1898. Interesting story, a bit sad. Well-written.

Chopin does an excellent job of showcasing the sexual awakening of a young woman and her struggle to build her own sense of self.

I wouldn't have read this book without needing to for my class, but I wasn't completely disappointed. As a book that is influential in the women's movement of the early 1900s, it's not the worst. I really like the short stories by Kate Chopin, but the novel just doesn't seem to go anywhere. The awakening that the main character goes through is not as entertaining as it could have been. Also, it was very controversial during the time that it was written because of the affair that the main character has, but for today's standards it's not as shocking and therefore not as interesting.