The Awakening: Chapters 1-4

Between chapters one and four of "The Awakening" we met many characters and were introduced to their relationship with Edna Pontellier. Edna is Mrs. Pontellier, who is the main character in the story. Edna's husband, Léonce describes and criticizes her as a mother who is not "mother-women". He does not like how she does not seem to show empathy and care much for her children. On page 7 it says, "Mr. Pontellier returned to his wide with the information that Raoul had a high fever and needed looking after." Edna was quite sure that Raoul did not have a fever and just wanted to remain sleep in bed. It would make since to me in today's society that since the wife was already asleep, the man would care for the child. However, she later gets up and cries her eyes out without even knowing why she is crying. Many of the women say that she has the best husband. Mrs. Pontellier can not even argue that these women are wrong because she can admit that she has the best husband. However, it does not make sense that she knows she has the best husband, yet she is still unhappy.

In contrast with Edna, the lady name Adéle Ratignolle is the representation of the "mother-woman". She is the type of mother than have to be involved in all her children's life. This mother basically lives for her children and her children come first in her life.

In the beginning of chapter one, we hear more about the bird's imagery than other other chapter in this specific section that we had to read. The bird in the cage "could speak a little Spanish, and also a language which nobody understood". I took this as an symbol that Edna's seemed engaged and that no one understands her. (Although, I do not think that she even understands herself).