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A review by lingualibri
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
4.0
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*
Despite accidentally reading the introduction (which gave away the ending in the first paragraph), this book still managed to leave me thinking, "Wait...what just happened?"
Chopin's writing style is unique, and I ad.ire the way she cut out useless dialogue, or even clues in the reader on important dialogue without giving the actual text. The story almost reads like a heavily narrated film. Additionally, I am both baffled and impressed by the way certain events are implied, rather than discussed. There were many times I had to reread a paragraph, and eventually come to my own conclusions. Even Edna's suicide drifts into ambiguity as the deed is being done.
Ah yes. About that suicide. About that Edna. Not long ago, I read "The Sense of an Ending," in which a group of young men contemplate the suicides of their classmates. While the boys nearly scoff at their peer who has killed himself after impregnating his girlfriend, they respect the peer who kills himself simply because he can as an advanced and intellectual being. Edna reminds me of this second peer. While Chopin makes it clear that Edna's suicide is selfish and unfair to her children, it has also already been established that Edna is not willing to give up her soul for her boys. Chopin early states that Edna is not "a mother-woman." While these characteristics have been and continue to be controversial, I am not surprised or offended by Edna's actions, based on the information given previously in the story.
Anyway, back to the suicide. In a way, and despite her selfishness (which I don't deny), I can almost admire Edna's convictions, and her dedication to them. Like the second suicide in "The Sense of an Ending," Edna's undoing borders on the appearance of intellectual. She has taken command of her life to its fullest extent; and now there is nothing left but to command her own death. She isn't doing it in the name of love of feminism. She is doing it because she wants to. She has been awakened to her true self, and she has successfully evaded anyone taking it away from her. At least, that's how I would like to imagine Edna's true character.
In reality, however, she was most likely just a self-centered and spoiled woman who could not handle heartbreak.
Chopin's writing is vague. Make your own conclusion.
Despite accidentally reading the introduction (which gave away the ending in the first paragraph), this book still managed to leave me thinking, "Wait...what just happened?"
Chopin's writing style is unique, and I ad.ire the way she cut out useless dialogue, or even clues in the reader on important dialogue without giving the actual text. The story almost reads like a heavily narrated film. Additionally, I am both baffled and impressed by the way certain events are implied, rather than discussed. There were many times I had to reread a paragraph, and eventually come to my own conclusions. Even Edna's suicide drifts into ambiguity as the deed is being done.
Ah yes. About that suicide. About that Edna. Not long ago, I read "The Sense of an Ending," in which a group of young men contemplate the suicides of their classmates. While the boys nearly scoff at their peer who has killed himself after impregnating his girlfriend, they respect the peer who kills himself simply because he can as an advanced and intellectual being. Edna reminds me of this second peer. While Chopin makes it clear that Edna's suicide is selfish and unfair to her children, it has also already been established that Edna is not willing to give up her soul for her boys. Chopin early states that Edna is not "a mother-woman." While these characteristics have been and continue to be controversial, I am not surprised or offended by Edna's actions, based on the information given previously in the story.
Anyway, back to the suicide. In a way, and despite her selfishness (which I don't deny), I can almost admire Edna's convictions, and her dedication to them. Like the second suicide in "The Sense of an Ending," Edna's undoing borders on the appearance of intellectual. She has taken command of her life to its fullest extent; and now there is nothing left but to command her own death. She isn't doing it in the name of love of feminism. She is doing it because she wants to. She has been awakened to her true self, and she has successfully evaded anyone taking it away from her. At least, that's how I would like to imagine Edna's true character.
In reality, however, she was most likely just a self-centered and spoiled woman who could not handle heartbreak.
Chopin's writing is vague. Make your own conclusion.