The Awakening Should Be Given Correct Judgments

Abstract:As Kate Chopin’s most representative and influential novel, the awakening is an arguable work from its publication until now. This work has two distinct receptions-harsh criticism and highly praise; however, how to evaluate this masterpiece today is a crucial problem. This paper will analyze those two different trends of criticism, and then it will conclude this story's value and how readers should judge and meditate on Kate Chopin's renowned novel-the awakening.

Key words:Patriarchy feminism awakening sexism sexual desire characteristic

The awakening is one of the ambiguous books in American literature. The issue that whether Edna's death is a failure and a tragedy or a kind of self-revival and a triumph is still full of arguments. Criticism towards this story can be divided into two trends. The first trend rejects the alienation and suicide of Edna who lack of features such as fragile, submissive, loyal to her husband and sexually pure. Critics of the second trend are those who were deeply influenced by modern feminist criticism. They consider this novel as a story of oppression and escape, at meanwhile, they consider the protagonist-Edna, who has to rebel against the oppression and the patriarchal society, as the typical representative of feminism.

Traditional critics consider The Awakening is a work which is exotic in setting, morbid in theme and erotic in motivation. The description of this story's setting is very vivid. The author excels in presenting us the environment and the atmosphere because of her self-experience and observance of Creole society.From their views, Edna is not a mother-like woman who seldom misses her own kids and wouldn't like to take responsibility for them just as the description in chapter vii-heir absence (children's absence) was a sort of relief, though she didn't admit this, even to herself. It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and fate hadn't fitted her.". In the last chapter, Edna also thinks the children like antagonist who drag her into the soul's slavery. For pursuing freedom, she would rather sacrifice whatever she has possessed, including the child.

Those critics, who considered Edna as feminism representative, think that Edna's awakening is the process against the man-dominated society, pursuing freedom and self-identity. Let us analyze three main male characters in the novel to judge whether they are dictators or controllers as those critics' comments. Firstly, we will reveal Edna's husband-Mr. Pontellier's characteristic features. Pontellier is responsible, tolerant and humane. He loved his family very much, including Edna and kids just as the description in the story-"he has kept her (Edna's) in his vest pocket. He gives them to her and she puts them on." This detail description indicates his deep and reserved love toward his wife from another point of view. On the contrary, Edna seldom misses the kids and always ignores them, but people around her scarcely blame her. The genius of Creole society is not to exclude emotion or suffering, but to make it bearable. Adele and the doctor express affectionate understanding to her. Potellier is a gentleman who is full of tolerance and confidence in his wife. Feminist critics say that Pontellier looks his wife as one looks at "a valuable piece of personal property." but, he is not in the slightest degree possessive or controlling in his behavior toward her. Actually, Edna's husband allows her weird behavior as well as having trust of his wife and confidence in the permanence of their relationship. When Edna felt love with and put house work and almost everything aside, he did not blame her for that. On the contrary, he pardons her and really shows solicitude for her. Besides mentioned previously, Pontellier respects her wife's decision and considerate. As Edna decides not to take her sister's marriage, he consents and tries to make up for her absence. He prepared good gifts for Edna's sister's wedding, which further demonstrate his respects and generosity to his wife and her family. Yet Robert and Arobin scarcely seem patriarchal. Robert is good at attentiveness and flattering, but he is good to kids and also can do housework such as cooking and cleaning. As to Alcee Arobin, though he is a hypocrite, he still puts on a maid's dust cap to help Edna with the work of moving. Therefore, none of them have sexism and the convinced and sufficient evidence to prove that they possess the patriarchal ideology.

The female characters, created by Chopin, are free in expression, having their own right. The reason why Edna rebels against her comfortable and admirable life is that she pursues her romance and self-identity out of her touch. But, actually she has possessed freedom in her own society while she still feels unsatisfied.Most of time, Edna can make decisions and deal problem by her own will despite some weird decisions and solutions. The most typical textual evidence is when Mr. Pontellier asked her to come in and go to bed, just as she answered: "Leonce, go to bed," she said. "I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to."-it was too late and there are lots of mosquitoes outside, but she is obstinate not coming in even seems unreasonable. Although her requirement is whimsical, her husband permits her at last indicating that she has right to do whatever she thinks correct, in spite of some behaviors disobeying her husband ordinary situation. Society should encourage women's independence, self-identity and equality and freedom, but each society has its own order and principle so that every member has to adapt to the living and social environment.

Putting the argument whether Edna's death is a failure or a triumph aside, readers can easily infer her drowning to death is a tragedy not only to herself, but also to her children, husband and relatives. Edna demands more romance out of life than real life can put into it. The crucial defect is that her rebellion is out of her control and she goes to extreme, therefore she creates her own tragedy by herself and her suicide leads us to think much more. In conclusion, this story is about a conventional young woman who is missing her marriage, leaving us much to evaluate and meditate. The insignificant and influential author can contribute is to leave an issue for readers to react and reflect. Readers from varied background, life-experience or even the same person from different life stages will have different reflection to a good novel, therefore, Kate Chopin's the awakening's triumph lies in her vivid and successful portrayal of characters' features.

References:

［1］Catcher, Willa. "Four Women Writer" Willa Catcher's Articles and Reviews Vol. II 1970.647-51.

［2］Chopin, Kate. The Awakening and Selected Short Stories. New York: Bantam Classic Edition, 1992.

［3］Rankin, Naniel. Kate Chopin and Her Creole Stories. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania press, 1932.

［4］Robinson, Marilynn. The Introduction of the Awakening. New York: Bantam Classic Edition, 1988.

［5］Witalec, Janet. Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Detroit: gale.

（作者单位：辽宁丹东市边防检查站）