Reviews

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

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shelbisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Awakening is a novel that offers a fascinating exploration of a woman's struggle for autonomy and identity within the confines of late 19th-century society. The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, embodies a rebellious spirit that feels remarkably modern, particularly in her ambivalence toward motherhood and the roles imposed on her as a wife and mother. This exploration of selfhood and personal desire is refreshing and deeply cathartic, especially considering the novel was published in 1899.

However, while I appreciated the novel’s feminist undertones, reading The Awakening was also a challenging experience due to the presence of racial slurs and the portrayal of characters of color. These elements, though reflective of the time, were jarring and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. They serve as a reminder of the period’s pervasive racism, which complicates my feelings about the novel. While I can appreciate The Awakening for its groundbreaking themes, it’s hard to ignore the uncomfortable elements that come with reading literature from this era.

In the end, The Awakening is a complex and thought-provoking novel that captures both the limitations and possibilities of a woman’s life in the 19th century. Edna’s journey toward self-realization is powerful, though the book’s language and depiction of race made it a more conflicted reading experience for me.