Part one of term paper
The society of Grand Isle places many expectations on its women to belong to men and be subordinate to their children. Edna Pontellier's society, therefore, abounds with "mother-women," who "idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it to a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals". The characters of Adele Ra ...

Part two of term paper
... between the two identities until she awakens to the fact that she needs to be an individual, but encounters the resistance of society's standards to her desire. Kate Chopin carefully, though subtly, establishes that Edna does not neglect her children, but only her mother-woman image. Chopin portrays this idea by telling the reader "…Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The mother-woman seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle". Edna tries on one occasion to explain to Adele how she ...