Part one of term paper
In Kate Chopin's The Awakening the central character of the novel is a "new woman," Edna Pontellier, who discovers that her marriage to a New Orleans Creole has prevented her emotional development and is responsible for keeping her in a state of ongoing innocence and childhood. The problem is that society and the family have institutionalized ...

Part two of term paper
... of symbols, sensitive characterization, and selective use of detail. Despite these elements, however, the novel focuses on the psychological development of Edna.] Edna learns at the very beginning of the novel that while she would be willing to die for her children, she is not willing to live selflessly through and for them “She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way” (37). Through the action of the novel, this initial realization continues to be reinforced by events. Edna ma ...