The Awakening - Chapter Questions

Chapter 1 Pages 1 - 4

1 What might the parrot and mocking bird symbolise? (Chopin 1)

Consider “the right” (Chopin 1) of the birds and “the privilege” (Chopin
1) of Léonce?

2 Where does the novel open? (Page 1)

3 How old is Léonce? (Chopin 2) What does his description suggest?

(Chopin 2)

4 What technique is the “chattering and whistling birds” (Chopin 2)?

5 Why does Chopin make Léonce smoke a cigar on Page 2?

6 What is the significance of the comment that Léonce looks at Edna “as
one looks at a valuable piece of personal property” (Page 3)?

7 What is the significance of the ring on Page 3?

8 What do the interactions between Edna and Léonce and Robert tell
you about the relationships? (Page 3)

9 What is the significance of “Klein’s” (Chopin 3)?

Chapter 2 Pages 5 - 7

10 What is the significance of “they chatted incessantly”? (Chopin 6)

11 What is the significance of Edna being described as “an American

woman” (Chopin 6)?

Chapter 3 Pages 8 - 11

12 What do we learn about Léonce when we read that Edna is “the sole
object of his existence” (Page 8) and “he loved them (their children)
very much”) Page 8)?

13 What is the key gender role quotation on Page 9?

14 What do we learn about Léonce when we read that “he talked in a

monotonous, insistent way”? (Page 9)

15 What is the significance of Edna refusing “to answer her husband when
he questioned her”? (Page 9)

16 Why does Edna start crying? (Page 9)

17 Why is it important that Edna has “the abundance of her husband’s
kindness and a uniform devotion” (Chopin 10) and that Léonce “gave
his wife half of the money” (Chopin 10) that he had won? On Page 11,
Edna is also “forced to admit she knew of none better.” (Chopin 11)

18 What is the significance of the “indescribable oppression” and the

“vague anguish” (Chopin 10) that Edna feels?

19 What is the function of the 2 Pontellier boys in the novel? What are
their names?

Chapter 4 Pages 12 - 15

20 Can you compare the contrasting descriptions of Edna and other

women, especially Madame Ratignolle on Pages 12 and 13? Write
some illustrative quotations.

21 Comment on the comic hyperbole at the bottom of Page 13. Who’s

making the ironic comments? What is Edna’s view of the issue (Page
14)?

22 What is the significance of “though she had married a Creole, was not
thoroughly at home in the society of Creoles”? (Page 9)

Chapter 5 Pages 16 - 20

23 What adjectives are applied to Madame Ratignolle on Page 16? What

is a foil?

24 What is Madame Ratignolle reactions to Robert’s attentions? (Page 17)

Chapter 6 Pages 21 - 22

25 Consider the imagery in paragraphs 2 and 4 on Page 21 and what it

means.

26 Consider the imagery describing the sea on Pages 21 and 22.

27 What is the significance of chapter 6?

Chapter 7 Pages 23 - 30

28 What is the significance of “that outward existence which conforms, the

inward life which questions”? (Chopin 23)

29 What is the significance of Edna being “different from the crowd”?

(Chopin 24)
30 What is the significance of Edna running away from “prayers” and
“Presbyterian service” (Chopin 27)?

31 What is the significance of Edna’s interaction with her family and

school friend when she was younger? (Pages 27 + 28)

32 What are the key elements of Edna’s 3 younger ‘romances’ and

marriage to Léonce? (Pages 28 and 29)

33 How does Edna view children? (Pages 29 + 30)

Chapter 8 Pages 31 - 35

34 What is the significance of Madame Ratignolle’s warning to Robert?

(Page 31)

35 What does the reader hear about regarding Alcée Arobin on Page 32?

Chapter 9 Pages 36 - 41

36 What are Raoul and Etienne doing on Page 37? Compare them to the
Farival twins on Page 37.

37 What does the reader learn of Mademoiselle Reisz on Page 39?

38 How does Edna react when Mademoiselle Reisz plays the music Edna
likes to call “Solicitude”? (Page 40)

39 What is the reaction of Edna to Mademoiselle Reisz’s piano playing

(Page 40)

Chapter 10 Pages 42 - 47

40 What is the significance of Edna’s learning how to swim in this

chapter? (Chopin 43 - 44)

41 What is the significance of “a quick vision of death smote her soul”?

(Chopin 44)

42 Where is Edna when she has “the first-felt throbbings of desire”?

(Chopin 47)

Chapter 11 Pages 48 - 50

43 How does the conflict between Edna and Léonce show itself in this
chapter? Who wins?
44 What is the significance of Edna “awakens gradually out of a dream”?
(Chopin 49)

Chapter 12 Pages 51 - 55

45 What is the significance of Edna “blindly following”? (Chopin 51)

46 What is the significance of Edna and Robert having food together that
“tasted good”? (Chopin 52)

Chapter 13 Pages 56 - 61

47 How does Edna feel at church in Chapter 13 and why is this

significant? (Page 56)

48 The phrase “loosened her clothes” (Chopin 57) (and other clothing
imagery) have significance. Why?

49 What does Edna do in the middle of Page 58?

50 What eye imagery is used in the first paragraph of Page 59 and why?

51 What fairy tale is intertextually used on Page 59?

Chapter 14 Pages 62 - 64

52 Why do you think Chopin brings in Raoul and Etienne in the next short
chapter?f

53 How is Edna “in some way different” (Chopin 63) this summer?

Chapter 15 Pages 65 - 71

54 What is the significance of Edna’s head being “flushed” and like a “rich,
rare blossom” (Chopin 65)?

Chapter 16 Pages 72 - 77

55 What is it said that Edna does a lot of in the first paragraph of Page
72?

56 What is the significance of “she had all her life long been accustomed
to harbor thoughts and emotions which never voiced themselves”?
(Chopin 74)

57 What is the significance of Edna telling Madame Ratignolle that “I

would give up the unessential; I would give up my money; I would give
my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself” (Chopin 74)? And
what about Madame Ratignolle’s reply that Edna “could do no more”
because “your Bible tells you so” (Chopin 75)?
58 Why does Chopin say that the sea water makes Edna “thrilled and
invigorated” (Chopin 77)?

THE NOVEL NOW SWITCHES SETTING TO NEW ORLEANS

Chapter 17 Pages 78 - 83

59 What is the significance of the description of the Pontellier’s house on

pages 49 and 50 (– first two paragraphs of the chapter)?

60 What is the significance of Léonce’s soup not being well-seasoned?

(Page 79)

61 What is the significance of Edna’s change in how she follows her

expectations in society?

62 What are Léonce’s worries about Edna’s change in how she follows
her expectations in society (page 51)?

63 In what other ways is the meal bad? Why is this significant?

64 What is the significance of what happens to Edna’s ring on Pages 82

and 83?

Chapter 18 Pages 84 - 88

65 What is the significance of “The street, the children, the fruit vender,
the flowers growing there under her eyes, were all part and parcel of an
alien world which had suddenly become antagonistic”? (Page 85)

66 What is the significance of the Ratignolle’s “large and pleasant salon”

(Page 86)?

67 Consider the description of the Ratignolle’s on Page 88, starting 3 lines

down? Look at other significant quotations regarding this on Page 88.

Chapter 19 Pages 89 - 91

68 How does the conflict between Edna and Léonce develop in this
chapter?

Chapter 20 Pages 92 - 96

69 Why is Mademoiselle Reisz described as “the most disagreeable and

unpopular woman” (Page 93)?

Chapter 21 Pages 97 - 101

70 What dominates Mademoiselle Reisz’s apartment? (Page 97)

Chapter 22 Pages 102 - 105

71 What is the function of Doctor Mandelet introduced on Page 102?

72 How does Léonce describe to Doctor Mandelet what Edna is overly

concerned about? (Page 103)

73 What is the significance of Léonce saying “and—you understand—we

meet in the morning at the breakfast table.” (Page 103)

74 How does Doctor Mandelet describe the women who have similar
ideas to Edna? (Page 103)

75 How does Doctor Mandelet diagnose Edna on Page 104?

Chapter 23 Pages 106 - 111

76 Is Madame Ratignolle correct when she says that Edna and Léonce
would be “more united” (Page 108) if Léonce didn’t go so often to his
club?

77 Who did Edna meet of significance at the races when with her father?
(Page 109)

78 What phrases in the penultimate paragraph of Page 109 are significant

in terms of Edna’s awakening?

Chapter 24 Pages 112 - 115

79 How does Edna’s father advise Léonce to deal with Edna on Page
112?

80 How is Edna’s meal that night (Page 114)?

Chapter 25 Pages 116 - 122

81 Who is Mrs. Highcamp? (Page 116)

82 How does Alcée talk when he’s trying to seduce Edna? (Page 121)

83 Does Edna fall in love with Alcée?

Chapter 26 Pages 123 - 129

No questions!

Chapter 27 Pages 130 - 132

84 What is the significance of the anecdote to Mademoiselle Reisz feeling
for Edna’s “wings” on Page131?

85 How does Edna kiss Alcée at the end of the chapter? (Page 132)

86 Do Edna and Alcée have sex this evening?

Chapter 28 Page 133

87 What literary feature is used to show understanding on Page 133?

“She felt as if a mist had been lifted from her eyes, enabling her to look
upon and comprehend the significance of life, that monster made up of
beauty and brutality.” (Page 133) Simile with eye imagery.

Chapter 29 Pages 134 - 136

88 What does Edna take to the new house?

What name does Edna give to the new house? (Page 135)

Chapter 30 Pages 137 - 144

89 Why does Edna feel “the old ennui overtaking her” on Page 141?

90 What is the “pleasing sting” on Page 143?

Chapter 31 Pages 145 - 147

91 Edna is in her new “pigeon house?” Is she happy?

Chapter 32 Pages 148 - 151

92 What is Léonce’s reaction to Edna moving out? (Page 148)

93 Where does Edna travel to and why? What is her reaction? (Pages 149
+ 150)

Chapter 33 Pages 152 - 159

94 What did Madame Ratignolle get Edna to promise? (Page 153)

95 How is the Pontellier mansion when Edna and Robert pass it? ((Page
157)

Chapter 34 Pages 160 - 163

No questions!

Chapter 35 Pages 164 - 166

96 What has Edna “abandoned herself to? (Page 165)?

Chapter 36 Pages 167 - 172

97 Note examples of the idyllic imagery on Page 167?

98 What is Robert smoking on Page 169?

99 Why did Robert leave Grand Isle earlier in the novel? (Page 170)

100 What is Edna’s reaction to Robert saying he’d like to marry her? (Page
170)

Chapter 37 Pages 173 - 175

101 What is the significance of Madame Ratignolle urging Edna to “think of

the children” on Page 175?

Chapter 38 Pages 176 - 178

102 What does Edna say to Doctor Mandelet when he asks her if she’s
going abroad? (Page 177)

103 What is the significance of Edna saying to Doctor Mandelet that “you
have to trample upon the lives, the hearts, the prejudices of others—
but no matter-still, I shouldn’t want to trample upon the little lives.”
(Page 177)

Chapter 39 Pages 179 - 183

104 How does Edna view her children on Page 182?

105 What imagery is used to describe the sea in the second paragraph of
Page 182?

106 Why does Edna remove all her clothes (Page 182)?

107 What is the significance of “they need not have thought that they could
possess her, body and soul”? (Page 183)

108 What technique is used in the last line of the novel – “the musky odor
of pinks” (Page 183)

109 Why does Edna commit suicide? Is the death a supreme achievement
– a brave action for her children in the face of adversity – or does it
represent a failure to overcome her situation?