Journal entry# 35 Kate Chopin

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world…Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman…The mother-women…were women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels.

Summary:

This is a quote found in “the awakening” of Kate Chopin. It explains the way that the society and Mr. Pontellier think about how to be a good woman, a good wife, or a good mother.

Response:

In the story, Mr. Pontellier is the role model of a successful husband, father, or man in his society. He is a traditional 40-year-old male member in the New Orleans Creole community who can provide financial support to his family. However, his wife does not have the same reputation as he does. His wife, Edna Pontellier, is considered to be flawed as a good mother. At this point, I can see the imbalance of the social status between men and women in that society. Women have a big social difference with men. They are just considered as a possession of men. They have to always “idolize their children, worship their husbands” and should never have a sense that they are individuals. However, Edna does not follow the normal woman style. She thinks that although she has children and husband, she is not belonged to them. She is not a property of her husband and sons. She is the controller and owner of herself. I understand that she has the right to perceive herself as an individual, but I don’t think she have to betray his husband in the story. I think that her individual sense is too extreme.

After I finished the book, I started to understand the reason why she has to commit suicide. I admit that Edna is a beautiful (or handsome) woman in the story who can attract many males’ attention. However, I think that she should not have been born in that time period which considered ladies as property. If she was born in the time period I am having, she would have a much better life, or at least a much easier life. Oh! I am wondering something. Do you think it will be better for Leonce and Edna if Edna has not tried to be awakened? I think she might not go to commit suicide in the end of the story since her individual sense would not be that large.

Moreover, I want to point out that Chopin is so intelligent to add a wonderful character, Adele Ratignolle, into the story to reflect the rebellion and failure of Edna. Adele is a woman who only cares about her family. Her life focuses only on her children and husband, but not herself. Her characteristic is similar to what the quote says. She “worships [her] husband” and “idolizes [her] children”. Indeed, Edna and Adele have the totally opposite perception of being a female in the story. Also, when I was reading this part, I imagined my future wife. I really wish she could behave like Adele, but not Edna.