Question

“Mrs. Pontellier’s mind was quite at rest concerning the present material needs of her children, and she could not see the use of anticipating and making winter night garments the subject of her summer meditations. But she did not want to appear unamiable and uninterested, so she had brought forth newspapers, which she spread upon the floor of the gallery, and under Madame Ratignolle’s directions she had cut a pattern of the impervious garment.” “‘Do you see Mrs. Pontellier starting back with the children? She will be in late to luncheon again. She never starts to get ready for luncheon till the last minute.’” “‘Why, my dear, I should think you'd understand by this time that people don't do such things; we've got to observe les convenances if we ever expect to get on and keep up with the procession. If you felt that you had to leave home this afternoon, you should have left some suitable explanation for your absence.’” –The Awakening, Kate Chopin Which theme in The Awakening is developed through these actions and events? Society and culture often pressure women to fit a certain image or fill a specific role. Individuals require solitude to discover their true selves. The needs and demands of others prevent individuals from being true to themselves.

Answer 1

The theme developed through these actions and events in The Awakening is Society and culture often pressure women to fit a certain image or fill a specific role. The actions and events in the passage illustrate how Mrs. Pontellier is expected to behave within her society to conform to the expectations and conventions of her time. She is judged for her lateness, and her friend Madame Ratignolle criticizes her for not thinking about her children's winter clothing in the summer, indicating how women were expected to constantly think and plan for their family's needs. The passage highlights how women were expected to put the needs of their families and society's expectations ahead of their own desires and needs. The pressure placed on Mrs. Pontellier, and the way she conforms to expectations, represents the larger societal pressures that women faced during that time period.