Dissecting Chapter XI Yosef, Jessica, Alex, Christina, Kevin The Awakening: Dissecting Chapter XI Yosef, Jessica, Alex, Christina, Kevin

Motifs Smoking - Usually associated with the devil and mystery, it is also employed by Chopin as a trademark practice for men. Fun fact, Cuban cigars are preferred over others made in different countries since the special composition in the soil gives an added effect of euphoria. Notice how Chopin makes it so that the men in Edna's life either smoke when they're happy, at a party or all the time. Women never seem to smoke in the novel. So following that logic, women have no fun when they follow standards set for them.

Motifs (cont'd) Time of day - By day Edna is outgoing and enjoying herself, by night she struggles with who she is and what she wants. Interesting is that other books about hiding who you are usually add a motif of darkness or suspicion somewhere in the plot (The Picture of Dorian Gray, Invisible Man), this points strongly to the idea that, whether consciously or not, Enda is hiding who she is and what she wants.

Motifs (cont'd) Bedding - Hammocks, people, beds, each place of rest usually reflects the level of intimacy Edna shares with whomever she is with. For example: Robert (love of her life) kept Edna company with the hammock. Mrs. Ratignolle (Edna's girl crush) allowed Edna to rest her head on her shoulder, especially on the beach. Finally, Edna shares a bed with Leonce but tends to shy away from actually using it with him at the same time.

Symbols Shawl - Given to Edna by Robert, she keeps it on while denying her husband's offers of wine. This holds multiple messages Edna may be hiding behind a representation of Robert for courage. She may be exploring how she feels about her life and Leonce's behavior is pushing her to make a decision too quickly for her own good. She may be at a crossroads where she can hide behind her femininity (Robert's shawl) or take a more masculine role (disobeying Leonce). Since she ends up doing both, Chopin implies the choice may not have been made yet.

Symbols (cont'd) Hammock - Small and featuring less pomp, Edna prefers it to the bed because it is something she can claim for herself and away from her husband. Cigar - Again, they are used by Leonce, Robert and the other men in Edna's life yet it is never offered to her. It's possible that it represents the unintentional social gap between genders. But as Freud is rumored to have said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

Symbols (cont'd) Wine - Made of red fruit, alcoholic and a catalyst for ridding inhibitions, the wine is more than an offering to Edna, it is an invitation to rejoin the classical roles between man and woman. Her refusing it multiple times send a clear message of distaste towards something, but it is not made clear. Is it the one offering it, the type of wine, the fact that she wasn't poured a glass first, what the beverage represents or all of the above?

Symbols (cont'd) Mosquitos - Bloodsuckers. Pests. But they also manifest the adage of finding love beneath pain. The fact that they are not near Edna hint that she feels little motivation to try to reach an understanding with her husband. Previously in chapter 3, mosquitoes forced her back inside the house, which represents forceful love. The lack of mosquitoes in chapter 11 symbolize her freedom.

Symbols (cont'd) Bed - Rather than a hammock, a bed is used to accommodate multiple people, and it's usually used to euphamize love, sex, fetish and other R-rated subjects. The fact that Edna and Leonce cannot share one without a tense emotional conflict speaks volumes about their relationship.

Tone Defiant - Edna would not leave that hammock and Leonce would not go to bed without her. Tense - Both waited for the other to go inside for an hour and demonstrated passive aggressive tendencies. Emotional - Edna felt as though she were awakening from a delicious, grotesque and incredible dream into a reality where she was testing her social restraints.

Point of View Third Person Limited Omniscient - The narrator speaks without "me" or "I", and it only has access to Edna's mind; no one else's.

Setting Nighttime, outside the porch next to the summer house - The summer house is an area of intermediate freedom for Edna. Not quite on the same level as her little apartment, but on the beaches and boats, she is under less scrutiny than if she were in her city mansion.

Yosef's Quote "He smoked two cigars; he went inside and drank another glass of wine. Mrs. Pontellier again declined to accept a glass when it was offered to her."

Christina's Quote "'Leonce, go to bed,' she said. 'I mean to stay out of here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you.'"

Alex's Quote "'Are you coming in, Leonce?' she asked, turning her face toward her husband. 'Yes, dear,' he answered, with a glance following a misty puff of smoke. 'Just as soon as I have finished my cigar.'"

Kevin's Quote "'What are you doing out here, Edna? I thought I should find you in bed,' said her husband, when he discovered her lying there. He had walked up with Madame Lebrun and left her at the house. His wife did not reply."

Jessica's Quote "Edna began to feel like one who awakens gradually out of a dream, a delicious, grotesque, impossible dream, to feel again the realities pressing into her soul."