QUESTIONS:
A distinction is made early in The Awakening between those who are mother-women (such as Adele Ratignolle) and those who are not mother-women (such as Edna Pontellier). Chopin tells us that mother-women are “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” (1259). However, through the story of Edna’s awakening, Chopin is showing us that not all women aspire to or are capable of such mothering. Edna is determined not to give her self for her children, even if she is not quite sure who that self is. Yet in the end, she gives her life seemingly in part for her children’s sake, which she had told Adele she would be willing to do. What do you think Chopin, a mother of six children herself, is trying to say about the role of motherhood and its effects on the lives of women? Is she really saying that some women are more suited for motherhood, or does she seem to believe that some are better able to convince themselves that they are? What does she seem to say a mother owes her children? What does she seem to say are the rewards of motherhood? Does she show any way(s) that a woman can be both true to her self (her dreams, her desires, her work) and be a good mother? You will probably also want to define “good mother” as the term relates to Chopin’s novel. Would we define the term in the same way today? Note: Keep in mind that there are more mothers in the story than just Adele and Edna. Consider also Edna?s own (deceased) mother, her mother-in-law, Madame Lebrun, and Madame Antoine.
For this essay, the formatted should be reference at least one critical source as support material for their discussion and the video on Chopin available on PBS. This writing should be four typed, double-spaced pages and should use MLA format. A Works Cited page (a bibliography) must be included at the end of the paper.
the video on Kate Chopin is available on PBS.com. the video should be use and reference for the essay and included with all information found. Also the book women in literature should be use and cited. In the book women in literature the Awakening is found on pages 1251-1344