The Awakening Socratic Seminar Questions

3029 Words7 Pages

Brendan Moxley
Mrs. Barton
AP Lang and Comp/p.6
3 October 2014
The Awakening Socratic Seminar Questions
Edna Pontellier in The Awakening and the speaker within the song “I’m just a Girl,” by No Doubt share several striking parallels in their feelings toward their inferior position in society. The speaker from the song claims to be “living in captivity,” which is precisely how Edna is portrayed through the motif of a caged bird in The Awakening. The Parrot owned by Madame Lebrun in the cottages on Grand Isle “which hung in a cage outside the door” (1) represents Edna: trapped, unable to effectively communicate her physical, emotional, and sexual desires, and viewed as a possession of someone else. Even upon abandoning her husband and his home for her own “pigeon house,” (85) Edna is still inhibited by Victorian societal customs which Robert refuses to break that bind her to Mr. Pontellier despite their separation, much to Edna’s dismay. The speaker from the song exclaims several times throughout the song “I’ve had it up to here,” which infers that she wishes something would be done to …show more content…

Most have heard the quote (usually from their parents) “with freedom comes responsibility,” and it couldn’t be more true in Edna’s case. Edna envisions a carefree life in which she is no longer bound to the responsibilities Victorian society has imposed upon her after her awakening, but that is not the case; her social duties continue to plague her even after relocating to the pigeon house. In fact, after kissing Arobin, “there was with her an overwhelming feeling of irresponsibility” (83). Social customs also affected Robert, as he never pursued and even attempted to flee from a romantic relationship with Edna even after she parted from Léonce because he continued to view her as property of Mr. Pontellier. Clearly, The novel frames the notions of freedom and responsibility as essentially

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