Kate Chopins The Awakening of Edna Pontellier

â€Å"She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength.  She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before.† Kate Chopin’s The Awakening  (1899) is the story of one woman’s realization of the world and potential within her. In her journey, Edna Pontellier is awoken to three important pieces of her own being. First, she awakens to her artistic and creative potential. This minor but important awakening gives rise to Edna Pontellier’s most obvious and demanding awakening, one which resonates throughout the book: the sexual. However, though her sexual awakening may seem to be the most important issue in the novel, Chopin slips in a final awakening at the end, one that is hinted at early on but not resolved until the last minute: Edna’s awakening to her true humanity and role as a mother. These three awakenings, artistic, sexual, and motherhood, are what Chopin includes in her novel to define womanhood; or, more specifically, independent womanhood. Awakening of Artistic Self-Expression and Individualism What seems to begin Edna’s awakening is the rediscovery of her artistic inclinations and talents. Art, in The Awakening, becomes a symbol of  freedom and of failure. While attempting to become an artist, Edna reaches the first peak of her awakening. She begins to view the world in artistic terms. When Mademoiselle Reisz asks Edna why she loves Robert, Edna responds, â€Å"Why? Because his hair is brown and grows away from his temples; because he opens and shuts his eyes, and his nose is a little out of drawing.† Edna is beginning to notice intricacies and details that she would have ignored previously, details that only an artist would focus and dwell on, and fall in love with. Further, art is a way for Edna to assert herself.  She sees it as a form of self-expression and individualism. Edna’s own awakening is hinted at when the narrator writes, â€Å"Edna spent an hour or two in looking over her own sketches. She could see their shortcomings and defects, which were glaring in her eyes.† The discovery of defects in her previous works, and the desire to make them better demonstrate Edna’s reformation. Art is being used to explain Edna’s change, to hint to the reader that Edna’s soul and character are also changing and reforming, that she is finding defects within herself. Art, as Mademoiselle Reisz defines it, is also a test of individuality. But, like the bird with its broken wings struggling along the shore, Edna perhaps fails this final test, never blossoming into her true potential because she is distracted and confused along the way. Awakening of Sexual Freedom and Independence A great deal of this confusion is owed to the second awakening in Edna’s character, the sexual awakening. This awakening is, without doubt, the most considered and examined aspect of the novel. As Edna Pontellier begins to realize that she is an individual, capable of making individual choices without being another’s possession, she begins to explore what these choices might bring her. Her first sexual awakening comes in the form of Robert Lebrun. Edna and Robert are attracted to one another from the first meeting, though they do not realize it. They unwittingly flirt with each other, so that only the narrator and reader understand what is going on. For instance, in the chapter where Robert and Edna speak of buried treasure and pirates: â€Å"And in a day we should be rich!† she laughed. â€Å"I’d give it  all to you, the pirate gold and every bit of treasure we could dig up. I think you would know how to spend it. Pirate gold isn’t a thing to be hoarded or utilized. It is something to squander and throw to the four winds, for the fun of seeing the golden specks fly.† â€Å"We’d share it and scatter it together,† he said. His face flushed. The two do not understand the significance of their conversation, but in reality, the words speak of desire and sexual metaphor. American literary scholar Jane P. Tompkins wrote in Feminist Studies: â€Å"Robert and Edna do not realize, as the reader does, that their conversation is an expression of their unacknowledged passion for one another.† Edna awakens to this passion wholeheartedly. After Robert leaves, and before the two have the opportunity to truly explore their desires, Edna has an affair with Alcee Arobin.   Though it is never directly spelled out, Chopin uses language to convey the message that Edna has stepped over the line, and damned her marriage. For instance, at the end of Chapter 31, the narrator writes, â€Å"He did not answer, except to continue to caress her. He did not say good night until she had become supple to his gentle, seductive entreaties.† However, it is not only in situations with men that Edna’s passion is flared. In fact, the â€Å"symbol for sexual desire itself,† as George Spangler puts it, is the sea. It is appropriate that the most concentrated and artistically depicted symbol for desire comes, not in the form of a man, who may be viewed as a possessor, but in the sea, something which Edna herself, once afraid of swimming, conquers. The narrator writes, â€Å"the voice of [the] sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.† This is perhaps the most sensual and passionate chapter of the book, devoted entirely to depictions of the sea and to Edna’s sexual awakening. It is pointed out here that â€Å"The beginning of things, of a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic, and exceedingly disturbing.† Still, as Donald Ringe notes in his essay, the book is too often seen in terms of the question of sexual freedom.† The true awakening in the novel, and in Edna Pontellier, is the awakening of self. Throughout the novel, she is on a transcendental journey of self-discovery. She is learning what it means to be an individual, a woman, and a mother. Indeed, Chopin amplifies the significance of this journey by mentioning that Edna Pontellier â€Å"sat in the library after dinner and read Emerson until she grew sleepy. She realized that she had neglected her reading, and determined to start anew upon a course of improving studies, now that her time was completely her own to do with as she liked.† That Edna is reading Ralph Waldo Emerson is significant, especially at this point in the novel, when she is starting a new life of her own. This new life is signaled by a â€Å"sleep-waking† metaphor, one which, as Ringe points out, â€Å"is an important romantic image for the emergence of the self or soul into a new life.† A seemingly excessive amount of the novel is devoted to Edna sleeping, but when one takes into account that, for each time Edna falls asleep, she must also awaken, one begins to realize that this is just another way of Chopin demonstrating Edna’s personal awakening. Awakening of Womanhood and Motherhood Another transcendentalist link to awakening can be found with the inclusion of Emerson’s theory of correspondence, which has to do with life’s â€Å"double world, one within and one without.† Much of Edna is contradictory, including her attitudes toward her husband, her children, her friends, and even the men with whom she has affairs. These contradictions are encompassed within the idea that Edna was â€Å"beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her.† So, Edna’s true awakening is to the understanding of herself as a human being. But the awakening goes further still. She also becomes aware, at the end, of her role as a woman and mother. At one point, early in the novel and before this awakening, Edna tells Madame Ratignolle, â€Å"I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children but I wouldn’t give myself. I can’t make it more clear; it’s only something which I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me. Writer William Reedy describes Edna Pontellier’s character and conflict in the literary journal, Reedys Mirror, that â€Å"Woman’s truest duties are those of wife and mother, but those duties do not demand that she shall sacrifice her individuality.† The last awakening, to this realization that womanhood and motherhood can be a part of the individual, comes at the very end of the book. Professor Emily Toth writes in an article in the journal American Literature that â€Å"Chopin makes the ending attractive, maternal, sensuous.† Edna meets with Madame Ratignolle again, to see her while she is in labor. At this point, Ratignolle cries out to Edna, â€Å"Think of the children, Edna. Oh, think of the children! Remember them!† It is for the children, then, that Edna takes her life. Conclusion Though the signs are confusing, they are throughout the book; with a broken-winged bird symbolizing Edna’s failure and the sea concurrently symbolizing freedom and escape, Edna’s suicide is, in fact, a way of her maintaining her independence while also putting her children first.  It is ironic that the point in her life when she realizes a mother’s duty is at the moment of her death. She does sacrifice herself, as she claims she never would, by giving up the chance at all she could have in order to protect her children’s future and well-being. Spangler explains this when he says, â€Å"primary was her fear of a succession of lovers and the effect such a future would have on her children: ‘to-day it is Arobin; tomorrow it will be someone else. It makes no difference to me, it doesn’t matter about Leonce Pontellier—but Raoul and Etienne!’†Ã‚  Edna gives up the newly found passion and understanding, her art, and her life to protect her family. The Awakening is a complex and beautiful novel, filled with contradictions and sensations. Edna Pontellier journeys through life, awakening to the transcendental beliefs of individuality and connections with nature. She discovers sensual joy and power in the sea, beauty in art, and independence in sexuality. However, though some critics claim the ending to be the novel’s downfall and what keeps it from top status in American literary canon, the fact is that it wraps up the novel in as beautiful a way as it was told all along. The novel ends in confusion and wonder, as it is told. Edna spends her life, since the awakening, questioning the world around her and within her, so why not remain questioning to the end?  Spangler writes in his essay, â€Å"Mrs. Chopin asks her reader to believe in an Edna, who is completely defeated by the loss of Robert, to believe in the paradox of a woman who has awakened to passional life and yet, quietly, almost thoughtlessly, chooses death.† But Edna Pontellier is not defeated by Robert. She is the one making choices, as she has determined to do all along. Her death was not thoughtless; in fact, it seems almost preplanned, a â€Å"coming home† to the sea. Edna strips off her clothes and becomes one with the very source of nature that helped to awaken her to her own power and individualism in the first place. Further still, that she goes quietly is not an admission of defeat, but a testament to Edna’s ability to end her life the way she lived it. Each decision that Edna Pontellier makes throughout the novel is done quietly, suddenly. The dinner party, the move from her home to the â€Å"Pigeon House.† There is never any ruckus or chorus, just simple, impassioned change. Thus, the novel’s conclusion is a statement to the enduring power of womanhood and individualism. Chopin is affirming that, even in death, perhaps only in death, one can become and remain truly awakened. Resources and Further Reading Chopin, Kate. The Awakening, Dover Publications,1993.Ringe, Donald A. â€Å"Romantic Imagery in Kate Chopins The Awakening,† American Literature, vol. 43, no. 4, Duke University Press, 1972, pp. 580-88.Spangler, George M. Kate Chopins The Awakening: A Partial Dissent, Novel 3, Spring 1970, pp. 249-55.Thompkins, Jane P. The Awakening: An Evaluation, Feminist Studies 3, Spring-Summer 1976, pp. 22-9.Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin. New York: Morrow, 1990.

Narrative Techniques Used in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Throughout this passage from Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen utilises various narrative techniques. These include dialogic qualities (showing) and the use of third person narrative including focalisation and free indirect speech (telling). Both showing and telling work on different levels to further the reader’s interpretation of different characters and give meaning to the novel as a whole. The use of dialogue allows the reader to engage in conversations between characters, thus adding drama to the novel and also giving an insight into the personalities of those speaking. In comparison, the use of telling permits the reader to observe the unspoken, private thoughts of characters and often allows for a deeper analysis of the novel. The†¦show more content†¦This technique of showing allows the reader to become more involved with the character’s feelings and provokes the reader into a response. In unison with the first paragraph, Elizabeth’s prejudice against Darcy is clearly visible. The numerous exclamation marks used by Elizabeth displays how strong her feelings against Darcy are and Austen’s choice of language ‘hate, misfortune, evil’ all emphasise further the negative light in which she views him. This considerable prejudice against Darcy is pivotal to the novel’s plot. The use of free indirect speech within the passage can be seen shortly after the dialogue between Elizabeth and Charlotte when Charlotte whispers to Elizabeth ‘not to be a simpleton and allow her fancy for Wickham to appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man ten times his consequence. The effect of presenting this in narrative form rather than direct speech gives the sense of generalized opinion and through hearing these words through the narrative voice, we as a reader are more likely to trust and see truth in Charlotte’s words as we trust the narrator more than any character. Of course, as the novel develops, we learn how true these words actually are. 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African Americans and Racial Diversity Free Essays

There are many organizations that advocate equality for African Americans in the United States. Many organizations will promote the African American race and show what concerns are being felt by their race. Those that advocate for their race give a description of how they fall in history, what discrimination they endured and what prejudice they still have to deal with. We will write a custom essay sample on African Americans and Racial Diversity or any similar topic only for you Order Now These groups and organizations promote the idea to bring discrimination to a stop in their cultures around the world. African Americans and Racial Equality African Americans have made their way to freedom, but have been left with a heavy burden of their ancestor’s slavery. Would they ever be seen as anything but slaves brought unwilling from Africa to the United States to be enslaved and be servants to the White Man? Those questions can be answered by looking at the history of African Americans and how they have become great leaders in this country. Rosa Parks may have not been the first Black woman to give up her seat on the bus, but she stared a chain of events that would eventually bring segregation to an end. That day in 1955, Rosa Parks paved the way for people like Barak Obama to become the first African American President the United States has ever had. Before that time, African Americans had endured slavery, segregation, discrimination, and prejudice because of the color of their skin. Many African American men fought for our country in the civil war so they could be granted freedom after they served. Butler (2013) stated, â€Å"the Fourteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution revoking that fateful decision and ensuring citizenship, with all its rights and esponsibilities, to everyone born in the United States regardless of race. † (para. 1). There have been several political, social, and cultural issues and concerns throughout American history. Some political issues African American have faces according to history. house. gov (2013) â€Å"Since 1870, when Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi and Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first African Americans to serve in Congress, a total of 139 African Americans have served as U. S. Representatives or Senators. Social issues among African Americans are discrimination and prejudice within the United States and beyond. Many are discriminated against because of their race. Many black men and women are deprived of the earning abilities of that of the White man. They make less money and live in poverty striking communities. Because of slavery, many African Americans feel as though they will never been seen equal to others because of their ancestors. Until this mind set changes, history will continue to run the ideas and future of African Americans. Some cultural issues among the African American throughout history would be being accepted into a culture. Many slaves when freed started large communities made up of just Blacks. Without the same education and opportunities as White men and woman, they fell into poverty and struggled to grow as respected Americans. This permits for crime rates to be higher because they had to survive any way they could if only by stealing to be able to live. These issues among African American still exist today. The NAACP has fought for African American rights for generations. According to â€Å"Naacp: 100 Years Of History† (2009-2013), â€Å"The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes. † (Founding Group). The have helped many African American groups with their right to vote because even after they were granted the right, many were still denied. The NAACP has fought along site African Americans to bring justice and rights to those people who worked so hard to become free and receive equal rights in the United States. The United States Supreme Court alleviated slavery, and wrote into law that ll people should be treated equal. They gave African Americans the right to vote and be equals in their communities and states. They also were granted the right to become government officials. Although these laws have been added, discrimination and prejudice still exist in the United States. The NAACP and other organizations have and continue to fight for the rights of African American and other races. Blackradicalcongress. org has a list of originations that promote blacks in our country. These groups give support to African Americans and show the history of their culture. African Americans may carry a heavy burden of slavery from their ancestors, but they have become the staples of our culture. Through their determination our country has changed to make way for new opportunities for us to grow as a Nation. Every man has equal opportunity to make change and live a life without discrimination and prejudice. It takes one person to show the world that change can happen. Let’s make a change. Let’s all live without discrimination and treat everyone as an equal to ourselves. Reference Butler, C.  (2013).  The African-American Experience FROM ENSLAVEMENT TO EMANCIPATION.  Retrieved from http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/african-american-experience/the-african-american.html History, Art Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, â€Å"Black Americans in Congress,† http://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/BAIC/Black-Americans-in-Congress/ (July 07, 2013) NAACP: 100 Years of History. (2009-2013). Retrieved from http://www.naacp.org/pages/naacp-history Black Organizations. (). Retrieved from http://www.blackradicalcongress.org/ How to cite African Americans and Racial Diversity, Papers

Daimler Chrysler free essay sample

In addition, Americans have a tendency to sometimes go off on tangents. While the Germans say they’re going to do something it mean that this is the agenda they stick to it. Daimler was an aggressive firm, which believed in hustling every possible way to make its company the number throughout the world. But, Chrysler was on the other hand an easy going and slow progress firm which believed in the production and flexibility of operation. In addition, the two units traditionally held entirely different views on important things such as pay scales and travel expenses. As a result of these differences and the German unit’s increasing dominance, employee satisfaction and performance at Chrysler took a steep downturn. There were large numbers of departures among key Chrysler executives and engineers. The German unit became increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of the Chrysler division. Chrysler employees became extremely dissatisfied with what they perceived as the source of their division’s problems: Daimler’s attempts to take over the entire organization and impose their culture on the whole firm. We will write a custom essay sample on Daimler Chrysler or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At DaimlerChrysler, differences in compensation systems and decision-making processes caused friction between senior management, while lower level employees fought over issues such as dress code, working hours and smoking on the job. Language also became an issue. While most managers on the Daimler side could speak some English, not all were able to do so with the fluency needed for effective working relationships. Also, only a few Chrysler managers had any knowledge of the German language. For Chrysler innovation means to Look forward for new changes, converting ideas into profit, Passion of designing, developing and building greatest cars. For Daimler innovation means more analytical, more long-term looking, more technology-minded.