Rating: 
Summary: Excellent story, very glad I read it
Review: I read this book in a single day after reading an interesting article about Chopin and her work in "Harper's." Previously, I had read nothing by Chopin except her short story, "A Matter of an Hour," some years ago.This story, a protest against the idea that all women must discover their deepest fulfillment through marriage and family life, is presented in a scrupulously even-handed manner, though it was considered shocking in 1899. Edna Pontellier's husband, though rather insensitive, is certainly not cruel and in fact goes out of his way to furnish their home in a way that makes Edna the envy of other married women whose husbands are less generous. Edna's children are charming, and they love her. Her mother-in-law, if not exactly close to Edna, is hardly her antagonist. Edna's best friend, Mrs. Ratignolle, is treated as a paragon of a loving wife and mother, truly happy with her husband and devoted to her own family life. Mrs. Ratignolle also has the sense to warn off the shallow young man who has begun a meaningless flirtation with Edna at a popular vacation resort; she realizes that what is meant merely as an idle diversion to the young man is something that Edna has begun to take far too seriously. The tragedy is that while Edna gets just enough insight and awareness to realize that she is a distinct, worthwhile entity in her own right and not merely an appendage of someone else, or a subset of a group, she then turns around and lets her happiness be defined by whether or not a different man loves her. This derails her progress from being a path of growth into greater self-awareness and personal autonomy, to being merely a record of failed extramarital romance. Again, Chopin is very even-handed; she does not hide Edna's immaturity from us, but neither does she lash her; the reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions. This book should be read alongside Wharton's "The House of Mirth," Sinclair Lewis's "Main Street," Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler," and Strindberg's one-act play, "The Stronger."
Rating: 
Summary: Immense talent in a little package
Review: Thank you to all my reading friends who suggested The Awakening as one of their favorite classic novels! I have been trying to branch out into new literary worlds, and the classics is one genre that I hadn't yet touched. Still a novice, but my journey has been so profitable thus far. The Awakening was one novel that is incredibly easy to read and holds such powerful prose in so few pages. A taboo subject back in its day, The Awakening tells the story of one woman's emotional journey from a stifled, miserable marriage to a spirited and lusty freedom. Young Edna Pontellier feels trapped in a loveless, although pampered, life with husband, Leonce. Stirrings of independence begin one summer while resorting in Grand Isle, an island off the coast of Louisiana. These new feelings have begun a profound change in Edna, liberating her beyond belief. Thus ensues an infidelity that dreams are made of, although at the expense of her marriage and motherhood. Hardly shocking in this day and age, The Awakening's subject of marital infidelity and physical lust for another is always a pageturner. The theme of the novel -- Edna's torment at the chains that bind her and the flutterings of an unbridled passion -- is brought to life with beautiful writing in simple, elegant words. I am surprised to find such a passionate and provocative story within its pages. Short but penetrating, The Awakening will move you.
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: I believe Kate Chopin's "Awakening" is a masterpiece. The way in which Chopin depicts the life of women strikes upon the ideals of women being an equal to men in a time period when women living their own lives wasn't acceptable. This book portrays life through a woman's point of view, which in my opinion should set an example for all women. Edna Poniteller, the main character, begins to realize the way the world worked and with this she found herself not just as a woman but a human being with rights and equality.
Her newfound self came due to simple boredom. She feels as though her life has no meaning and she can only hope that there is more to life than what she has experienced thus far. She is no longer interested in the "high-class" business life of her husband Leonce.
Throughout the French New Orleans setting of life Edna compares herself to two women in hopes to find her place in the world. One of the women is Madame Ratignolle who is the perfect motherly housewife. The other woman is Mademoiselle Reisz who is the free-spirited type who can and will do what she pleases. Edna finds herself idealizing Reisz for her domineering ways rather than a simple housekeeper.
All though this book does not keep you on the edge of your seat , it is written in a way that really keeps your attention. The book has many details in it regarding Edna's life and her different relationships. The book also comes to an extremely ironic end where Edna Poniteller ends up drowning herself, which goes to show how people will go to great lengths for what they believe in. All Edna really wanted in life was love through equality and when that didn't come to be she felt as though her life as she knew and wanted, was over.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly not heavy-handed
Review: I've finally gotten around to reading this book, in the original, without editorial intervention. It was worth it. Kate Chopin wrote this story of female self-actualization back in the late 19th century, but it's as applicable today as it was then. I think we all feel trapped by decisions we've made capriciously, and we all consider, even briefly, escape. The main character in this novel not only realizes that she has trapped herself, but she actively seeks to free herself. Her action, rather than just emotion and despair (a la Goethe), is what separates her from the herd. Here's the low-down: Edna is a woman, probably in her 30s or so, married to a successful financier and mother to two charming children. She summers on an island, probably to escape summer diseases in the city, New Orleans. One summer she acquires a friend, Robert. Although married women in this society frequently have male friends, Edna is an outsider, and she takes Robert's attentions far too seriously. Apparently, he is similarly infatuated. Basking in Robert's attention, Edna understands at last that she has discarded her youthful dreams and hopes and that her current life is unfulfilling. She takes small steps toward freeing herself, and Robert seems a willing accomplice for a while. But Robert sees the hopelessness of such an infatuation: Edna is married, after all. Abruptly, Robert leaves the island and heads off to Mexico, presumably to seek his fortune. Edna is devastated. Even after she returns to town, her emotions are in turmoil. But loneliness actually proves helpful. She relearns who she is, reclaims the dreams of her youth, and abandons her husband and children. The author is careful with this last, making it seem tragic and irresponsible, yet ultimately unavoidable. By the last 20 pages, Edna is free. And then Robert returns. Edna says that she does not feel obligated by their mutual love; she says that she is an independent woman now who is not the property of any other person. But she's lying. Her actions show that she is dependent on Robert, needy for his love and attention. I still can't decide if the author created this break between words and behavior on purpose, or if she really intended us to believe that Edna was wholly independent. In fact, the only weak part of the story, in my opinion, is that Edna does not take responsibility for her own awakening. She claims that Robert "awoke" her. Edna does in the end devise a solution that proves her ultimate freedom and independence, and it is the only solution that works. But I won't spoil it by writing it here. The thing that makes this book so lovely is that it isn't preachy. So many modern girl-power novels just sort of slam you over the head with the girls-first-and-men-suck mantra. This book is about Edna; it doesn't purport to be about all women. It's a very personal work, and the narrative hand is light. It leaves us, the readers, free to recognize the little bits of Edna in us all, and although the rest of us may not ultimately choose Edna's course, it gives us hope that such freedom is possible, even after the fact.
Rating:
Summary: A woman who went against the morals of her time
Review: This book illustrates the passion and desire that is awaken in a twenty-eight year old mother and wife. Edna Pontellier's experiences are so intense that she promises herself they are only the beginning. The book takes place on an exotic and friendly Creole isle. Pontellier feels trapped and bored in her marriage; she yearns for excitement in her life. Once she had found true love, she felt her life had meaning. When Pontellier's lover had gone, she was depressed, but felt glad that she had felt true love, although it didn't last very long. Kate Chopin's book was not accepted when it was first published, because society did not want to read about married women having lovers. Many people thought the book was written in poor taste; it was even banned by libraries. This was Chopin's last book because the criticism, and the harsh comments she received made her stop writing. When she died in 1904, she was denied the recognition she deserved. After her death, many viewed Chopin's book as a representation of women's emancipation. Her book was acclaimed a masterpiece. I highly recommend reading this book because it was captivating and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Far From the Worst Book I'VE Ever Read!!!
Review: Kate Chopin's long-forgotten novel about a respectable married woman coming to grips with her own desires and her own sense of self is well worth a reading, although Chopin's short stories are perhaps more entertaining from a modern viewpoint. Almost an American "Madame Bovary", " The Awakening" sets the plight of Chopin's hapless heroine against the colorful details of late 19th Century New Orleans, skillfully interweaving Chopin's recurring theme of the tensions between the traditional Creole way of life and the more aggressive American culture. The author's themes of boredom, lack of fulfillment, and our often slow realization of our own personalities and limitations are touching and effective in their presentation. All in all, a moving and undervalued work by a significant American Woman author. (Those who seek to draw moral judgments on plot ideas such as adultery, lying, etc. probably shouldn't be reading fiction anyway. As it is concerned with human emotion and human frailty, the more morally judgmental among us might be better off sticking to non-fiction.)
Rating:
Summary: an interesting read
Review: I was forced to read this book in AP English my senior year, but I actually found it intriguing once I got into the plot and became familiar with the characters. What I really liked was how Chopin had every setting match the mood that the character felt; everything that surrounded the characters was symbolic of their emotions or what they were feeling, especially when it focused on Edna. Anyone could identify with her situation if they concentrate on the book with an open mind, and it is basically a look at the thoughts/emotions of a Creole woman who finds herself in an affair, but the book has many more elements to it that make it mean much more than a typical love & infidelity story. I would suggest reading it slowly and thinking about the reasons behind the characters' actions and dialogue, everything means something and this way the reader gets more out of the book. :)
Rating:
Summary: after all.. its a solitary soul
Review: The Awakening, originally titled A Solitary Soul, is one of the most classic examples of the books of liberation. First published at the end of the 1890s, depicts the life of an American woman named Edna married and socialized among a circle of Creoles (immigrants of the French ancestry). Every summer, her family and the Creoles go on vacation to an island. This one particular summer, Edna falls in love with a young creole named Robert. This agonizing love affair between a married woman and a younger man propelled Edna to a series of self liberation. Kate Chopin throws in the idea of "the desire of the unabtainable", such as a nun would be a subject of desire, namely the more unreachable the more desirable. Edna, a married woman, is in this book, the unabtainable. Another issue about this book, which Chopin was very severly criticized (well.. it was the 1890s afterall, but the book was revived with acclaim in the 1950s during the woman's movement) was feminism. Edna says in the book the she will do anything for her children but she will not sacrifice herself... However, the biggest controversy is the ending. Whether it is another awakening or something else (you should decide it for yourself), I think the book should have gone with its original title- A Solitary Soul.
Rating: 
Summary: Dispensable
Review: In this brief novel, Kate Chopin tries to depict the spiritual awakening of a privileged young woman. Unfortunately, the book doesn't make much sense. When Edna, the protagonist, casts away her public self to become her true self, we might suppose that her quality of life would improve. Instead she exercises poorer and poorer judgment, ultimately destroying herself. Edna is not a likeable or even an authentic character, and the supporting cast is almost as unattractive. In this novel, even New Orleans seems to have no attractions. The Awakening is not terrible; it just has little to offer.
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: I believe Kate Chopin's "Awakening" is a masterpiece. The way in which Chopin depicts the life of women strikes upon the ideals of women being an equal to men in a time period when women living their own lives wasn't acceptable. This book portrays life through a woman's point of view, which in my opinion should set an example for all women. Edna Poniteller, the main character, begins to realize the way the world worked and with this she found herself not just as a woman but a human being with rights and equality.
Her newfound self came due to simple boredom. She feels as though her life has no meaning and she can only hope that there is more to life than what she has experienced thus far. She is no longer interested in the "high-class" business life of her husband Leonce.
Throughout the French New Orleans setting of life Edna compares herself to two women in hopes to find her place in the world. One of the women is Madame Ratignolle who is the perfect motherly housewife. The other woman is Mademoiselle Reisz who is the free-spirited type who can and will do what she pleases. Edna finds herself idealizing Reisz for her domineering ways rather than a simple housekeeper.
All though this book does not keep you on the edge of your seat , it is written in a way that really keeps your attention. The book has many details in it regarding Edna's life and her different relationships. The book also comes to an extremely ironic end where Edna Poniteller ends up drowning herself, which goes to show how people will go to great lengths for what they believe in. All Edna really wanted in life was love through equality and when that didn't come to be she felt as though her life as she knew and wanted, was over.
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