Nineteenth century American women were expected to find their strength and meaning of self in their submissive state and in their dedication to home and family. ... In the process of writing The Awakening, Chopin uses her life experiences along with the repressive social status of women during the turn of the century to illustrate the sacrifices that Edna Pontellier had to make to overcome the conventional roles of a mother. ... Her poems, short stories and novels permitted her not only to emphasize her beliefs for herself, but also question the ideas of individuality and autonomy during th...

• Word Count: 1248
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate