Madeline Gibson
English 302
February 15, 2012
Dr. Whelan-Stewart
The Awakening: A Look into Naturalism
Naturalism is a broad term used to describe a period in time as well as a type of literature. Naturalism, in its literary aspect, can be described as a work that tells of forbidden passions, undeniable urges and lusts, prejudices, fate, and often included the characters having relationships with their environments as well as bringing up subjects that may be seen as uncouth to discuss in society. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a work of Naturalism as it skillfully brings to light women of the late 1800’s, specifically the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her struggle with the reality that she faces in the society and environment that she has married into.
The Awakening brings to spotlight the ‘issue,’ as general society saw it, of the new, empowered, independent woman who was not defined by her family alone. Edna is the perfect example to symbolize how all of the aspects of naturalism. “Mrs. Pontellier was 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” (Heath 435). She goes through a self-realization that forces her to think about how she feels as a woman and the wants, desires, feelings, and emotions that go along with being female. Edna also finds herself caught in a romantic relationship with two men who are not her husband, but she only loves one of them. Edna’s life in The Awakening is one that is full of examples of naturalism.
Towards the beginning of the story, we find that Edna has been out on the beech without her umbrella to shield her skin from the sun and when she meets her husband that he is critical of her skin and how it has developed sunburn. This is the beginning of when we notice a little of what Edna will be trying to break free of: the oppression that she feels from her husband and society to be and to look like the ideal woman. We can see this in the third chapter where Edna is crying uncontrollably and seems to be going through “an indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish” (Heath 429). Edna is beginning to realize that she does not agree, nor accept, the way that she is expected to behave. This is connected with naturalism because Edna’s background and social environment have thus far governed her character.
Child birth is also discussed quite heavily in this story and it becomes another example of naturalism as this topic was not discussed in the late 1800’s in polite society. Chopin, however, brings to light the feelings that women had with the child birthing process. Edna does not even want to think of child birth, “her own like experiences seemed far away, unreal, and only half remembered. She recalled faintly an ecstasy of pain, the heavy odor of chloroform, a stupor which had deadened sensation, and an awakening to find a little new life to which she had given being, added to the great unnumbered multitude of souls that come and go” (Heath 511). Edna, contrasting to another character, Adele, who is seen as the perfect woman in that society, is very removed from the birth of her children. This brings into play the fact that she does not feel a lot of emotional attachment to her children as she only sees them as other beings in the world, not very remarkable at all, though she does love them. This disconnect between Edna and her children only strengthens that conviction that she is growing that she is her own woman and that she is not defined by her family alone.
Also, throughout the story the sea is used as a very important setting for Edna as she finds her freedom and her individuality in the sea. “The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace” (Heath 435). In this passage we can see the different roles that the sea plays in the story to Edna. In one respect it is very sexual and alluring for her and in another sense it represents the mother that Edna never thinks or talks about. We can also see a distinction of the sea being greedy and somewhat evil at the end of the story when Edna walks into the sea, “The foamy wavelets curled up to her white feet, and coiled like serpents about her ankles. She walked out. The water was chill, but she walked on” (Heath 515). The sea being portrayed as a serpent that pulls her into the dangerous water is representative of the fact that Edna needs some risk in her life. She craves being in the sea, completely surrounded and enveloped. “There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks filled the air;” this small sentence at the very end of the story is one that tells of the mothering aspect of the relationship as well. As the color pink is brought into the story, it is apparent that the sea is supposed to be seen as a surrogate mother for Edna, as she is completely disconnected with her own biological mother. This complex relationship between the sea and Edna is another facet of naturalism that Chopin writes beautifully.
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a story that is laced with naturalism. It is about a woman finding herself and it is also a sad story in that Edna, in the end, realizes that everyone will leave her, except for the sea, who she gives herself up to. Naturalism is clearly seen throughout the story and Chopin writes a very interesting, worthwhile story to read.
Work Cited
Lauter, Paul, and Bruce-Novoa. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath,
1990. Print.
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