Theme: Femininity

Another theme found in the novel is femininity and woman power. The fact that a woman can do anything a man can do. In this time women were expected to stay home and take care of the house and children, if they were present. They were expected to obey their husbands. They weren't educated or able to be educated, all but Edna. Throughout her awakening she learns at least three new languages, and even learns how to express herself through arts and music. Edna also had ambitions, which most women didn’t have around this time period. Those ambitions scared people. “...She has abandoned her Tuesdays at home, has thrown over all her acquaintances, and goes tramping about herself, moping in the street-cars, getting in after dark.I tell you she’s peculiar. I don’t like it; I feel a little worried over it,” (89). From this quote we can see that Mr. Pontellier is scared of the fact that she is starting to disobey his wishes. He is worried that she isn’t being the woman he married any longer. He has quietly been observing her every move, which was common as well because it was more accepted that a man could cheat on his wife, but his wife could not have an affair. Mr. Pontellier also says “...Her whole attitude-- toward me and everybody and everything-- has changed,” (88). Here we can see that Edna is becoming her own woman, her own person. The doctor and her husband try to come up with explanations as to why she’s acting this way, when all she is doing is taking control of her life. She is a strong independent woman who can make her own choices and stand up for them, while this doesn’t technically make her a feminist, it just shows that she doesn't succumb to a man. She see’s herself as more of an outsider, that she just exists, she has no specific role.