Reputation

In The Awakening, the main characters live in a society obsessed with reputation. Mr. Pontellier mostly carries out this obsession  to an unhealthy level. From the beginning the obsession with being perfect makes his thoughts more concerned about his reputation than about his marriage and is willing to go lengths on end to be the “perfect” family. To have a good reputation in The Awakenin is viewed as to fitting in with society and although you are the same as everyone else now it didn't mean he had a good personality. In fact his personality on gets worse as the story goes on as he gets caught up with fitting in. Another person who struggles to fin it with society is Robert. He soon becomes fond of Edna but is constantly warned to stay away if he wants to keep his reputation. "Oh, enough, Robert!" she broke into his heated outburst. "You are not thinking of what you are saying. You speak with about as little reflection as we might expect from one of those children down there playing in the sand. If your attentions to any married women here were ever offered with any intention of being convincing, you would not be the gentleman we all know you to be, and you would be unfit to associate with the wives and daughters of the people who trust you”(Chopin 27). Adele argues that unless he wants a bad reputation in societ he should drop his love interest in Edna, who is a married woman. The picture represents the hold reputation has in society because many fear the thought of being rejected and looked down upon like her husband, Edna for example seeks more than just being the same.