The Awakening Post #3

With emerging differences with her husband and Robert's leave, Mrs. Pontellier finds herself in a spell of depression. Looking to help herself, she seeks the pianist she adores, Mademoiselle Reisz. She finds that Mademoiselle has moved and sets out to find her new residence. Edna eventually discovers her home and visits Mrs. Reisz. Mrs. Reisz and Mrs. Pontellier converse and catch up. Mrs. Reisz tells Edna that Robert Lebrun had sent her a letter pertaining to Edna. He asks “Have you seen Mrs. Pontellier? How is she looking?”(Chopin 115) and so on. Further into the conversation between Mrs. Pontellier and Mrs. Reisz, Mrs. Reisz allows Edna to read the letter. When reading the letter, she begins to sob. I believe that this section of the book is meant to show the importance and development of Edna and Robert’s relationship. The next few chapters progress slowly.

“let your wife alone for a while. Don’t bother her, and don’t let her bother you. Woman, my dear friend, is a very peculiar and delicate organism-a sensitive and highly organized woman, such as I know Mrs. Pontellier to be, is especially peculiar. It would require an inspired psychologist to deal with them successfully.”(Chopin 119) This particular piece of dialogue stuck out to me. If you were to remove all context, it would almost seem as though they are discussing an alien or some sort of animal… I think that the author of this story had included this dialogue to represent the view that society had on women in this time period. Men would see women, such as Mrs. Pontellier, as a lower class and different being. They were your wife, your house-keeper, and a mother. Unfortunately, to society of this time, women were nothing more and nothing less.