The Men of Mrs. Pontellier

Throughout the novel, The Awakening, it is evident that the men in Edna's life impact her life in multiple ways. After giving it some thought, it is clear that each male in her life brings out a different side of her. Leonce brings out a negative side of her, especially when she is told to stay at home. For example, on page 60, Leonce goes out to eat dinner at a club after a brief argument between the two, leaving her to stay at home. She enjoys the loneliness, but as she enters a room of her house, she angrily throws her ring on the ground and steps on it as she breaks a vase. Edna's father draws out a similar side of Edna, however, this is only when serious matters are brought up. "Edna and her father had a warm, and almost violent dispute upon the subject of her refusal to attend her sister's wedding (Chopin 96). Although this argument brings about a hostile mood between them, beforehand, they had a perfectly fine relationship enough that, "When Doctor Mandalet dined with the Pontelliers on Thursday he could discern in Mrs. Pontellier  no trace of that morbid condition which her husband had reported to him (Chopin 93). Even Victor Lebrun makes her feel something that other males don't. She felt uncomfortable, "...like a confederate in crime..." (Chopin 81). Robert brings out two sides of her, depending on whether or not he is in her life. In the beginning of the novel, she feels adventurous and rebellious, seeing as how she spends an entire day with Robert without even giving a second thought about her husband. However, after Robert leaves to go to Mexico, she feels only desire. Only after he leaves, does she realize , "...the symptoms of infatuation...(Chopin 61). Almost every male she encounters, brings out a different side of her, resulting in the reader unable to understand who she really is.

Annoyed With Her Life

I think that the longer Edna hangs out with Robert she starts to dislike her life more and more. In the beginning of the book she seems to be tolerant of her life and now she is showing her annoyance. Chopin writes, “Another time she would have gone in at his request. She would, through habit, have yielded to his desire; not with any sense of submission or obedience to his compelling wishes, but unthinkingly,” (page 42). Edna had refused to listen to Mr. Pontellier and go inside and sleep. I think her stubbornness appeared after she had gone swimming and for the first time in a while felt freedom. She wanted to feel that for as long as possible and did not want reality to take it away yet so she stayed outside. If she had listened to Mr. Pontellier then she would give up that feeling and go back to her normal life.

Miserable

To many, Mr. Pontellier seems to be a great husband and person. He checked on his children when he got home the one night, and suspected his son had a fever. His children hang on his legs when he has to leave for work. Everybody in the town would make sure they said good-bye to him when he left for New Orleans. He is thoughtful of others. As he was preparing to leave he stated, “Oh! We’ll treat Sister Janet better than that, my dear” (Chopin 9).  He wanted to make sure they got Janet a good gift. When he went to New Orleans, he sent a box full of items to his family which he seemed to do every time. The ladies in town were praising how good he was of a husband. “Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew of none better” (Chopin 9). The ladies seem to like him more than she does. Even though he is a good man and is respected very much, Edna is living a miserable life. She stayed up one night and cried. She has a good life, but she hates it. It is obvious that it’s not the life she wants.

Is everyone cut out to be a parent, even if they want to?

Mrs. Pontellier, as seen in previous chapters, lacks a relationship with her children. There could be multiple causes for this, and one may be she simply just is not able to. Some people are not cut out to be parents, for lack of a better term. "Mrs. Pontellier made them carry her paints and things into the house. She sought to detain them for a little talk and some pleasantry. But they were greatly in earnest. They had only come to investigate the contents of the bonbon box. They accepted without murmuring what she told to give to them..." (Chopin, 16). As seen here Mrs. Pontellier tries to have a conversation with her children, she tries to form some kind of relation or some kind of compatibility with them, but it seems almost impossible. It could be possible if it were another person. The children seem to be able to form a great relationship with thier nanny. It is also possible that Mrs. Pontellier never spent enough time with the children when they were young thus never building up this relationship

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The Lovers and The Lady in Black

In the book, Chopin speaks of "the lovers" quite frequently. Immediately following, "the lady in black" is mentioned.  In chapter eight Chopin writes, "The lovers were just entering the grounds of the pension. They were leaning toward each other as the water-oaks bent from the sea. There was not a particle of earth beneath their feet... The lady in black, creeping behind them, looked a trifle paler  and more jaded than usual" (Chopin 28). This scene was when Madame Ratignolle was trying to convince Robert to let Mrs. Pontellier alone. Robert refused. Again in chapter 12, the lovers and the lady in black are mentioned, "The lovers, who had laid their plans the night before, were already strolling toward the wharf. The lady in black, with her Sunday prayer book... was following them at no great distance" (Chopin 43). I think the lovers are Mrs. Pontellier and Robert. The lady in black could be Mrs. Pontellier's consciences or society. It seems as though the lady in black is always following the lovers wherever they go. Society does not allow for affairs, and maybe Mrs. Ponellier knows what she's doing wrong, and she has a guilty conscience. Throughout the book, the lovers and the lady in black are always mentioned together. 

The Farival Twins and The Parrot

The Farival twins first appear in page three of The Awakening, where they play on a piano "The Poet and the Peasant" and "Zampa". But they also reappear in page thirty-one, where they play the same songs on the piano. Now this can be concluded as a mere coincidence, after all those could possibly be the only two songs they know - but it isn't only the music that correlates. Near both mentions of the Farival Twins is the parrot that at both times shrieks, "Allez vous-en! Sapristi!" (Chopin 31), which translates to "Go away! By God!". Both of these songs have a very fast paced and light hearted melody, and the parrot's words bring a slight uncomfortable and conflicting message. Perhaps the parrot is a metaphor to Edna and the twins represent the side of the Creole culture she doesn't identify with? Especially since the first mention of the parrot was a nuisance to Mr. Pontellier.

Control

        Edna starts to test how much control she really has of how she lives when Mr.Pontellier comes to the cottage late at night and finds her outside on the hammock. He tells her it's one in the morning and basically demamds that she has to come inside with him.  Edna stands up to Mr.Pontellier for the first time in their marriage. She even states “ I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you.Eventually the pressure of situation sinks in, and the uncomfortable hammock she began to head up back to the house. As she goes inside to bed Mr.Pontellier bumps his ego even more with his comment that he will go to bed after he finishes his cigar. I believe he want to prove that he can choose what his bedtime is or isn't. Edna doesn't have that choose because of the boundaries a women has during this time.