The Awakening Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. Is The Awakening a proper title for this novel? If you could name it something else, what would you name it and why?

2. How would you characterize this novel? Is it a piece of literary romanticism? Realism? Naturalism? Why?

3. How does the author depict Edna's sense of being suffocated by the cultural restrictions on women in the 19th century? Do you think it is a fair assessment of how women lived during that time?

4. Why do you think Edna is so drawn to Robert? Describe first how they meet, and how...
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