The Awakening, and Selected Stories Characters & Character Analysis

The Awakening, and Selected Stories Characters

Edna Pontellier appears in The Awakening

Edna is the main character in The Awakening. In her late twenties and originally from Kentucky, Edna lives in New Orleans with her husband Léonce and two young sons, Raoul and Étienne. While vacationing at Grand Isle, a popular summer resort for wealthy Louisiana families, Edna begins to experience a spiritual awakening. When she swims for the first time, she feels alive and independent. Her new independence both scares and excites her. When Edna swims out too far, she also realizes the danger associated with the risks she is taking.

Over the summer, Edna becomes infatuated with her friend, Robert Lebrun, and longs to be with him. She also grows very rebellious toward her husband and children, and views them as obligations that stand between her and the independence she craves. She pursues art as a hobby more than a profession, and explores new interests and behaviors in the...
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