symbolaw Symbols and Symbolism Essay - Symbolism in the Title of Chopins Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Symbolism in the Title of Chopins Awakening     Kate Chopin entitle her second and final novel, The Awakening. In doing so she did not just adjudge an abstract name to her work, but she chose a title with meaning and symbolism. By titling her work The Awakening, Chopin is indicating her feelings and opinions of the Creole company, Edna, her liveliness, and her ultimate decision. The title also corresponds how Edna defies the constraints of her ordained life as a Creole women and becomes and individual. Furthermore the title the Chopins novel symbolizes the musical theme of her novel.     In Edna Pontelliers adopted culture, the Creole culture, women have a certain expectations in society. A Creole women must be beautiful, motherly, a good wife to their husbands. They were women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels (pg. 8). This is what was expected of women, it was their place in Creole society. However Edna awoke from this social institution in which women have a predestined life, which they must live the Creole way. Edna became conscious of the fact that this culture is what unplowed her from doing what she really wanted to do, to love, live, be independent and to express herself as an individual. passim the work Edna is constantly awakening from her naps, constantly awakening to a ground she cannot escape. Each morning she awoke with hope... (pg. 104) and When Edna awoke with the conviction that she had slept long and soundly. (pg. 37), these are a some examples of Edna awakening from slumber. It is only through these frequent naps that Edna defies the constraints of the world she lives in. Her awakening from her naps is emblematical of her awakening from the Creole culture and her husband.   Not only does the title symbolize Ednas awakening from her social constraints, but the ti tle also conveys Chopins opinion of society and Edna. By entitling her novel The Awakening, she is stating that there is an injustice to women in society that hatful need to conscious of, which people need to awaken to and that Edna has indeed modify to it.