The Setting
The Awakening is a story of a woman's struggle with oppressive social structures. Besides the initial controversy, the novel gained popularity in the 1960's, some six decades after its first publication. The novel has since remained a favorite of many readers. Chopin's depiction of a married woman, bound to her family and with no way to assert a fulfilling life of her own, has become a foundation for feminism and a classic account of gender crisis in the late Victorian era. The beginning of Chopin's novel opens on Grand Isle, a popular summer vacation spot for wealthy Creoles from New Orleans, and sets the stage for the rest of the story.
Becca Freese, Christina Foster and Ellee Raker
English Bell B