Transforming Edna

     In chapter 4 of The Awakening, a "mother-woman" is described as one who idolizes her children and worships her husband. They were easy to pick out of a crowd because of their constant worry over their children's safety. Any real or possible threat was met with the mother's "protecting wings." Edna Pontellier was anything but a mother-woman. When her children fell during play time, she didn't run over to them to make sure they were okay. Her children merely picked themselves up and continued with whatever activity they were doing. The Pontelliers had a quadroon nurse who almost seemed to do more with the children then Edna ever did. The nurse was there to button up their shirts and part their hair when needed.

    In addition, her husband, Mr. Pontellier, tends to be bothersome to her about taking care of the children. It's apparent that he becomes annoyed, but he doesn't seem extremely persistent with her. In chapter 3, Mr. Pontellier addresses his wife and tells her that one of their children has a fever and that she should attend to him. Mrs. Pontellier more or less ignores him and isn't concerned. When he comes back inside, he reassures her that something is wrong with the child. She checks on him for merely a few mintues, but does nothing to make the child's fever go down or even to comfort him. Mr. Pontellier lets it go and goes to bed.

     As for Mrs. Pontellier's transformation into her "self," it first becomes evident through nature in chapter 6. " A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her...Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her...The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring..."

     Another instance when it becomes obvious that Edna is changing is in chapter 9 when Madame Reisz played a Chopin piano piece for her. It was stated that "the very first chords...struck...sent a keen tremor down Mrs. Pontellier's spinal column. It was not the first time she had heard an artist at the piano. Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth...But the very passions themselves were aroused in her soul..." She has had some sort of inner "awakening" due to the playing of this piece.