Plot Overview

About the Author

In the beginning of the novel, the Pontellier

family are on vacation at Grand Isle. The
mother of the family, Edna Pontellier met a
young man named Robert. Robert is the son of
the woman who manages the resort, Madame
Lebrun. When the Pontellier family were at the
resort, Edna started to have a connection with
Robert. Throughout the familys vacation,
Robert always wanted Ednas attention. Edna
and Robert suddenly fall in love, which Ednas
husband does not know about. Robert is afraid
that hell ruin Edna,s and her husband,
Lonces relationship. In fear, Robert goes to
Mexico for business related work. When the
family return back to New Orleans Edna is not
into New Orleans society, and she wants
herself to be happy. Lonce contacts a doctor,
being afraid that his wife is going mental. The
doctor said his wife will return back to normal,
and to just let things play out. Lonce sends
their kids away to their grandmother while he
goes on a business trip. Edna has an affair
while Lonce is on the business trip. Edna
founds out that Robert is still thinking about
Edna while he is in Mexico. In the end of the
story, Edna commits suicide, by drowning
herself. She commits suicide because when
Robert returned back to New Orleans, he told
Edna that he loves her. One day when Edna
helped a woman give birth to a child, Robert left
a note for Enda. Robert said that he was sorry
for having a relationship with a married woman,
so he left forever.

Kate Chopins original name is,

Katherine OFlaherty. Chopin was U.S.
author who wrote novels and short
stories. Some people consider her of a
forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th
century.Chopin wrote children and adult
short stories that were published in
magazines like Atlantic Monthly from
1892 to 1895. She also At Fault, The
Story of an Hour, and The Storm. When
she married Oscar Chopin and had 6
kids, Kate her family events and used
them as materials in her stories. When
her husband died, he left her in $40,000
in debt. Many characters in her story are
from Louisiana.

Historical Context
The novel took place in New Orleans at
the end of 19th century. Women were
supposed to be perfect mothers, and
listen to their husbands. Women were
not independent. Marriage was really
important, it showed how the husband
can make money to support his family.

Novel Notes
The Awakening
Kate Chopin
Mariah Calvillo
December 2015

Essential Quotes
What will you do when he comes back?
she asked. Do? Nothing, except feel glad
and happy to be alive
(Chopin 108).
Never a line. Does he send you a
message? Never a word. It is because he
loves you, poor fool, and is trying to forget
you, since you are not free to listen to him
or to belong to him (Chopin 106).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Chopin
http://www.bl.uk/romantics-andvictorians/articles/gender-roles-in-the-19th-century

Character Analysis

Edna Pontellier
A wife to a husband and a
mother to two kids.
Beautiful
Loves Robert
Has an affair with Robert
She becomes depressed when
Robert left more than one time.
Commits suicide at the end of
the book.
Wants independence

Themes
Love
Edna has a history with love,
between Lonce and Robert
Robert loved Edna, but he
couldnt handle her being with her
wife.

Family
Edna loves her family.
Edna wants her family to be
perfectly happy without her doing in
any part.

Robert Lebrun

He loves Edna, but she already Marriage

Edna isnt really happy about
had a family.
her marriage because of her
Handsome and charming
husbands orders to her.
He left to Mexico so he can
Edna starts to disobey her
leave Edna behind.
husband commands and started to
Sends letters confessing his
make her own decision.
love.
Edna doesnt even want to
wants to marry Edna
marry to man that she loves.

Lonce Pontellier
Perfect husband
Gave his wife, Edna plenty of
money.
Not very polite, he treated
Edna like she was his property.
Since he was a perfect
husband, he expected Edna to be his
perfect wife.

Identity
Edna is tired of people
identifying her, so she wants
independence from it.
Edna comes across the
awakening of her true self.

Motifs and Symbols

Motifs
Music
Edna uses music and
meditations to help her with her art.
Edna finds out about emotive
power of music from Mademoiselle
Reisz.
The Farival twins play their
piano for guests when they come
over.

Children
Ednas children inspired her to
commit suicide. Edna depends on
other people too much, that her
childrens lives will always be affected
by societys thought and opinion of
their mother.

Motifs
Art
Art is a symbol of Edna
expressing herself
Art symbols both freedom and
failure of Edna.

Clothing
In the start of the novel, Edna
is described as fully clothed.
Throughout the story she
slowly removes her clothes. The
symbol is that Edna is shedding off
the rules of her life.

Rubric rating submitted on: 1/13/2016, 9:44:32 AM by jennifer.ghastin@salinasuhsd.org

Plot Overview
Your score: 5

Speaker clearly explains the

setting, characters, and conflict
and leaves the audience with a
cliffhanger.

Missing an essential element

from the plot. Over-explains and
gives away the ending of the
story.

Missing multiple key elements.

Did not present info

Quote Analysis
Your score: 5

Speaker chooses a
quintessential quote from the
novel and clearly explains the
quote's literal and figurative
meaning.

Chooses a decent quote from the

novel and clearly explains either
the quote's literal or figurative
meaning.

Chooses a quote from the novel,

but misinterprets either the
quote's literal or figurative
meaning.

Did not present info

Recommendation
Your score: 5

Speaker gives a detailed and

thoughtful account of why or why
not the novel should be read by
his/ her peers.

Speaker made a
recommendation but did not
explain his/ her rationale.

Speaker did not give a thoughtful

recommendation.

Did not present info

Presentation
Your score: 5

Speaker seems prepared and

presents their book talk in a nice
clear voice. Speaker
demonstrates a professional tone
while presenting and makes eye
contact with the audience.

Speaker seems mostly prepared.

Speaker demonstrates a
professional tone and may need
to increase eye contact and or
volume.

Inappropriate

Did not present info

Title Page
Your score: 5

Title page includes: Title, author,

heading, two essential quotes-all properly formatted.

Title page includes: Title, author,

heading, two essential quotes.

Title page is missing content.

Missing Content

Author/ Context
Your score: 5

Author's bio and historical

context of novel is wellresearched and fully explained.

Author's bio and historical

context of novel is somewhat
researched and explained.

Missing either author's bio or

historical context.

Missing Content

Written Plot
Your score: 5

Plot overview indicates that the

reader had a complete grasp of
the novel's plot.

Plot overview indicates that the

reader had a decent grasp of the
novel's plot.

Plot overview indicates that the

reader has a misunderstanding
of the novel's plot.

Missin Content

Motifs/ Symbols
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughtful

analysis of multiple symbols in
the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple symbols in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few symbols from the novel.

Missing Content

Themes
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughtful

analysis of multiple themes in the
novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple themes in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few themes from the novel.

Missing Content

Characters
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughtful

analysis of multiple characters in
the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple characters in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few characters from the novel.

Missing Content

Comments:
88% B+
Excellent job-- thank you for going first~!
Rubric rating submitted on: 1/13/2016, 9:44:38 AM by jennifer.ghastin@salinasuhsd.org
5

Plot Overview
Your score: 5

Speaker clearly explains the

setting, characters, and conflict
and leaves the auidence with a
cliff hanger.

Missing an essential element

from the plot. Over-explains and
gives away the ending of the
story.

Missing multiple key elements.

Did not present info

Quote Analysis
Your score: 5

Speaker chooses a
quintessential quote from the
novel and clearly explains the
quote's literal and figurative
meaning.

Chooses a decent quote from the

novel and clearly explains either
the quote's literal or figurative
meaning.

Chooses a quote from the novel,

but misinterrupts either the
quote's literal or figurative
meaning.

Did not present info

Recommendation
Your score: 5

Speaker gives a detailed and

thoughtful account of why or why
not the novel should be read by
his/ her peers.

Speaker made a
recommendation but did not
explain his/ her rationale.

Speaker did not give a thoughful

recommendation.

Did not present info

Presentation
Your score: 5

Speaker seems prepared and

presents their book talk in a nice
clear voice. Speaker
demonstrates a professional tone
while presenting and makes eye
contact with the audience.

Speaker seems mostly prepared.

Speaker demonstrates a
professional tone and may need
to increase eye contact and or
volume.

Inapporporaite

Did not present info

Title Page
Your score: 5

Title page includes: Title, author,

heading, two essential quotes-all properly formatted.

Title page includes: Title, author,

heading, two essential quotes.

Title page is missing content.

Missing Content

Author/ Context
Your score: 5

Author's bio and historical

context of novel is wellresearched and fully explained.

Author's bio and historical

context of novel is somewhat
esearched and explained.

Missing either author's bio or

historical context.

Missing Content

Written Plot
Your score: 5

Plot overview indicates that the

reader had a complete grasp of
the novel's plot.

Plot overview indicates that the

reader had a decent grasp of the
novel's plot.

Plot overview indicates that the

reader has a misunderstanding
of the novel's plot.

Missin Content

Motifs/ Symbols
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughful

analysis of multiple symbols in
the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple symbols in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few symbols from the novel.

Missing Content

Themes
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughful

analysis of multiple themes in the
novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple themes in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few themes from the novel.

Missing Content

Characters
Your score: 3

Writer provides a thoughful

analysis of multiple characters in
the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

multiple characters in the novel.

Writer provides an analysis of

few characters from the novel.

Missing Content

Comments:
88% B+
Excellent job-- thank you for going first~!