Vocab and Awakening

Today was the vocab test and judging by some of the scores make sure that you are continually studying your words. After the test we talked about the novel. We will have the formal discussion on Tuesday for the first part of the book but I wanted to be able to explain some stuff. Of course I only got through a small portion of what I wanted to point out so I'm going to attach the rest of my notes.
Upcoming: Finish the through chapter 30 for Monday.


Awakening Notes
Leonce 40; Edna 28; Robert 26

Edna:
First intro. of Edna is as “his wife” who he looks at like “a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage” (24)
Edna’s crying—sparked by Leonce p. 27 can’t figure out why she is upset—acknowledges Leonce as kind and devoted
Edna first stands up to Leonce after swimming
Pursues Robert “she leaned over and kissed him” p. 130

Leonce:
Leonce feeling “uncomfortable…eternal rights of women…” p.88
Stops receiving people p. 73 worried about what people will think
Leonce’s reaction to Edna moving out “what people would say” “thinking of his financial integrity” p. 116
Leonce’s parenting—provides bonbons, wakes them at night

Mother-woman—“idolized children, worshiped husbands, effaced themselves as individuals” p.29 beauty, kindness (Adele)

Artist—“courageous soul that dares and defies” p. 86 ugly, rude, alone (Reisz—“extremely disagreeable and unpleasant” p.106)

Children
Birth every two years
Birth control, catholics
“Never sacrifice self for children” give up life but not self p. 69
Adele birth scene p. 133—scandolous for the time; impact on Edna

Minorities—almost invisible
Quadroons—cares for children, servants, black girl p. 43
Mariequita—Spanish, exotic, sexual “saucy, making eyes at Robert and mouths at Beauelet”
Mexicans p.64 “treacherous, unscrupulous and revengeful”
Darkies

Birds— parrot in a cage (exotic, uncommon) speaking a “language which nobody understood” (22), mother-woman p.29, song p. 47 pigeon house p. 108

Takes place in New Orleans fairly “open” society—
“freedom of expression”
very different from Edna’s Mississippi plantation and Kentucky upbringing
Runs away from her father’s prayers p. 38
No affection from sisters, lost her mother young
“coerced his wife into her grave” p. 94

Sea—seductive, awakens Edna, learning to swim “wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” p. 49

Narrator opinion shift—end of chapter six “how few of us ever emerge” p. 35

Music—moves Edna p.47, brings tears and pictures (birds, solitude)

Insanity—“Mr. Pontellier to wonder if his wife were not growing a little unbalanced mentally” p. 79

Alcee views her as a “sleek animal waking up in the sun” animal = sexual

Dinner scene p. 109 (Remember what I said about eating scenes)