The Effects Of Creole Culture In The Awakening By Kate Chopin

The psychological theory of nurture states that an individual’s environment affects who they are. One’s environment includes factors such as early childhood experiences, how they were raised, and the society in which they live. This theory was tested in Albert Bandura’s social learning experiment, in which he demonstrated that people learn by observing others. He did this by showing children can learn aggressive behaviors by observing another person acting aggressively. On the other hand, one has the ability to change these learned behaviors or traits if they choose to. In the novel The Awakening, Kate Chopin demonstrates society’s ability to influence how one is viewed, but if one finds they do not fit the persona they have assumed, they†¦show more content†¦Along with living up to this towering expectation they were presumed to â€Å"live their lives largely homebound, taking care of the cooking, cleaning, and child rearing,† (Sallus) whi ch restricted a woman of this time’s value to what she could do and how she could serve others. Edna says her children’s absence was a relief in a sense because â€Å"It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.† (Chopin 25). This reveals that Edna feels as though she does not fit the role of the mother, nor does she want to. Edna later argues to Madame Ratignolle, the epitome of a motherwoman, that she would give up the unessential for her children, for instance money or even her own life, but she would never sacrifice herself. Madame Ratignolle demonstrates the values of a woman in their society when she replies with: â€Å"... but a woman who would give her life for her children could do no more than that--your Bible tells you so. Im sure I couldnt do more than that.† (Chopin 64). This shows that Edna differs from the women in her society because she places herself above her family and focuses on her own happiness rather than tending to her children and husband’s every last need or want. From even the first few chapters of the novel it is evident that Edna is becoming aware of her concealed wants and desires as she begins to distance herself from the society that she considers herself to be an outsider in. While walking in town EdnaShow MoreRelated Kate Chopin’s The Awakening Essay4153 Words   |  17 PagesKate Chopin’s The Awakening Kate Chopin’s The Awakening should be seen as depicting the discontentment that comes from self-gratification rather than the glorification of delighting in one’s fantasies. Chopin describes the central idea of one who is seeking to please her personal needs and desires and, in the process, neglects to notice how her actions affect others. The protagonist, Edna, is not able to find peace or happiness in the accepted daily life that a woman of her era and socialRead MoreThe Awakening Feminist Analysis1270 Words   |  6 PagesThe influence of culture within society may lead to detrimental outcomes. Oppression is not the intention of society, though through harsh political and social standards one will feel compelled to make brash decisions. Kate Chopin, author of The Awakening, provides feminist criticism of traditional motherhood, marriage, and conformity. Edna Pontellier, the female protagonist within the novel, grows to desire independence and control over her life. Throughout the story, Edna epitomizes a feministRead MoreKate Chopin s The Awakening Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1899, Kate Chopin had published The Awakening, an American literature classic. Set in Victorian Louisiana, Chopin presented a world where woman are often given a limited amount of options in the many difficult choices we face today in life and bounded to a certain status. Stephen Greenblatt proclaims that the â€Å"beliefs and practices that form a given culture function as a pervasive technology of control, a set of limits†¦ to which individuals must conform† as well as that â€Å"literature†¦ has been one