Edna Pontillier - The Awakening

Edna Pontillier is quite the character. She has grown and changed throughout this novel tremendously. At the beginning of the novel, she seemed like an obedient wife. A wife shouldn't be considered obedient, but many women were expected of this many years ago. Edna would always do what her husband requested of her, even if it didn't make her happy. Leonce Pontillier got home late one night, woke her up, and basically forced her to check on her children for no reason. The only reason he truly had was so he could control Edna. As the story progresses, Edna becomes a little more independent. She wouldn't give in to all of Leonce's commands. Edna was up late one night and refused to go inside when Leonce asked. He said to her, "This is more than folly." No matter what he said, she always replied with, "No" or "I mean to stay out here" (31). This began to upset Leonce, but Edna was not going to budge until she wanted to. She was proving a point. Then it began to get pretty crazy towards the end of the novel. Edna had no intentions of listening to Leonce about anything and didn't care about what he thought. She was the complete opposite of what she was supposed to be. Edna was talking to a friend one day and said, "Mademoiselle, I am going to move away from my house on Esplanade Street" (79). She didn't want to be with her husband anymore. She wanted someone else. Edna was in love with Robert. So she got her things ready and moved away from her family. Edna turned into a woman with few morals and complete independence. Edna acts and is described as a man in some ways. Chopin said, "She drank the liquor from the glass as a man would have done" (79). She does exactly what she wants to do, and when she wants to do it. 

If I was living in the shoes of Edna, I would most definitely not act this way. Her and her husband have an awful relationship, but that doesn't mean she can completely disrespect him and what he has done for her. She has not only decided to leave him, but she has had an affair with Alcee Arobin and is in love with Robert. If I was her, I would discuss how I was feeling with my husband. Leonce is the type to disagree and not allow it because he is afraid of what people think. But he still deserved more of a warning. If my husband refused to go along with it, then I would leave him. But I would not be having an affair with a man until my relationship with my husband was completely over. She also completly her own children. This is another reason why she should not just up and leave. They have servants taking care of their children, but kids still need the love and support from their parents. These boys will never get that because both of their parents are selfish. Leonce only cares about money, and Edna only cares about living life with no care. I definitley would not have left my children like she did.