The Awakening...
Homework: Read through chapter 28 for Tuesday, and use the vocab and questions below from the study guide to help you focus your reading.
CHAPTER XVII
Vocabulary
din – noise
picturesque – visually pleasing
1.
What is the
setting for Chapter Seventeen? How is this a contrast to the previous setting?
2.
How is Léonce
Pontellier’s attitude toward his home similar to his attitude toward his wife?
3.
What is the
purpose of Edna’s Tuesday “at home”? How does this change after she returns
from Grand Isle, and how does this fit into the theme of rebellion?
4.
How does her
husband react to this and other things that happen in the household, such as
his complaints about the cook?
5.
What does Edna do
after Léonce leaves?
6.
What is the
significance of Edna taking off her wedding ring and then putting it back on?
CHAPTER XVIII
Vocabulary
alacrity – cheerful eagerness
animation – liveliness
antagonistic – hostile
commiseration – sympathy
complacency – self-satisfaction
ennui – boredom
extraneous – extra, unnecessary, unconnected
inutility – of no use
1. Edna visits the home of
Adéle Ratignolle in New Orleans. How is the Ratignolle marriage a contrast to
the Pontellier marriage?
2. How does Edna feel about a
marriage such as Adéle’s?
CHAPTER XIX
Vocabulary
atelier – studio
expedients – acts meant to bring about desired effects
insolent – boldly disrespectful
tacit – unspoken but understood
1.
How does Edna
spend most of her time in this section of the book?
2. What is Léonce’s reaction?
.
2.
How does Edna
feel about her painting?
4. Although she is haunted by
memories of Grand Isle, how does she manage to “enjoy” her life?
Chapter XX
Vocabulary
bantered – exchanged amusing remarks
emphatic – forceful
glibly – smoothly
1.
Why does Edna go
to the Lebrun home in New Orleans?
2.
How is this house
described? In what way is this description related to Edna’s desire for Robert?
3. Edna meets Robert’s brother, Victor. How is Victor a kind of exaggeration of
Robert?
.4. What does Edna learn about Robert while she
is there? Why does this depress her?
CHAPTER XXI
Vocabulary
gaiter – shoe
prunella – a strong textile
1.
Describe the
apartment of Mademoiselle Reisz. Her apartment is symbolic of another way of
life, less stifling and confining.
2.
How does
Mademoiselle Reisz react when Edna talks about her painting?
3.
What is the
content of a letter Robert has written to Mademoiselle Reisz?
4.
What is Edna’s
reaction?
5.
What is the attitude of Mademoiselle Reisz at
this time?
CHAPTER XXII
Vocabulary
laurels – past achievements
portly – stout
profusion – a large amount of
pseudo-intellectual – pretending to be but not intellectual
1. How do the actions and
comments of Léonce and Doctor Mandelet illustrate the following
theme: that men cannot
understand women? Cite specific references to the text to support
your answer.
2.What
advice does Doctor Mandelet give Léonce?
3. What does the doctor suspect
but never say to Léonce?
.
CHAPTER XXIII
Vocabulary
coquetted – flirted
murky – gloomy
perambulations – walks
1.
What do Edna and
her father share as a common interest?
2.
How is her
father’s dress and appearance characteristic of him as a person?
3.
How does Adéle treat Edna’s father? What is
Edna’s reaction?
.
4.
What observations
does Doctor Mandelet make when he comes to the Pontellier home to meet Edna’s
father and to observe her?
5.
Describe the
stories told by the following people during the evening: Léonce, the Colonel,
and Edna.
6.
What is the doctor’s reaction to the evening
and to Edna’s story? How is this an
example of foreshadowing?
CHAPTER XXIV
Vocabulary
ardent – passionate
coercion – intimidation
filial – befitting a daughter
1.
What is Edna’s
attitude toward her sister’s wedding? How do her father and Léonce react to
this?
2.
Compare Edna’s
father to Léonce.
3.
What is different
about Edna’s attitude toward Léonce both before and after he leaves for the
wedding?
4.
Why does she act
this way?
5.
Where are Edna’s
children?
6. How does she feel about
being alone?
CHAPTER XXV
Vocabulary
apprised – made aware of
deplored – disliked
infidelity – a breach of loyalty
mellow – to calm
pretext – excuse
remittent – coming at intervals
1.
Who is Alcée
Arobin?
2. How does he feel about his past encounters
with Edna? What is different now?
2.
Describe Edna’s
reaction to the races.
3.
Describe Edna’s
behavior after her evening with Alcée.
4.
How does the
relationship between Edna and Alcée develop?
5.
What thoughts
does Edna have about Robert and about her husband?
6.
Give examples of
Chopin’s use of sensual language in this chapter.
7.
How would readers
in the time period of the novel react to this language.
CHAPTER XXVI
Vocabulary
effulgence – radiance
1.
As their meetings
continue, in what way does Edna allow Alcée to speak to her? Cite a quotation.
2.
Why does Edna
visit Mademoiselle Reisz?
3.
What decision has
Edna made? Why does she decide this?
4.
What does Edna
decide to do before leaving?
5. From his letters to Reisz, what does Edna
learn about Robert’s plans?
6.
What comment does
Mademoiselle Reisz make about Robert, and how does Edna react to her comment?
7.
What does Edna do
for her children and for her husband?
8.
What has Edna not
taken into consideration?
CHAPTER XXVII
Vocabulary
irrelevantly – without connection to the subject
1. What happens in the
developing relationship between Edna and Alcée?
CHAPTER XXVIII
Vocabulary
assailed – overwhelmed
1.
This is the
shortest chapter in the book, less than one page. How does Chopin present the
consummation of Edna and Alcée’s relationship? After the passionate kiss with
Alcée, what does Edna realize about herself?
CHAPTER XXIX
Vocabulary
bade – urged
tabouret – a stool
1.
What does Edna do
in order to carry out her plan to leave Léonce? How does this illustrate the
theme of independence?
2.
When Alcée visits
her that afternoon, how is Edna very much in command of the situation?
3. How does Edna appear as a
different person now?
