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?

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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?

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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?