The Awakening

     For my book club book, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, the main character, Edna, faces societal expectations, and throughout the book, will slowly learn to branch away from them and understand herself independently. What I find so interesting about the story is Edna's husband, who truly is just the worst character in the story.

While I understand that there were different standards back then on how a relationship should work and how the man and wife should act in their roles, I find it difficult to accept Mr. Pontellier as more than just a piece of trash. Not only is he obsessed with the way others view him, but he's quick to point out his wife's errors (which weren't really any mistakes but rather his own controlling mindset finding fault in everyone but himself). An example I'll use is literally in the second chapter of the story. Coming home intoxicated late at night, he wakes up his wife to tell him about his day, which is already a sign of disrespect; the fact that he doesn't let his poor wife sleep in peace at an appropriate time because he wanted to talk just shows his disinterest in her needs. Then, he has the audacity to feel upset at her because she "valued so little his conversation". (Chopin 48). Sir, she is fast asleep. You are coming in at an ungodly hour, drunk mind you, and then you want to act like she is in the wrong. 

 Then, he gaslights her into thinking their child has a fever, which he does not, and thinks that his wife "habitual[ly] neglects the children". (Chopin 48). If we really want to point fingers for neglect though, he fancied going to a gambling club over enjoying an early dinner with his children, so I don't really think he gets to speak. His verbal abuse towards his wife seems justified in his head (which isn't in the slightest surprising), and after berating her, proceeds to fall asleep almost immediately, leaving his wife to deal with her sadness by herself. So, not only does he not really fulfill his roles as his husband properly by bringing her down, he also values gambling over his wife. Who needs "for better or for worse" when there's a ten dollar bill that can be gambled away, am I right?

    Overall, I'm looking forward to the point in the story in which Mrs. Pontellier (Edna) realizes she deserves better and leaves Mr. Pontellier's sorry self.