#158. "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

While women have been written about for centuries, they have often been presented as fodder for male authors. They're reduced to the ever elusive muse role where they are more an object than a person. Even the authors who create the most dynamic characters have some shortcoming when it comes to giving women the depth they deserve. It's a big reason that Kate Chopin's short but definitely not slight novel "The Awakening" was perceived as such a revelation upon release. What it lacked in typical romantic drama fare, it more than made up for in deep rooted passion, existing within the subtext of every line as characters searched for happiness in their lives. The results may not be high on showmanship, but those willing to sit with the final passages will find something provocative and lasting within the description. Chopin represented not what women were seen as but what they were.
Throughout the story, Chopin captures characters who don't have the language to fully express their deepest desires. They are often stuck observing a world that wasn't designed for them. The awakening that the title refers to may seem simple by today's standards, but it's a revelation that allows for character growth. Suddenly the wants and needs become so prevalent that their absence feels painful. This commentary was to suggest a desire for rights and equality not offered at the time of its publication. Certain salaciousness is more implied and fodder for thought, but it still produces something akin to empathy for those willing to listen. The ambiguity is something they're afforded because nobody has thought to ask them how they feel. They're not entirely sure they have the answer and are somewhat existential for how little they have to show for their lives on a personal level.

Chopin's ability to paint it all within the realm of realism only helps to enhance the brilliance of the prose. Small moments are borderline fantastical, especially the finale that feels rich with greater symbolism. Even then, the efforts to find happiness are sometimes hopeless, especially without a clear pathway. It's a novel that alludes to a world where the language is clearer and the rights are more available. For now, the awakening is a bit sensuous but also tragic in how it shows that desire can be obtainable but not that it ever will be within their lifetime. Maybe it will take going so against expectations for it to finally take hold. It just depends on what type of sacrifices one wants to give into. The hope for a brighter future isn't easy, but once it's seen who wouldn't want to fight for it?