ABSTRACT

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a classic of women’s writing in American Literature. The work tells the heroine Edna’s pursuit of self-independence, her courage to go out of the family, and her growth from a woman of a traditional family to a new woman with strong feminist consciousness. By learning from the feminism in the novel, we can better understand the pursuit of women’s self-liberation and self-realization. It is very important for the awakening of women. The research mainly explores the feminist ideas implied in The Awakening and the reasons for its development. In the end, the author comes to the conclusion that The Awakening is a good work for Chopin to express her feminism.

Key words: feminist ideas; sense of self; Kate Chopin; awakening

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

  1.1 Introduction to the author-1

  1.2 Introduction to the novel-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

ChapterThree FEMINISM AND THE AWAKENING -5

3.1 The development of feminism-5

3.2 Factors leading to Edna’s feminist ideas-5

3.2.1 The rebellious spirit of the protagonist-5

3.2.2 The influence of the people around the protagonist-6

  3.3 The restriction of the protagonist's feminist ideas-7

Chapter Four KATE CHOPIN AND HER FEMINIST IDEAS-...10

Chapter Five CONCLUSION..14

WORKSCITED15