This is my second time reading The Awakening by Kate Chopin but it continues to shock me on how much women are depicted in society and how certain stereotypes of women are still used in today’s society. Our main character of the story, Edna, is seen as a less motherly figure, because she is not seen taking care of her kids every second of every day and wanting a bit of independence from her husband. On the other hand one of her good friends Mrs. Ratignoelle is seen as the typical Motherly figure, worshiping her husband as well as her children, which is what is known during the victorian era.
Connecting these women to how women are treated nowadays. beginning with Mrs. Ratignoelle, although a mother should care for her kids and significant other, it is very stereotypical for a woman to be a stay at home mom just like her and only care for your husband/kids, never truly making a life for yourself, which is still taught nowadays in certain households. The same can be sad for the type of woman that Edna is, many mothers, fathers, and husbands would scorn a woman like edna for wanting to have some indolence since it is so normalized for women to devote their lives to only their kids and husbands. Both of these women have a hard time in victorian society.
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