In part 3 of Chapter 1, in “The Awakening,” Mr. Pontellier’s treatment of Edna reeked of manipulation and disrespect. In that scene, he is upset with her disinterest in his conversations, so he decides to act pettily and inconvenience her. He even uses motherhood to make her feel guilty. As a father, to lie about the sickness of your child simply to annoy your spouse is not only manipulative but also hypocritical. He does not show sane and normal behaviors as a father but repreaches her for her lack of being a “mother woman.” He dismisses her when he explains that he is fine and even uses his profession to insinuate that he “knows better.” What stood out to me most was her reaction after these words were exchanged. She quickly went to check on her son despite knowing the claim was not real and then sat on the bed. I believe she only did this to satisfy him so that he would leave her alone. This signifies that she may be used to this behavior. Moreover, at the beginning of the scene, the author mentions that Mr. Pontellier’s “entrance awoke his wife.” Her physical awakening mirrors the emotional awakening she has from his behavior. Later, she is noted to feel “An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul’s summer day.” This line encapsulates the newfound sense of relaxation in her place in the world. Her state reminded me of Dominique from Girl, Woman, Other. Avristo writes that Dominique asks herself questions such as “why did Nzinga think being in love with her meant she had to give up her independence and submit completely?” Just like Edna, Dominique was on a slow process of being awakened. Both women suffer at the hands of their partners through manipulation. While Mr. Pontellier uses the patriarchy as the foundation of his oppression, Nzinga uses misandry and extreme feminism as the foundation of hers. Another connection I was able to make was to the Bollywood movie Mrs. that released last year. This year, it has been circulating on all social media platforms in the South Asian community. The movie is known for its raw and devastating representation of what it is like to be a housewife in the indian culture. In the movie Risha, a new bride, becomes awakened to the patriarchal oppressive norms in her new family. She is constantly seen working with a dirty sink to signify all of the painfully hard tasks that housewives are made to do but receive no credit for. In the climax of the movie, she sends nine glasses of dirty sink water to the guests out front and then leaves the house. Her character reminds me of Edna and the struggles she faces in the first half of the book. I am hopeful that, like Risha, Edna will find her voice and stand up for herself.
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