The Awakening
The Awakening is a novel by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison, published in 1881. It tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young woman living in New Orleans in the late 19th century. Edna is a wife and mother, but she is not content with her life. She begins to explore her own identity and desires, and she begins to question the traditional roles of women in society. As she struggles to find her place in the world, she must confront the expectations of her family and society. The novel follows Edna's journey of self-discovery and her eventual awakening to her own power and potential.
By Theodosia Pickrering Garrison · First published 1917 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Feminist Literature · 227 words
First lines
When the white dawn comes I shall kneel to welcome it; The dread that darkened on my eyes Shall vanish and be gone. I shall look upon it As the parched on fountains, "Yet it was the blinding night" "That taught the joy of dawn."
When the first bird sings, Oh, I shall hear rejoicing, And all my life shall thrill to it And all my heart draw near. I shall lean to listen Lest a note elude me, "Yet it was the fearsome night" "That taught me how to hear."
When the sun comes up I shall lift my arms to it; The fear of fear shall fall from me As shackles from a slave. I shall run to hail it, Free and unbewildered, "Yet it was the silent night" "That taught me to be brave."
What this Textopian page supports
The Awakening is listed on Textopian as a novel by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Theodosia Pickrering Garrison
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Feminist Literature, Historical Fiction
- Length: 227 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Awakening by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Awakening?
- How does this novel by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realistic Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Realistic Fiction — The Awakening is a realistic fiction novel that follows the story of Edna Pontellier, a woman living in the late 19th century who is struggling to find her place in society and her own identity.
- Romance — The novel follows Edna's romantic relationships with two men, Robert Lebrun and Alcee Arobin, and her exploration of her own sexuality.
- Feminist Literature — The Awakening is considered a feminist novel due to its exploration of gender roles and its criticism of the patriarchal society of the late 19th century.
- Historical Fiction — The novel is set in the late 19th century and is heavily influenced by the historical context of the time period.
Tags
Poetry · bird · blinding · comes · darkened · dawn · draw · dread · eyes · fear · first · fountains