A Reader Response to The Awakening I have never read The Awakening before, and these notes constitute a true "first read" and, therefore, cover mainly from my emotional response and thoughts on the style and overall content of the story, I appreciated the language and "texture" of the writing. The subtle characterizations were done well, although the introduction of the characters seemed a little unclear at times. The languid pace of the novel seems to fit the story and the location of the action on some level, but seems at odds with the violent, brash, and turbulent nature of the emotional core of the novel, with Edna trying to connect with herself . I often found myself wanting things to move forward. At times the writing reminded me of Hemingway (of all people) in his description of eating and drinking, small actions that speak volumes about a character, and the frequent use of French or Spanish phrases in the text: "Robert has rolled a cigarette. He smoked cigarettes because he couldn't afford cigars..." (44) "She was hungry again, because the Highcamp dinner, although of excellent quality, had lacked abundance. She rummaged through the pantry and pulled out a slice of Gruyere cheese and a few crackers. She opened a bottle of beer..." (116) "Well, goodbye, a Thursday"...(108) "The sun was low in the west and the breeze was gentle and warm. » (53) But unlike Hemingway, I often had the feeling that Chopin trusted neither her writing, nor the images and metaphors she used, nor the reader to understand her more subtle passages. She often seemed to feel like she had to go back and tell the reader what a certain image or action “really” meant, as if we didn’t understand. It was difficult, especially at first, to identify with Edna. At first, I thought that this woman simply had too much time to think and little to do with her life (which may ultimately be Chopin's point). A woman with so little to really “worry about”, in a context where most of us have daily problems, mainly of a material nature, to occupy our thoughts. Also. her reaction to her children (as well as her husbands) made me feel compassion for them. (This was the first thought that came to mind when Edna entered the ocean. Does finding freedom for our soul mean freedom from our responsibilities?