Contrasting ideas of Femininity and Masculinity - Gender roles are an important theme in The Awakening arising because of violations of or over-adherence to traditional roles. Edna's society places a great deal of emphasis on women performing a rigid set of requirements, including being perfect wives, doting mothers, and skillful entertainers. Women in The Awakening such as Adele perform their roles perfectly and seem completely fulfilled by it while Edna finds it leaving her empty. Men, too, have a number of expectations, and it is important to look at Leonce and other men in the novella and how they uphold or rebel against the status quo in terms of gendered expectations
Write a Five-page paper. The paper will use textual support and support from other sources of literary criticism to support your thesis. Be sure your thesis is clearly stated. You will adhere to all the requirements of APA formatting.