Preface 1
Introduction 1
Part One Edna's Awakening from an Object to a Subject 3
1.1 Sexual Awakening 7
1.2 Sensuous Awakening 13
1.3 Awakening of Her Passion 23
1.4 Social Awareness 30
Part Two Edna's Awakening From Illusion to Reality 40
2.1 Disillusionment of Romantic Love 43
2.2 Disillusionment of Complete Individuality 50
2.3 A Solitary Soul 58
2.4 The Ending 67
Part Three Factors Contributing to Edna's Awakening 73
3.1 Milieu 73
3.1.1 Her Family 73
3.1.2 The Creole Society 77
3.2 The Female Friends 84
3.2.1 Adèle Ratignolle 84
3.2.2 Mademoiselle Reisz 87
3.3 Male Characters'Function in Edna's Awakening 94
3.3.1 Lèonce Pontellier 94
3.3.2 Robert Lebrun and Alcèe Arobin 96
Conclusion 102
Bibliography 105