When reading Chopin’s The Awakening, one specific scene that caught my attention was in chapter nine, when Mademoiselle played “Solitude” on the piano. It made me think of Billie Holiday, even though of course her song came out after the time period of The Awakening. On top of this small connection, I was really intrigued following Edna Pontellier throughout this reading. It was really fascinating seeing her start to break out of her shell as a person, looking at her questioning her wants and needs as a human going into the next reading, it was nice compared to the early chapters when she was practically manipulated into thinking that she was a bad mother, when she was doing just a fine job. I think the music that was featured specifically in chapter nine ties into Edna wanting to discover herself more as a person. Music is so powerful and it can allow you to become so open and vulnerable when you connect with it, I think seeing Edna have this almost spiritual connection powered not only through the guidance and words of other women, but from the music they play and the language it speaks was really beautiful. I’m on TikTok a lot…. but I saw one that said, “music is the first language we all spoke” and I feel like that quote can really tie into Edna and her connections she is making.
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