The Awakening and Selected Short Stories

The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin and first published in 1899.

Set in the late 19th century, the story takes place between New Orleans and the southern coast of Louisiana. Edna Pontellier is a woman struggling to reconcile her views on femininity and motherhood, which are increasingly alienated from the social attitudes of the time.

The novel mixes realistic narrative with social commentary which makes it one of the forerunners of modernism. It was also one of the most important novels written by an American woman in the 19th century.

• Beyond the bayou
• Ma'ame pelagie
• Desiree's baby
• A respectable woman
• The kiss
• A pair of silk stockings
• The locket
• A reflection