Full Awakening Novel Study: 11th Grade ELA & AP Lit

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The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a commonly taught text in American high schools. It’s a timeless classic for a reason, and in this post I will share my unit materials with you!

Published in 1899, the themes of this book are definitely still relevant today. I find that it is an ideal text for encouraging awesome class discussions and critical thinking among my students–whether they like Edna or hate her!

The Awakening contains themes of identity, social expectations, and personal freedom. Students follow Edna Pontellier’s journey of self-discovery and her struggle against the gender roles of her time and place. Although this text is deeply tied to its historical context, the themes surrounding the desire for autonomy and self-actualization are timeless, and students get VERY fired up discussing whether or not Edna is making the right choices or is merely selfish!

By studying The Awakening, students gain valuable insights into the larger struggle to be heard, be yourself, and find personal empowerment. Chopin is an expert novelest, and Edna is one of the most memorable protagonists my students meet each year. The novel is rich with internal and external conflicts to explore as a class, and discussions about social pressure, equality, individualism, and what happens when we break society’s rules and norms flow VERY naturally with this book! Students will come to class itching to discuss each day after reading the next 20-30 pages at home!

Although the novel is over 100 years old (published in 1899), its themes are totally applicable to modern life, and this is a great text to prompt students to share their own perspectives as well as try to empathize with Edna’s unique point of view.

Moreover, The Awakening is SO well written. You’ll find tons of symbolism, imagery, and plot devices to discuss with your students. Her prose is poetically rich, and her novel is incredibly emotionally effective, making it a great book to teach as a novel unit because there are so many opportunities to teach literary techniques, character development, and more. Your students will feel like literary analysis pros while adding a wonderful classic to their “I read it” list!

Teacher Note: I would NOT read this novel with younger students, as there are some sexual themes and a (vague, but still) sexual scene/chapter. Take your local norms into account and your students’ age and maturity level before teaching this novel unit!

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How to Teach The Awakening: Literary Devices, Themes, and Reading Skills in High School

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a beautiful novel that invites readers into the restless mind of Edna Pontellier, a woman daring to question the rigid confines of Victorian society. Teaching this novel offers an opportunity to unpack literary devices, analyze Chopin’s authorial choices, and explore timeless themes like identity, freedom, and gender roles. Below, I’ll share how I approach this unit, spotlighting the tools and skills that bring the text to life for students.

Literary Devices: Symbolism, Foils, and Imagery

Chopin’s use of symbolism is a cornerstone of the novel, and it’s one of the first things I get into with students. The sea, for instance, is more than a backdrop—it’s a symbol of freedom, rebirth, and infinite possibility. When Edna learns to swim, it’s not just a physical act; it’s a plunge into self-discovery, an act of agency and control. I encourage students to track this symbol across the text, noticing how it shifts from a seductive whisper in Grand Isle to a final, ambiguous embrace in the novel’s closing scene. Similarly, birds—like the caged parrot squawking in the opening chapter or the broken-winged bird in the end—symbolize Edna’s struggle against confinement. These symbols invite students to dig deeper, asking: What does freedom cost? Can Edna ever truly soar free?

Another device I emphasize is the use of foils. Characters like Adèle Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz aren’t just supporting players—they’re mirrors reflecting Edna’s choices. Adèle, the “mother-woman,” embodies the Victorian ideal: content with her role as wife and mother, nurturing, and happy with her domestic bliss. Mademoiselle Reisz, the solitary artist, represents a stark alternative—unmarried, unapologetic, bold & disagreeable, and fiercely independent. Comparing these women to one another and to Edna helps students see Edna’s internal tug-of-war: Does she belong in the home or out in the world as an independent woman & artist? Chopin’s deliberate pairing of these characters sharpens the novel’s exploration of identity and societal expectation.

Finally, Chopin’s imagery paints Edna’s awakenings with vivid strokes. The lush descriptions of Grand Isle’s sensual landscapes—the “soft, close embrace” of the sea or the “languid breeze”—parallel Edna’s growing awareness of her desires. I ask students to close-read these passages, noting how the sensory details amplify her emotional and physical liberation. It’s a chance to practice annotating for mood and tone, skills that deepen their textual analysis.

Author’s Choices: Defying Convention

Chopin’s choices as an author are as rebellious as Edna herself. Writing in 1899, she dared to center a woman who rejects the sacred roles of wife and mother—a radical move that shocked her contemporaries. In our pre-reading/context readings that we do as part of the intro to the novel unit, I highlight how Chopin blends Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism to craft this narrative. The Romantic streak shines in Edna’s quest for individuality and her communion with nature, like her reveries of childhood meadows. Yet, the Realism grounds us in the gritty details of Creole society, while Naturalism underscores Edna’s inescapable biological fate as a mother. This fusion lets students explore how genre shapes meaning—why does Chopin romanticize Edna’s rebellion only to let it crash against reality?

Her ending choice is another discussion goldmine. Edna’s final swim—stripping naked and surrendering to the sea—can be read as triumph, defeat, or both. Using our study guide/reading questions (found in the unit), I push students to debate: Is this an act of ultimate freedom or a tragic surrender? Chopin’s ambiguity here is intentional, forcing readers to wrestle with the limits of independence in a world controlled by social conventions, traditions, and rules.

Themes: Identity, Freedom, and Gender

The novel’s themes are key to getting kids to enjoy the book, and I frame them as questions: Who gets to define us? What does freedom look like? How do gender roles confine us? Edna’s journey is a battle between her “inner” self—restless, passionate, yearning—and the “outer” self society demands: obedient wife, doting mother, self-effacing and self-sacrificing. This tension drives the theme of identity, and I have students follow along with & discuss Edna’s awakenings—literal (waking from sleep) and figurative (realizing her discontent)—to see how she claims her autonomy step by step.

Freedom is equally central. Edna’s pursuit—whether through art, swimming, or romance—clashes with Victorian norms, as her society was obsessed with propriety and domesticity. It’s a good debate topic to connect this to today: Are we freer now, or do subtle cages persist? Finally, gender roles thread through every chapter. Chopin critiques the men who enforce these norms—Léonce’s entitlement, Robert’s possessive love—while also using women like Adèle, who thrive within them, and Mademoiselle Reisz, who reject them outright. Students love dissecting these dynamics, especially when we tie them to modern debates about the roles society tries to give us and power dynamics.

Reading Skills: Analysis and Connection

Teaching The Awakening is also a great way to hone your students’ key reading skills. Close reading is essential—students dissect symbols and imagery to uncover layers of meaning. Character analysis comes alive as they compare Edna’s evolution with static figures like Léonce or Adèle, using evidence to argue her strength or weakness. This FREE activity is great for character study!

Thematic tracking builds critical thinking—students can trace themes like identity or freedom across chapters, synthesizing how plot and symbols reinforce Chopin’s messages. I also emphasize contextual understanding with the intro reading, linking the Fin de Siècle “New Woman” and “Decadent” ideals to Edna’s rebellion, which sparks discussions about historical versus contemporary struggles.

Ultimately, this unit isn’t just about a novella from 1899—it’s about asking big questions. Is Edna’s defiance heroic or futile? Does society still box us in? By blending literary analysis with personal reflection, students don’t just read The Awakening—they feel its pulse.

Short Stories I Teach as an Intro to Chopin’s Themes, Concerns, & Style

Chopin Short Stories (Packet of Three)
A Respectable Woman (Alternative Story Option)

Unit Links

Suggested Unit Calendar

Chapters 1-8 cover the introduction to the characters and setting at Grand Isle. Chapter 9 is a pivotal chapter showing Edna’s awakening desires. Chapters 10-18 follow Edna’s changing mindset and relationships back in New Orleans. Chapters 19-22 contain Edna’s party and pivotal moments with Robert. Chapters 23-27 depict Edna’s increasing detachment from societal roles. Chapters 28-33 cover Edna’s romance with Robert upon his return. Chapters 34-39 is the dramatic conclusion spanning the final chapters.

12	13	14	15	16
“The Story of an Hour”	“A Pair of Silk Stockings”	“The Storm” (or “A Respectable Woman”)	The Awakening Introduce Cornell Notes	Read 1-2 and do notes in class HW: Finish 1-4 and do notes
19	20	21	22	23
Discuss 1-4 HW: 5-8	Discuss 5-7 HW: 9	Discuss 9 HW: 10-14	Discuss 10-14 HW: 15-18	Discuss 15-18 HW: 19-22
26	27	28	29	30
Discuss 19-22 HW: 23-27	Discuss 23-27 HW: 28-30	Discuss 28-30 HW: 31-33	Discuss 31-33 HW: 34-36	Go over 34-36 HW: Read 37-39
2	3	4	5	6
Review	The Awakening Test	Pick an essay prompt & start planning or outlining	Writing Time	First draft due at the end of class. Final draft due Wednesday

English with Mrs. Lamp

Full Awakening Novel Study: 11th Grade ELA & AP Lit

How to Teach The Awakening: Literary Devices, Themes, and Reading Skills in High School