The main character in this 153-page novel was a married woman with 2 children, Edna Pontellier. Her "awakening" is of a woman growing to discover herself, her highly independent nature, and of course has a sensuous affair with another man, all of which were unheard of in that time.

She reminds me of the person Kate Chopin, the author, was reported to be of herself; although married with 6 children, she was exceptional unconventional and progressive for her time period. Marriage did nothing to prevent her from being so. She dressed unconventionally, took long unchaperoned walks, and smoked cigarettes. Upon her husband's sudden death, she took over the management of the Chopin family plantation in Louisiana and began writing seriously; short stories and two novels.
Now back to our story. Edna, her husband, and two boys are staying in a beach cottage in France. Mr. Pontellier, who the husband is usually referred to, has a brokerage business, and is frequently away working in the city. He is a traditional man of the times, and goes out at night to play pool and comes back late with money he has won. However, he is leaving Edna alone to her male friend, Robert, and to spend most of her days the way she wishes to. Robert does get frequent crushes on women, but the women merely flirt with him and remain married to their husbands in the way one would expect of them. Edna's best friend, Madame Ratignolle is truly the antithesis of Edna, is a devoted wife and protective maternal figure towards her children, and extremely feminine in appearance.
Edna is in no way a victim in this book. Her awakening to her new lifestyle is entirely of her own choosing. She does not need a man to complete her, although men are attracted to her, (more than one), she is strong, and autonomous in her own right. She takes huge risks and defies all of the rules set upon her by her husband and society. She becomes a modern woman.
This novel is beautifully written, and Chopin is a master in creating this, her last novel and writing. chopin was devastated by the harsh criticism that surrounded her novel's publication. That is why she stopped writing, and died 5 years later. If it weren't for women like Kate Chopin, who knows where women would be today. Thank God for all of those who rebelled against all of the conventions. This book might even inspire someone to attain new goals and move ahead in her own path.