Unseen extract 4 - The Awakening - Sample question and extract

Oct 20, 2026

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Unseen extract 4 from Kate Chopin’s The Awakening centers on Edna Pontellier’s dissatisfaction with social expectations surrounding marriage. The scene opens with Mr Pontellier inspecting Edna’s neglected Tuesday custom of receiving lady callers, treating such small matters as meaningful obligations. Their exchange over food, respect, and control culminates in Edna’s solitary evening, where she withdraws, watches the night, and expresses inner rebellion through symbolic gestures, including tearing items and disregarding her wedding ring.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Sample question

Extract

Unseen extract 4: The Awakening The Awakening by Kate Chopin was published in 1899. It tells the story of Edna Pontellier the wife of a New Orleans businessman, who finds herself dissatisfied with her marriage and the limiting lifestyle it offers. In this extract, Mr Pontellieris annoyed to discover that Edna has recently neglected the weekly custom, religiously followed every Tuesday since their marriage six years before, of receiving lady callers at their home. Sample question Examine the view that Chopin presents Edna’s rebellion against society’s expectations of marriage as futile in this extract. Make close reference to the writer’s methods in your response. Extract “Bring the tray with the cards, Joe. I don’t remember who was here.” The boy retired and returned after a moment, bringing the tiny silver tray, which was covered with ladies’ visiting cards. He handed it to Mrs. Pontellier. “Give it to Mr. Pontellier,” she said. Joe offered the tray to Mr. Pontellier, and removed the soup. Mr. Pontellier scanned the names of his wife’s callers, reading some of them aloud, with comments as he read. “‘The Misses Delasidas.’ I worked a big deal in futures for their father this morning; nice girls; it’s time they were getting married.‘Mrs. Belthrop.’ I tell you what it is Edna; you can’t afford to snub Mrs. Belthrop. Why, Belthrop could buy and sell us ten times over. His business is worth a good, round sum to me. You’d better write her a note.‘Mrs. James Highcamp.’ Hugh! the less you have to do with Mrs. Highcamp, the better.‘Madame Laforcé .’ Came all the way from Carrolton, too, poor old soul.‘Miss Wiggs,’‘Mrs. Eleanor Boltons.’” He pushed the cards aside. “Mercy!” exclaimed Edna, who had been fuming.“Why are you taking the thingso seriously and making such a fuss over it?” “I’m not making any fuss over it. But it’s just such seeming trifles that we’ve got to take seriously; such things count.” The fish was scorched. Mr. Pontellier would not touch it. Edna said she did not mind a little scorched taste. The roast was in some way not to his fancy, and he did not like the manner in which the vegetables were served. “It seems to me,” he said,“we spend money enough in this house to procure at least one meal a day which a man could eat and retain his self-respect.” “You used to think the cook was a treasure,” returned Edna, indifferently. “Perhaps she was when she first came; but cooks are only human. They need looking after, like any other class of persons that you employ. Suppose I didn’t look after the clerks in my office, just let them run things their own way; they’d soon make a nice mess of me and my business.” “Where are you going?” asked Edna, seeing that her husband arose from table without having eaten a morsel except a taste of the highly-seasoned soup. “I’m going to get my dinner at the club. Good night.” He went into the hall, took his hat and stick from the stand, and left the house. She was somewhat familiar with such scenes. They had often made her very unhappy. On a few previous occasions she had been completely deprived of any desire to finish her dinner. Sometimes she had gone into the kitchen toadminister a tardy rebuke to the cook. Once she went to her room and studied the cookbook during an entire evening, finally writing out a menu for the week, which left her harassed with a feeling that, after all, she had accomplished no good that was worth the name. But that evening Edna finished her dinner alone, with forced deliberation. Her face was flushed and her eyes flamed with some inward fire that lighted them. After finishing her dinner she went to her room, having instructed the boy to tell any other callers that she was indisposed. It was a large, beautiful room, rich and picturesque in the soft, dim light which the maid had turned low. She went and stood at an open window and looked out upon the deep tangle of the garden below. All the mystery and witchery of the ni

FAQs

What custom does Mr Pontellier discover Edna has recently neglected?

He is annoyed that Edna has neglected the weekly custom of receiving lady callers at their home every Tuesday since their marriage.

How does Mr Pontellier justify taking small things seriously?

He argues that seeming trifles must be taken seriously because such things count, even when Edna challenges the fuss.

What actions does Edna take that show her inner rebellion during the extract?

She finishes dinner alone, goes to her room, tears a handkerchief into ribbons, flings her wedding ring onto the carpet, and tries to crush it, then later takes it back and puts it on again.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo