Edna goes to Madame Lebrun's to find Mademoiselle Reisz's new address so that she can listen to her play piano. Victor tells Edna about Robert's two letters and was disappointed that there was no message for her. Madame Lebrun and Victor remarked about how she looked ravishing and like a different woman.
Edna goes to Mademoiselle Reisz's and she informs her that Robert send her a letter asking questions about Edna, and she asks to read it but is not allowed. Edna tells her that she wants to be an artist and Mademoiselle Reisz tells her that she must have a courageous soul. Edna tells her she has persistence and asks if that counts for anything in art. She gives the Robert's letter to Edna and plays the piano. Edna begins to sob and asks Mademoiselle Reisz if she can come again. She tells her she can come anytime and picks up the damp, crumpled letter off the floor.
Mr.Pontellier goes to see Doctor Mandelet because he is concerned about Edna. The doctor asks if she's been associating with and psuedo-intellectual women and he says that she hasn't been associating with anyone. The Doctor agrees to stop by to see her and says that women are a "peculiar and delicate organism." He also questions if there is another man in the case, but doesn't comment about that.
Edna's father is in town to purchase a wedding gift for his daughter. Edna and her father are not close. Edna takes her father to a soirée musicale but Mr.Pontellier doesn't go. Edna enjoys being around her father, but realizes that her interest may not last long. The doctor has dinner with them but notices nothing.
Edna and her father get into an argument over Edna's refusal to attend her sister's wedding. Mr.Pontellier decides to go for her and Edna's father says, "You are too lenient... Authority, coercion are what is needed. Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife." Edna became more affectionate toward her husband as his departure came closer, but she felt a "radiant peace" when her husband and children were gone.
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1 comment:
Nice Summary. I'm glad you put in where her father says you need to put your foot down with women. I think Chopin has Edna's father a s a character in here for this reason. He is meant to show the reader that even though Edna is not Creole she grew up with a distant self-centered father. Her Awakening is all the more out of the ordinary because of this fact.
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