Mrs. Mallard sits in her chair by the window and contemplates what has just happened and she undergoes a transformation. She has just been set free. She has been released, or in her words "Free, free, free- (page 315 ). Through this unfortunate accident, Mrs. Mallard recognizes that she had only been living for him, and in further years she would only live for herself. This is what made Mrs. Mallard feel free, free from oppression, and free from the burden of society's expectations.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin was considered very shocking when it was first published because of the "sexual awakening" of the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her unconventional behavior (Evans no page). The protagonist, Edna, was probably involved in a conventional marriage, at first. Until she goes on vacation, at the Grade Isle, she doesn't realize that she can be an independent women. There, she starts to have an affair with Robert Lebrun, who she falls in love with. "She begins to realize for the first time, at age 28, that she is an individual- (Evans no page).""Edna looks past the confines of societal roles, and sees her body as part of her identity, not as her identity itself- (Mckoy page 1). Edna starts to defy her husband. She starts to live for herself, neglecting her marriage and children. "Every step she took toward relieving herself of obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual" (Evans no page).
The Storm, another great story written by Kate Chopin expresses yet again the theme of a male dominated society. Calixta, the protagonist, is left home alone while her husband and son go to the store. As they are in the store a terrible storm approaches, and the two decide to wait the storm out in the store. Calixta is at home doing chores, not noticing a storm is approaching. When she realizes that it is, she goes to grab her son's clothes off the porch and sees her friend, Alca©e, who is approaching the porch trying to get out the storm.
