1. What do you think about the many appearances of gold and silver throughout the text? The woman in black has a gold clasped bible. Victor makes a gold and silver cake at the Grand Isle. Edna's dress and table furnishings become gold under the light at her party. Of course, her wedding ring is gold. How do you think this works with the animal imagery in the text? In particular I'm thinking about Madam Rattignolle's braid being described as a "gold serpent" before her death.
2. Do you agree with the reviewer from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that The Awakening is not a tragedy because Edna lacked the moral courage to be a tragic hero and only "weakly, passively, vainly offended?"
I think I do agree with that second reviewer. Overall, it strikes me as such a sensitive reading of the text.
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