No Bad Guys

In general, characters are divided into the two broad groups of the “Good Guys” and the “Bad Guys.” However, The Awakening has no such division. All the characters in this story have some redeeming quality, or are at least not completely terrible. For example, usually when the character of a wife has wondering thoughts it is because the husband is distant, uncaring, or even mistreats her, but that is not the case in this story. Not only does Mrs. Pontellier’s husband, Léonce, seem to be a doting father to their children, but he also cares for Edna very much. This is pointed out by a group of women who “declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world” and Edna is “forced to admit that she knew of none better” (Chopin 7). Even their marriage appears to be a good one. Though they seem settled and not very exciting, they appear to have a strong connection. So, if the husband in the story is a good one, than the wife must be the bad guy, right? Wrong again. Her character is very relatable, which makes it difficult for the reader to dislike her. In that case, the “other man,” Robert Lebrun, must be the bad apple. This assumption is not necessarily true. Yes, he is seducing a married woman, but in the eyes of his own culture, one that is different from Edna’s, it is not a very serious offence. For example, Madame Ratignolle tells Robert “if your attentions to any married woman here were ever offered with any intention of being convincing, you would not be the gentleman we all know you to be” (Chopin 20). What Madame Ratignolle is saying is that the people of his own culture know that he cannot be serious with his interest, but that an outsider might be mistaken. All in all, there seems to be no one completely guilty of being “the bad guy.” To me, this makes the story even better and more realistic.