Summary
The Garden Confession
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Edna finds refuge in a quiet garden café run by an elderly woman, a place so modest it escapes notice from fashionable society. When Robert unexpectedly appears, their careful avoidance finally breaks down. He admits he's been staying away because he loves her but knows she belongs to another man. Edna confronts him about his selfishness in disappearing without explanation, forcing him into an honest conversation he's been dreading. The tension dissolves when Edna kisses him, and Robert confesses he's been fighting his feelings since Grand Isle, even dreaming impossibly of her becoming his wife. But Edna shocks him with a revelation that changes everything: she declares herself no longer one of her husband's possessions to be given away. She chooses where to give herself, and she chooses Robert. Just as they're planning their future together, duty calls - Madame Ratignolle needs her for childbirth. Edna promises to return, leaving Robert to wait. This chapter marks the climax of their relationship, where love finally overcomes social barriers, but also introduces the conflict between personal desires and obligations to others.
Coming Up in Chapter 37
Edna rushes to help her friend through a difficult birth, but the experience will force her to confront uncomfortable truths about the life she's been trying to escape. Meanwhile, Robert waits with a promise that may prove impossible to keep.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
There was a garden out in the suburbs; a small, leafy corner, with a few green tables under the orange trees. An old cat slept all day on the stone step in the sun, and an old _mulatresse_ slept her idle hours away in her chair at the open window, till some one happened to knock on one of the green tables. She had milk and cream cheese to sell, and bread and butter. There was no one who could make such excellent coffee or fry a chicken so golden brown as she. The place was too modest to attract the attention of people of fashion, and so quiet as to have escaped the notice of those in search of pleasure and dissipation. Edna had discovered it accidentally one day when the high-board gate stood ajar. She caught sight of a little green table, blotched with the checkered sunlight that filtered through the quivering leaves overhead. Within she had found the slumbering _mulatresse_, the drowsy cat, and a glass of milk which reminded her of the milk she had tasted in Iberville. She often stopped there during her perambulations; sometimes taking a book with her, and sitting an hour or two under the trees when she found the place deserted. Once or twice she took a quiet dinner there alone, having instructed Celestine beforehand to prepare no dinner at home. It was the last place in the city where she would have expected to meet any one she knew. Still she was not astonished when, as she was partaking of a modest dinner late in the afternoon, looking into an open book, stroking the cat, which had made friends with her—she was not greatly astonished to see Robert come in at the tall garden gate. “I am destined to see you only by accident,” she said, shoving the cat off the chair beside her. He was surprised, ill at ease, almost embarrassed at meeting her thus so unexpectedly. “Do you come here often?” he asked. “I almost live here,” she said. “I used to drop in very often for a cup of Catiche’s good coffee. This is the first time since I came back.” “She’ll bring you a plate, and you will share my dinner. There’s always enough for two—even three.” Edna had intended to be indifferent and as reserved as he when she met him; she had reached the determination by a laborious train of reasoning, incident to one of her despondent moods. But her resolve melted when she saw him before designing Providence had led him into her path. “Why have you kept away from me, Robert?” she asked, closing the book that lay open upon the table. “Why are you so personal, Mrs. Pontellier? Why do you force me to idiotic subterfuges?” he exclaimed with sudden warmth. “I suppose there’s no use telling you I’ve been very busy, or that I’ve been sick, or that I’ve been to see you and not found you at home. Please...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Claiming Your Own Voice
The shift from seeking permission for your life to making declarations about your reality.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify when you've moved from asking permission to claiming ownership of your choices.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you say 'I am' versus 'maybe I could'—practice making one declaration about something that's actually yours to decide.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
mulatresse
A woman of mixed African and European ancestry in 19th century Louisiana. This term reflects the complex racial classifications of the time, especially in New Orleans Creole society.
Modern Usage:
We still see how mixed-race identity creates complex social positioning, though we use different language today.
perambulations
Leisurely walks, especially regular ones taken for pleasure or exercise. For wealthy women like Edna, these walks represented rare moments of independence and solitude.
Modern Usage:
Like taking daily walks to clear your head or going for drives when you need to think.
people of fashion
The wealthy, socially prominent class who set trends and controlled what was considered respectable society. They avoided places that weren't exclusive or prestigious enough.
Modern Usage:
Today's influencers, celebrities, and wealthy elite who only go to trendy, expensive places.
dissipation
Indulgent behavior, partying, or pleasure-seeking activities that were considered morally questionable. Respectable people avoided places associated with such behavior.
Modern Usage:
Like avoiding bars or clubs that have a reputation for being too wild or sketchy.
possessions
Under 19th century marriage laws, wives were legally considered their husband's property, with no independent rights to property, children, or even their own bodies.
Modern Usage:
We still fight against the idea that partners 'own' each other or have automatic rights to sex and control.
propriety
The strict social rules about proper behavior, especially for women. Breaking these rules meant social disgrace and being cut off from respectable society.
Modern Usage:
Like workplace dress codes, social media etiquette, or family expectations about how you should live your life.
Characters in This Chapter
Edna
Protagonist
She finds sanctuary in this humble café and finally confronts Robert about his disappearance. She shocks him by declaring she's no longer her husband's possession and can choose her own path.
Modern Equivalent:
The woman finally ready to leave her marriage and stop letting others control her choices
Robert
Love interest
He's been avoiding Edna because he loves her but thinks she belongs to another man. When confronted, he admits his feelings and dreams of her becoming his wife through proper channels.
Modern Equivalent:
The guy who pulls back from a relationship because 'it's complicated' instead of having honest conversations
the mulatresse
Minor character
The elderly café owner represents a world outside fashionable society where Edna can exist freely. She provides simple comfort without judgment or social expectations.
Modern Equivalent:
The neighborhood diner owner who knows your order and doesn't ask questions about your personal life
Madame Ratignolle
Friend in need
Though not present, her call for help during childbirth interrupts Edna's moment of romantic fulfillment, representing the pull of duty and female solidarity.
Modern Equivalent:
The friend whose crisis always seems to happen at the worst possible moment
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier's possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose."
Context: When Robert says he dreamed of her husband setting her free to marry him
This is Edna's declaration of independence from the legal and social system that treated women as property. She rejects the idea that men decide her fate and claims agency over her own body and choices.
In Today's Words:
I'm not my husband's property that he can give away. I decide who I'm with.
"You have been a very, very foolish boy, wasting your time dreaming of impossible things when you speak of Mr. Pontellier setting me free!"
Context: Responding to Robert's confession about his impossible dreams
Edna calls out Robert's passivity and unrealistic thinking. Instead of taking action or communicating, he's been waiting for her husband to somehow release her, showing he still thinks in terms of male ownership.
In Today's Words:
You've been acting like a child, waiting for my husband to give me permission instead of talking to me like an adult.
"She had resolved never again to belong to another than herself."
Context: Describing Edna's mental state during this pivotal conversation
This captures Edna's fundamental transformation from a woman defined by her relationships to men to someone who claims self-ownership. It's her core realization about personal autonomy.
In Today's Words:
She decided she would never again let someone else control her life.
Thematic Threads
Self-Ownership
In This Chapter
Edna declares she's no longer her husband's possession and chooses where to give herself
Development
Culmination of her gradual awakening—from questioning roles to claiming autonomy
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you stop asking if you can and start saying you will
Love vs. Duty
In This Chapter
Edna must leave Robert just as they commit to each other because Madame Ratignolle needs her
Development
New conflict—personal desires now clash directly with obligations to others
In Your Life:
You face this every time pursuing what you want conflicts with what others need from you
Class Barriers
In This Chapter
They meet in a humble café that fashionable society would never notice
Development
Continues theme of finding authenticity outside social expectations
In Your Life:
You might find your truest connections happen away from where you're 'supposed' to socialize
Honest Communication
In This Chapter
Robert finally admits his feelings and Edna confronts him about his disappearance
Development
Breakthrough from months of avoidance and careful politeness
In Your Life:
You know this pattern when important conversations keep getting postponed until crisis forces honesty
Timing
In This Chapter
Just as Edna and Robert commit to their future, duty calls her away
Development
Introduced here as new obstacle—life's terrible timing
In Your Life:
You've experienced this when breakthrough moments get interrupted by immediate responsibilities
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What changes in Edna's language when she talks to Robert in this chapter compared to their earlier conversations?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Robert initially try to stay away from Edna, and what does this reveal about how he views their relationship?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see people today making declarations about their lives instead of asking for permission?
application • medium - 4
When someone in your life stops asking and starts declaring what they want, how do you typically respond and why?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter suggest about the difference between wanting change and actually claiming it?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice the Declaration
Think of something in your life where you've been asking for permission or waiting for approval instead of simply stating what you need. Write down three versions: first how you usually ask, then how you might negotiate, finally how you could declare it. Notice the difference in your body language as you read each version aloud.
Consider:
- •Pay attention to which version makes you feel most nervous - that's often the most powerful one
- •Consider who in your life might resist your declarations and why
- •Notice whether you're asking for things that are actually your right to choose
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone close to you stopped asking for your approval and started declaring their choices. How did it affect your relationship? What did you learn about yourself from your reaction?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 37: The Burden of Witnessing
The coming pages reveal witnessing others' pain can trigger your own buried trauma, and teach us we sometimes feel obligated to stay in situations that hurt us. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.