A Deconstructionist Look at Women’s Economic Status in The Awakening.docVIP

A Deconstructionist Look at Women’s Economic Status in The Awakening 　　【Abstract】In the essay a deconstructionist perspective is used to look at Ednas economic status. Edna’s economic independence is gained at the absence of her husband and is within the boundary accepted by men. Despite the fact that she has got incomes and a house of her own， men still can claim ownership of Edna， leaving the convention that women shall depend on men economically intact. 【Key words】The Awakening； economic independence； Deconstructionist A deconstructionist perspective can be used to look at Ednas economic dependence and independence. In a patriarchal community of which Edna is a member， whether she has any income to support herself or the family matters surprisingly little and her attempt to gain economic independence is in vain though she seems， without further contemplation， to have succeeded. For women， the stereotyped and not imagined， to make the meaning more accurate， role for a woman was a wife and “mother woman” （P29）. Women of high social status accordingly should and did stay at home， when money needed， turning to their husbands， who took up all the responsibility for feeding the family， claiming， therefore， the ownership of women. In such a social background， it is not surprising that Edna is introduced to the reader through the eyes of her owner， namely her husband. In a men/women relationship， money gives Mr. Pontellier such power that after the couple have a fierce fight， he simply gives the woman half of the money he has won the night before and successfully reconciles with her. Regarding his wife as property， he， alone， excluding Edna， claims the ownership of the house. Over the house， Edna has no right. But instead， she is not unlike a canary living in this charming house， both the house and herself belonging to the owner， Mr. Pontellier. Of such economic dependence， Edna is soberly aware. As a part of her rebellion against the man-dominated societ