Chapter III Practice Quiz — The Awakening
by Kate Chopin — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter III
Where does Mr. Pontellier return from at the start of Chapter III?
Klein's hotel, arriving at eleven o'clock at night.
What does Mr. Pontellier do when he arrives home late at night?
He wakes Edna, who is already fast asleep, and talks to her while undressing, sharing gossip and anecdotes from his day.
What items does Mr. Pontellier pile on the bureau from his pockets?
Crumpled bank notes, silver coin, keys, a knife, a handkerchief, and other assorted pocket items.
What had Mr. Pontellier forgotten to bring home for the boys?
Bonbons and peanuts, though he loved the children very much.
What does Mr. Pontellier claim is wrong with Raoul?
He insists Raoul has a high fever and needs looking after, though Edna is quite sure the child is perfectly well.
How does Mr. Pontellier justify his criticism of Edna's parenting?
He argues that childcare is a mother's duty, since he is busy with his brokerage business and cannot be in two places at once.
How does Edna respond after checking on the children and returning to the bedroom?
She sits silently on the edge of the bed and refuses to answer her husband when he questions her.
What contrast does Chopin draw between the Pontelliers at bedtime?
Mr. Pontellier falls asleep in "half a minute" while Edna is "thoroughly awake" and begins to cry, highlighting their emotional asymmetry.
Where does Edna go after her husband falls asleep, and what does she do?
She slips on satin mules and goes out on the porch, where she sits in a wicker chair rocking gently and crying past midnight.
What two sounds break the silence during Edna's midnight porch scene?
The hooting of an owl in a water-oak and the "everlasting voice of the sea" that breaks "like a mournful lullaby upon the night."
Why is Edna crying on the porch?
She cannot explain her tears. Chopin describes an "indescribable oppression" from an unfamiliar part of her consciousness — the first stirring of her awakening.
What is the "indescribable oppression" Edna feels compared to?
Chopin compares it to "a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day" — strange, unfamiliar, and impossible to articulate.
What finally drives Edna back inside from the porch?
The mosquitoes, described as "little stinging, buzzing imps," succeed in dispelling the mood that might have held her in the darkness much longer.
How does Mr. Pontellier depart the next morning, and where is he going?
He takes the rockaway carriage to the steamer at the wharf, returning to his business in New Orleans on Carondelet Street. He will not return until Saturday.
What does Mr. Pontellier give Edna before leaving?
Half of the money he brought from Klein's hotel. She accepts it with satisfaction and plans to buy a wedding present for her Sister Janet.
What arrives for Edna a few days after Mr. Pontellier's departure?
A box of friandises from New Orleans — fine fruits, patés, rare wine, delicious syrups, and bonbons in abundance.
What do the neighboring ladies declare about Mr. Pontellier after receiving his gifts?
They declare him "the best husband in the world," and Edna is "forced to admit that she knew of none better."
What is ironic about the word "forced" in the chapter's final line?
It suggests Edna's agreement is compelled by social pressure rather than genuine conviction, undercutting the praise with dramatic irony.
How does the sleep/waking motif function in Chapter III?
Mr. Pontellier literally awakens Edna from sleep, and by chapter's end she lies awake while he sleeps — mirroring her metaphorical awakening to dissatisfaction.
What theme does Mr. Pontellier's gift-giving represent?
Material wealth substituting for emotional intimacy. His financial generosity earns social approval while masking the emotional neglect in the marriage.
What is Mr. Pontellier's occupation?
He works in brokerage — a stockbroker or commodities broker — on Carondelet Street in New Orleans.
How is Edna described when crying on the porch?
She thrusts her "steaming and wet" face into the bend of her arm, crying uncontrollably, no longer bothering to dry her face, eyes, or arms.