Chapter XIX Quiz — The Awakening
by Kate Chopin
Comprehension Quiz: Chapter XIX
At the start of Chapter XIX, how does Edna view her earlier outburst of stamping on her wedding ring?
- As a justified act of defiance that she would repeat
- As foolish and childish—a futile expedient she has moved past
- As an accident she deeply regrets
- As a symbolic gesture she is proud of
What weekly social obligation does Edna completely abandon?
- Her Saturday dinners for Léonce’s business associates
- Her Wednesday church attendance
- Her Tuesdays at home for receiving visitors
- Her Friday evening musicales
What was the condition for Mr. Pontellier’s courtesy as a husband?
- That Edna maintain her beauty and social standing
- That Edna meet a certain tacit submissiveness
- That Edna keep the household expenses within budget
- That Edna attend church every Sunday
Which woman does Mr. Pontellier cite as a model wife who pursues art without neglecting home?
- Mademoiselle Reisz
- Madame Lebrun
- Madame Ratignolle
- The lady in black
What does Edna mean when she says "It isn’t on account of painting that I let things go"?
- She is too tired from housework to paint properly
- Her neglect of duties stems from something deeper than her art—her internal awakening
- She is planning to hire a housekeeper so she can paint full-time
- She is angry at Léonce for not buying her better art supplies
According to the narrator, what is actually happening to Edna that Léonce mistakes for mental instability?
- She is becoming depressed from isolation
- She is falling in love with Robert Lebrun
- She is becoming herself and casting aside her fictitious public self
- She is suffering from the heat of the Southern climate
What metaphor does the narrator use for the social persona Edna is shedding?
- A mask worn at a masquerade ball
- A cage that holds a songbird
- A garment worn to appear before the world
- A script performed on a stage
Where is Edna’s atelier located?
- In a rented space downtown near the French Quarter
- In a bright room at the top of the Pontellier house
- In Madame Lebrun’s pension at Grand Isle
- In Mademoiselle Reisz’s apartment
What song does Edna hum while painting, and what does it evoke?
- "La Marseillaise"—it makes her feel patriotic and strong
- "Ah! si tu savais!"—it brings memories of Robert and Grand Isle
- "Solitude"—it reminds her of Mademoiselle Reisz’s piano playing
- A Creole lullaby—it reminds her of her children
What physical effect do Edna’s memories of Grand Isle have on her while she paints?
- She falls asleep at her easel from exhaustion
- A current of desire weakens her hold on the brushes and makes her eyes burn
- She shivers with cold despite the Southern warmth
- Her hands become steady and her painting improves dramatically
What inspires Edna about the housemaid who models for her?
- The housemaid’s face reminds Edna of a Renaissance portrait
- The housemaid’s back and shoulders are molded on classic lines, and her loosened hair becomes an inspiration
- The housemaid tells stories that give Edna ideas for paintings
- The housemaid is skilled at arranging still-life compositions
On her happy days, how does Edna experience the world?
- She focuses intensely on her painting and produces masterworks
- She invites friends over and hosts elaborate parties
- Her whole being seems one with the sunlight, color, and warmth, and she wanders alone to dream
- She writes long letters to Robert describing her feelings
How does Edna perceive the world on her unhappy days?
- She sees beauty everywhere but feels she cannot capture it
- Life appears as a grotesque pandemonium and humanity as worms struggling toward inevitable annihilation
- She feels guilty about neglecting Léonce and the children
- She regrets leaving Grand Isle and wants to return immediately
Comprehension Quiz
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