The Stranger vs the Awakening

In the novel The Stranger the main character Numerals is a male indifferent to society and seems to care about absolutely nothing. Even when his mother dies he is indifferent about it, the only thing he can have any feelings for at all is the nagging heat of the sun at the funeral. He even begins an affair with his mistress Marie the day after the funeral, clearly thinking about sex, which is very important to him. When Marie asks Numerals to marry her he says he could care less either way, which is a blatant sign of careless and emotionless thoughts.

It is not until Numerals is imprisoned and sentenced to death does he begin to realize how much he likes his life. HE tells the reader that he sizes the ocean and craves sex and cigarettes, which is the first time he ever has a want or show of emotion towards anything. The Chaplin offers Numerals freedom and life if he will believe God, but of course Numerals will not give in and go against his beliefs. Just before the machine of society cuts him from existence, Numerals laughs in their face showing strength and victory.

In The Awakening the main character Is Edna who is dissatisfied with her marriage and motherhood. She finds herself as a person and acts on her desire for sex and emotional connection with her newfound love Robert. There Is a gradual disconnection between Edna and her husband as the novel moves forth, yet Edna begins to slowly become more Independent and free willing at the same time. Her desires and blatant rebellion against the rules of society overwhelmingly Isolates her, causing her to give up end her life by suicide.

Considering that Campus Is a male writing about a male character and Chopin Is a female writing about a female character It Is quite an Interesting Idea to pursue that this would affect the way each character handled adversity. Campus’ character Numerals Is very strong and Indifferent to society throughout the novel and does not vive Into society. HIS lack of emotion also developed an Image of strength for the simple fact that nothing affected him, and he was Indifferent to all of society. This Is due to Campus growing up In a society that forces males to hide their emotions to give Off false sense of strength and power.

Throughout Campus’ life he had never claimed to be tied down In marriage having numerous affairs, having never truly assumed faith, as well as living In seclusion before publishing the novel also affected the way the character chose his paths. Numerals seems to be an extremist version of Campus myself, an example Is Merchants ever longing desire for sex and Campus numerous affairs. This also explains to the reader Merchants strength and personal victory through perseverance, which would only be given to a male character through the eyes AT a male autumn. Nonplus Deluge a Tamale writing tout a Tamale contracted most likely has a direct connection with why Edna chose the decision she did at the end of the novel. In the time period Chopin grew up women were not looked at as strong powerful figures that could handle tough situations. Chopin was writing this book after her husband’s death in 1882, when he left her with $12,000 of debts. She tried to run their family plantation and store but she Just could not handle it.

Being raised with this thought and conception of women being weak as well as her hard times faced while writing this novel is exactly why she had Edna commit suicide in the end of the novel. For Edna there was no escaping the problem, as there was no escaping the problem of debt for Chopin. She was either exiled from society or stuck living a life of unhappiness; her solution was to escape by taking the easy way out and killing herself. This action clearly shows the author’s perception that females are not palpable of enduring times of adversity and hardship because she herself wanted to quit deep down on the inside.

After reading both novels is it easy to see which character is stronger in their fight against society? Edna took the easy way out by escaping through suicide, which is society over powering her and essentially winning the battle. Numerals on the other hand was never defeated by society; no matter what they threw at him he stood his ground and kept his beliefs. The ultimate sign of his strength and victory is when he laughs in the face of society essentially saying, “l won, I’m right, you cannot and will not break me. “