What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'?
The Awakening
30 minutes total
ByKate Chopin
Grade9-10
Time30 minutes
Essential question
What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'?
Marked passage
Passage location
Chapter XXXVI
Start anchor
She leaned over and kissed him—a soft, cool, delicate kiss, whose voluptuous sting penetrated his whole being—then she moved away from him.
End anchor
I should laugh at you both.
Passage focus
Edna rejects the language of possession
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use Robert's language about Mr. Pontellier releasing Edna and her replies rejecting possession or belonging to anyone.
Mark
Underline Robert’s language about Mr. Pontellier setting Edna free. Circle Edna’s replies that reject the idea of being anyone’s possession. Star the line where she separates loving Robert from belonging to him.
Instructional move
Distinguish love from ownership in an argument
Notice
• What assumption about marriage is built into Robert’s idea of being 'set free'? • Why does Edna reject Robert’s language even though she loves him? • What would a relationship without ownership have to look like according to her argument?
Strong answer
Edna objects to the ownership assumption hidden inside the phrase 'set her free.' If her husband has the authority to grant freedom, then she is still being imagined as property; loving Robert does not mean transferring that ownership.
Think
Answer provisionally: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not make the disagreement simply about whether Edna loves Robert. The argument is about who has the authority to define her freedom.
Why this passage
Robert imagines Edna’s freedom as something her husband could grant, which still treats her as property transferred or released by a male owner. Edna objects not to love but to the ownership assumption inside his language.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline Robert’s language about Mr. Pontellier setting Edna free. Circle Edna’s replies that reject the idea of being anyone’s possession. Star the line where she separates loving Robert from belonging to him.
Notice
What assumption about marriage is built into Robert’s idea of being 'set free'? Why does Edna reject Robert’s language even though she loves him? What would a relationship without ownership have to look like according to her argument?
Think
Answer provisionally: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 02 · 9-10 · LESSON 50
The Awakening
Kate Chopin
What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set
her free'?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
Edna rejects the language of possession
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Chapter XXXVI
START
She leaned over and kissed him—a soft, cool, delicate kiss, whose voluptuous sting penetrated his whole being—then she moved away from him.
END
I should laugh at you both.
PASSAGE ID
sec-aw-04
THE MOVE
Distinguish love from ownership in an argument
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Robert imagines Edna’s freedom as something her husband could grant, which still treats her as property transferred or released by a male owner. Edna objects not to love but to the ownership assumption inside his language.
MARK
Underline Robert’s language about Mr. Pontellier setting Edna free. Circle Edna’s replies that reject the idea of being anyone’s possession. Star the line where she separates loving Robert from belonging to him.
page 1
NOTICE
What assumption about marriage is built into Robert’s idea of being 'set free'?
Why does Edna reject Robert’s language even though she loves him?
What would a relationship without ownership have to look like according to her argument?
THINK
Answer provisionally: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set her free'? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Edna objects to the ownership assumption hidden inside the phrase 'set her free.' If her husband has the authority to grant freedom, then she is still being imagined as property; loving Robert does not mean transferring that ownership.
EVIDENCE
Use Robert's language about Mr. Pontellier releasing Edna and her replies rejecting possession or belonging to anyone.
WATCH FOR
Do not make the disagreement simply about whether Edna loves Robert. The argument is about who has the authority to define her freedom.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
The Awakening
Kate Chopin
What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband could 'set
her free'?
START ANCHOR
She leaned over and kissed him—a soft, cool, delicate kiss, whose voluptuous sting penetrated his whole being—then she moved away from him.
END ANCHOR
I should laugh at you both.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline Robert’s language about Mr. Pontellier setting Edna free. Circle Edna’s
replies that reject the idea of being anyone’s possession. Star the line where she separates loving Robert from belonging to him.
2.NOTICE - What assumption about marriage is built into Robert’s idea of being 'set free'? Why
does Edna reject Robert’s language even though she loves him? What would a relationship without ownership have to look like according to her argument?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: What does Edna object to in Robert's idea that her husband
could 'set her free'?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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