In this early example of feminist writing, Edna Pontellier, a young wife and mother, rejects the strict societal confines for women in late 1800s America and expresses a rare and powerful form of freedom. Set in New Orleans at the turn of the century, The Awakening navigates the moral, emotional, and intellectual journey of Edna as she balances self-discovery and her growing independence with married life and societal expectations in late nineteenth-century America. This incredible exploration of femininity, freedom, and sexual desire was rejected upon initial publication in 1899 due to its unorthodox messages regarding social attitudes towards women and motherhood. Now recognised as a feminist masterpiece, Katie Chopin's novella is an important read in modernist American literature. Also featured in this volume are the following short stories by Chopin: Beyond the Bayou Ma'ame Pelagie Desiree's Baby A Respectable Woman The Kiss A Pair of Silk Stockings The Locket A Reflection