9-11-25 Consider Edna Pontellier’s decision to pursue love and desire beyond her marriage in The Awakening. To what extent do you think the pressures of gender role expectations excuse, or fail to excuse, her affair with another man?

 Every person, regardless of their gender, is expected to be loyal to their partner. Her failure to do so in the story shows she is very much in the wrong. Any excuse is a failed excuse to excuse her actions for cheating on her husband with another man.