Oh boy is my husband upset with me! Surprisingly, for once in my entire life I do not care. I can feel myself changing and I couldn’t be more proud of myself and content with my life. Before this year I did nothing but what would please my family and the rest of society. I basically lived to serve them. I continuously kept these horrid feelings inside which bottled up and caused me to soon reach my breaking point. On Tuesdays are my reception day which is when many people come to call upon me and visit me. I didn’t particularly enjoy this day but I did it week after week because I knew that it was my social responsibility. My husband, Leonce Pontellier, treated me a particular way that made me feel as if I was his property. He said jump and I jumped and then he critiqued me afterwards! Leonce expects me to do what he says and follow his instructions all of the time. Sometimes he is known to not talk very kindly to me but I just took it and didn’t stand up for myself. I did this because once again this is my social and marriage responsibility. I wasn’t happy with my life and was quickly becoming more depressed and tired. I am sure that everyone else couldn’t care less as long as I was doing what was expected of me. But I care. I care immensely.

Now I have decided to change. I no longer want to do what is expected of me but instead what I genuinely want to do. I no longer care to meet my social expectations.”If my husband decided to be rude to me then I would grow insolent. I will no longer take a step backward ever again.” (Chopin, page 95). On Tuesdays, my reception day, I have decided not to wait around all day to be called upon. If I simply wanted to go out for the day on Tuesday then I would go out! (Chopin, page 85). I am becoming more myself every day and boy am I proud! I don’t understand why it is such a big deal that I don’t want to do everything that society wants me to do. We are all different people and enjoy different activities. My husband is beginning to believe that I am “mentally imbalanced” (Chopin, page 96) when in fact I am more myself than ever. He can’t see that I am “becoming more myself and daily casting aside that fictitious self which we assume like a garment with which to appear to the world.” (Chopin, page 96).

Textual Evidence:

• “ When Mr. Pontellier became rude, Edna became insolent. She had resolved never to take another step backward.” (Chopin, page 95).
• “I simply felt like going out, and I went out.” (Chopin, page 85).
• “It sometimes entered Mr. Pontellier’s mind to wonder if his wife were not growing a little unbalanced mentally.” (Chopin, page 96).
• “That is he could not see that she was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world.” (Chopin, page 96).