Creative Project- Jay Ousley

For my creative project, I imagined an interview between the main character of Kate Chopin’s novel “The Awakening” and the main character of Diane Wilson’s novel “The Seed Keeper.” I felt that these two characters specifically would have a lot to talk about as they appear to follow similar paths, yet they differ in their outlooks on the paths and their responses to their lives. When reading “The Seed Keeper” Rosalie’s actions reminded me of Edna’s and as I continued to read and saw how Rosalie’s differed, I thought the idea of the two of them sitting down and talking to each other over tea would be an interesting concept. Both of the novels are centralized on feminism and a rejection of the traditional response that a woman “should” have in the situations that these two women are placed into, yet Chopin’s novel focuses more on the rejection of societal norms in her feminism and Wilson’s focuses on the environmental connection in her feminism. I felt that Rosalie explaining her actions and their connection to the environment and her culture would be an interesting concept to introduce to Edna and I think that the comparison of their two characters helps in explaining ecofeminism and its connection to feminism presented in literature. Without further ado, I will commence the interview between these two women.
ROSALIE: “hello, my name is Rosalie Ironwing”
EDNA: “hello, my name is Edna Pontellier, I believe that I would like to go first. Why did you also leave your child?”
ROSALIE: “Thomas, was old enough to live on his own and I felt that I had nothing once John had died. I had to learn myself again”
EDNA: “I did too, I knew that my life was too much. Too boring and drab, I was living for someone else that wasn’t me, so I used my husband’s money and threw an extravagant party. Afterward, I went to my new home where Robert met me and we spent the night together and I knew then that I had felt true freedom.”
ROSALIE: “freedom comes in many forms but do you truly believe that your freedom was real?”
EDNA: “…at the time I thought it so, now I’m not so sure. When Robert left in the middle of the night I felt alone, and in the morning I went to the ocean.”
ROSALIE: “has the ocean always been a source of calm for you?”
EDNA: “no…I can’t swim. It seemed like a fitting end that way though. My life truly felt like it began when I met Robert at a beach, while on vacation with my family. I realized how trivial my life felt, and once I got home I sent my kids away, my husband went off to work and I tried to free myself.”
ROSALIE: “maybe you needed more time with yourself alone, to learn who you are”
EDNA: “…maybe… is that how you did it?”
ROSALIE: “honestly…no, I felt so alone that I went to people. They retaught me who I was and by tending to the land and reconnecting with myself, with my culture, I began to start on my journey to feeling whole again.”
EDNA: “I never knew who I was, I was the second daughter of three with a dead mother and a controlling father. I married my husband to spite my father, but I never truly loved him and I just ended up with my kids”
ROSALIE: “I also ended up with Thomas, we haven’t had the best connection in years, but he’s learning who he is, who we are, and I believe that one day he will understand me.”
EDNA: “maybe one day my kids will understand me too.”
ROSALIE: “they can, but mayhaps you have to understand yourself first.”
EDNA: “maybe. The water is beautiful isn’t it?”
ROSALIE: “it is, does it feel like home now?”
EDNA: “…I think it does…I think- I think that it feels like me”
ROSALIE: “I am glad that you have found yourself”
ENDA: “…I feel as though this conversation has been more productive than I can begin to describe. Thank you, for speaking to me.”
ROSALIE: “Thank you for listening, I hope that you rest well, Ms. Pontillier”