Abstract
  This thesis delves into the feminism in Kate Chopin's The Awakening.The Awakeing is a most important piece of fiction about the sexual life of a woman written to date in American.It enlightened the feminist movermnet,daringly reflects the theme of sex,and expresses the awakening of women's sexual consciousness and self-consciousness and their seeking for independent human dignity.However,when first published in 1899,it met with widespread hostile criticism because of its theme.Not only the book was removed from the library shelves in St.Louis ,but also Chopin herself was rejected membership in the St.Louis Fine Art Club becasue of the novel.Fortunately ,it returned to the spot light becasue of the research work carried out by two European schloars so years later.After that ,people began to study the novel from brand new angle,reaffirmed its significant exploration concerning problems of marriage,sex,and reestablished Kate Chopin's status in the history of American Literature.
  The research is conducted on the development of feminist moverment and the background of The Awakening.Then the author analyses the importance of the symbols in the novel to help Chopin expresses the theme of feminism.In light of these ideas,the author proves the idea on the analysis of aspects on the sea,the two kinds of birds,the three men in Edna's life,Edna's final death.Finally ,the author gets the conclusion that The Awakening is a famous piece of fiction about the theme of feminism.