Awakening, The

First published in 1899, The Awakening was a work of literature well ahead of its time. Edna Pontellier, a prototypical feminist, not only questions the institution of marriage and has sexual desires of her own, but also becomes completely independent of her husband when she chooses to have an affair. This under-taught novel is a great way to introduce your students to feminist theory and show them how far society has come since the start of the twentieth century.