In The Awakening, how does the author's choice of words or language reflect the time period in which the novel was written?Can you give any examples?

The diction, which is the author's word choice, is a great
way to understand setting, which is the time and place in which a text
occurs.

Some examples of diction include all of the French
language that is dispersed throughout (no need to cite specific examples, just look
through nearly every page in the text). Because the setting is in Louisiana (New
Orleans) at the turn of the 20th century, the Creole influence is extremely strong.
Remember, the United States purchased Louisiana (Louisiana Purchase) from France in
1803, so the French culture would still very much be
prevalent.

Women, like the state of Louisiana, were very
much socially and matrimonially the property of their husbands. As Edna becomes more and
more "awakened," she becomes a disobedient wife, which Leonce naturally assumes is an
illness that she is developing. Chopin delicately and intricately wear satirical
statements that mock Leonce's general indignation:

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"He could see plainly that she was not herself.
That is, he could not see that she was becoming
herself..."

Chopin emphasizes
the contrast between Edna developing a sense of self through individualism and Leonce's
comprehension that Edna is diseased through her
individualism.

Chopin also acutely criticizes the
male/female relationship by demonstrating that superficial love is one that suffocates,
while true love is one that seeks honor. Leonce immediately turns to the Doctor when
Edna shows signs of seemingly capricious individuality, Alcee persists on an immoral
relationship with Edna even while he senses her ennui; however, Robert, who truly loves
Edna and vice versa states:

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"I love you. Good-by--because I love
you."

Robert is the only to
be truly concerned about Edna's social well-being for her own sake; the other men are
concerned for selfish reasons - Leonce wants to maintain appearances, while Alcee wants
to have physical relations. These bold statements about men and relationships are
actually contrary to the time period, but are pivotal to understanding that a feminism
was beginning to boil beneath the surface.