Most of the novel is focused on Edna’s growing realization that she feels separated from the ideals of the Victorian era and how she manages to escape them by striking out on her own to live as an artist. Although this is an admirable action, she is completely irresponsible in how she goes about it. Even though she has a husband and children, she leaves them as soon as she discovers her passion and does not give any real thought to them after that point in the novel. Even from the beginning of the text though, it is clear that she is not always the most responsible mother. She lets her children wander off with the nanny and does not always heed the signs when they are ill. As the narrator states in one of the important quotes from “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin,“She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart and sometimes forget them” (24). She treats her husband in the same way since as soon as she realizes her dream to live independently, she leaves him without much of a thought. What makes Edna’s character trait of irresponsibility only that (as opposed to purposeful neglect or crassness) is that she sees her quest to discover herself as something of the highest importance. She still wishes to maintain a good relationship, especially with her children, but her trait of irresponsibility does not permit this.
In addition to being irresponsible, Edna is also very childish. These two are different traits because whereas the irresponsibility has to do with her not following through on her obligations to her family, her childishness is more related to her emotional immaturity. She has the habit of letting her emotions get the best of her and they often cloud reality and make her prone to irresponsible behavior. The narrator frequently alludes to Edna’s childishness and in one particular instance, when she was overwhelmed with emotions as Edna begins the process of awakening, when entering the water says she was a, “tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over-confidence” (32). Her childishness, especially in terms of her emotions, is also manifested when she experiences things that evoke great sensory responses in her, such her friend’s piano playing. When she is exposed to something she finds beautiful or illuminating, she lets it take control of her senses and emotions without regard to any consequences. This character trait is thus related to her irresponsibility since oftentimes it is her childish response that prompts her to irrational or irresponsible actions. Like a child, she blindly follows her desires without thinking about what might come next.

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Chicago: Herbert S. Stone & Co., 1899. Print.

Church, Joseph. "An Abuse of Art in Chopin's 'The Awakening'" American Literary Realism 39.1 (2006): 20-23. JSTOR. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.