The+Awakening-Myths+and+Fairy+Tales

There are many references throughout the novel, but there are no direct allusions to fairy tales or to myths, but there are references to many gods and godesses.

Gulf Spirit- Most directly alluded story that plainly states there is a spirit in the waters that come out during full moons to steal away soul mates or a wifes for themselves.

Fairy Tales:
Because most readers are familiar with most of the plot lines of classic fairy tales, I am not going to summarize them here. Fairy tales that have women as their central characters are usually structured in this manner: a quick summary of their childhood where the reader learns that they are beautiful, good, and protected from the outside world (Cinderella and Snow White are in exile; Sleeping Beauty is in a loving home). In their adolescence a spell is either cast upon them or an old spell takes effect. In most cases the spell leads to sleep, but it may lead to isolation (Cinderella in a kitchen, Rapunzel in a tower, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are cast asleep). The effect of this sleep/isolation is that the woman is kept innocent, so that when the hero arrives and breaks the spell or finds the woman, she is pure (because she is inexperienced) and worthy of love and happiness. Think about what this means for Edna. She is not inexperienced when Robert re-finds her. When men are the heroes of fairy tales the pattern is very different. They are constructed more in keeping with stories of quest. The character faces a series of challenges or tests, completes them, and takes his place in the world. Spells are usually problems to overcome (being turned into a frog or climbing a wall of thorns). Transforming spells separate male centered fairy tales even more from their female counterparts. Two final specific fairy tales are Goldilocks and Snow White. Remember that Goldilocks wandered into the bears home, ate their food, sat in their chairs, and fell asleep in their beds. It is the story of a very active and aggressive little girl, one not afraid of her own desires. In Snow White, the Queen looks in the mirror to see the most fair, and sees a reflection that is not her own.

http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/eng384/myths.htm