In the novels The Awakening and The Color of Purple it is evident that a woman’s ability to follow the rules set by society is crucial for her survive. A wife is supposed to answer all her husband’s need on a moment’s notice. Her whole being is devoted to tending to her family and the house. Edna Pontellier tries to abide by the restraints of reality yet she ultimately fails. Instead of keeping house she tries to only find herself and in these journeys finds herself experiencing several awakenings. Celie is the prefect to her marriage to Albert. Even though she is being mentally and physically abused she follows all the expectations of society and her husband. In The Awakening a major character purpose’s to the novel is to stress the job of a perfect mother-woman. Her name is Adele Pontellier, In The Color Purple, a minor character is also used to show the perfect obedience of a wife and mother. Her name was Catherine. Catherine stayed by her husband till his death and was admired by all. Adele Ratignolle and Catherine represented uniform society is. Celie and Edna show how society has trapped into living a restrained life. Through these restraints the women endured many trials and tribulations. Through their lives all women lost sense of worth, meaning of life and sold their souls to the very thing that caused their spiritual deaths. They could not escape the way society viewed women and as a result paid so dearly in the end.