Freedom iin Kate Chopins The Awakening Essay - 757 Words

Finding Freedom in The Awakening In her novel, The Awakening, Kate Chopin shows Edna Pontellier ¹s confrontations with society, her imprisonment in marriage and Edna ¹s exploration of her own sexuality. Chopin also portrays Edna as a rebel, who after her experiences at Grand Isle wants to live a full and a free life and not to follow the rules of society. Edna ¹s life ends in her suicide, but her death does not come as a surprise. Chopin foreshadows Edna ¹s death by the use of nature and Edna ¹s connection to it; also by the use of symbols, especially the symbolic meaning of a bird; and by the use of many different characters in the novel, such as Robert Lebrun, Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Ratignolle. Edna is a very romantic†¦show more content†¦Mademoiselle Reisz tells Edna that people are cruel and if Edna doesn ¹t feel strong enough, she will be like a weakling bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth(533). This conversation foreshadows Edna ¹s lack of strength and her death. As Edna takes her last swim, she sees the bird with a broken wing, falling down to the water(558). Edna feels weak; she falls down into the waters of Grand Isle. When Edna meets Robert Lebrun at Grand Isle, she experiences an awakening from her life-long, stupid dream, as she recalls her life (553). She is ready to give her heart to Robert, but he flees Grand Isle and Edna before he ruins his reputation as a good Creole. Robert knows that the Creole husband is never jealous about the harmless flirting and as a good Creole, Robert cannot go beyond these social boundaries (475). Robert follows the rules of his society; his departure foreshadows his future actions towards Edna. She returns to her pigeon-house and finds that Robert is not waiting for her and the house is empty(556). Robert is gone again. Edna remembers the warning of Mademoiselle Reisz about the cruelty of society. Edna is scared to face the cruelty alone. Edna feels that without Robert by her side she is helpless. Edna doesn ¹t want anyone near her except Robert(557) but he cannot be a good Creole and be with Edna. Even if Robert would be