Theme Of Triumph And Submission In Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening'
Lexie Simpson
Mr. Bowling
AP Prep English 11
24 March 2014
Triumph vs Submission in Edna’s Final Moments
In today’s time self-expression is extremely important to individuals, and various lifestyles are becoming increasingly accepted within society. Although, society has not always been as accepting as shown by certain themes within Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. The fatal ending of the novel reveals the pressure to conform to society’s views as well as Edna’s last expression of freedom which comes in the form of an overall gesture of quitting.
The suicide acknowledges many personality traits of Edna in addition to broadcasting a major theme of human vs self. Throughout the novel Chopin creates events that suggest an unstable Mrs. Pontellier. Often times Edna is full of joy one moment, and extremely …show more content…
Events leading up to the tragedy show an increase of depression within Edna, among these is her resentment of her children. The thing Edna wants most in the world is Robert, but they can never be together because of her marriage to Mr. Pontellier, and her children are a reminder of this fact. Early in the novel the narrator informs that Edna “felt no interest in anything about her. The street, the children, the fruit vender, the flowers growing there under her eyes, were all part and parcel of an alien world which had suddenly become antagonistic” (Chopin 104). Society will never allow Edna to live her perfect life; the awakening within Edna comes with a new realization that freedom comes with a price. The catalyst for Edna’s suicide seems to be the rejection from Robert. As Edna is on the verge of drowning she thinks of Robert’s letter, “Good-by-because I love you” (Chopin 176). Towards the end of the novel Robert begins to transform into everything Edna resents about her husband, again Edna feels alone in the world when one of the few people she connected with falls in line with society’s
Mr. Bowling
AP Prep English 11
24 March 2014
Triumph vs Submission in Edna’s Final Moments
In today’s time self-expression is extremely important to individuals, and various lifestyles are becoming increasingly accepted within society. Although, society has not always been as accepting as shown by certain themes within Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. The fatal ending of the novel reveals the pressure to conform to society’s views as well as Edna’s last expression of freedom which comes in the form of an overall gesture of quitting.
The suicide acknowledges many personality traits of Edna in addition to broadcasting a major theme of human vs self. Throughout the novel Chopin creates events that suggest an unstable Mrs. Pontellier. Often times Edna is full of joy one moment, and extremely …show more content…
Events leading up to the tragedy show an increase of depression within Edna, among these is her resentment of her children. The thing Edna wants most in the world is Robert, but they can never be together because of her marriage to Mr. Pontellier, and her children are a reminder of this fact. Early in the novel the narrator informs that Edna “felt no interest in anything about her. The street, the children, the fruit vender, the flowers growing there under her eyes, were all part and parcel of an alien world which had suddenly become antagonistic” (Chopin 104). Society will never allow Edna to live her perfect life; the awakening within Edna comes with a new realization that freedom comes with a price. The catalyst for Edna’s suicide seems to be the rejection from Robert. As Edna is on the verge of drowning she thinks of Robert’s letter, “Good-by-because I love you” (Chopin 176). Towards the end of the novel Robert begins to transform into everything Edna resents about her husband, again Edna feels alone in the world when one of the few people she connected with falls in line with society’s