Edna Pontellier is Chopin’s chief female supporter in “The Awakening” . The usage of H2O as a dominant symbol in the book will be dissected in this essay. every bit good as Edna’s independency throughout the novel. and how her concluding act of independency and ego individuality is made through H2O. Water is a purgatorial component: it is used in baptisms to extinguish the psyche of immorality. it is used to maintain people alive. it is used to clean. and each of these elements combined adds in Chopin’s novel. and Edna’s self individuality. The human organic structure is made about wholly of H2O. so it is natural that Edna’s inherent aptitudes. and act of independency would affect H2O.
Edna’s concluding act of independency. that of submerging herself. ties into other symbols of H2O in the novel. such as her swimming in the ocean prior to this event. her falling in love. and the clip she spends with her household at the beach all point to love of one sort or another. In order to to the full understand the importance of H2O in the novel nevertheless a expression into Edna’s personality is needed. and what independency means. and what an waking up is to this female supporter. In respects to the relevancy of H2O. Chopin writes. ” Edna had attempted all summer to larn to swim… certain indocile apprehension hung about her when in the H2O. ” ( Chopin Chapter 10. pg27 ) .
The transference of Edna’s fright of ego. and the norms of society she was interrupting is obvious in this quotation mark. Edna’s fright of the H2O ballad within her fright of regulating herself alternatively of being dictated to by her hubby. By extension. the act of Edna’s love coincides with Edna’s credence of H2O. Edna had anxiousnesss about life. inquiries about her matrimony her topographic point in society and H2O was the symbolism of those day-to-day apprehensions.
Edna has limited herself in this preset function as married woman in her husband’s society that she internalizes the fright of submerging in this ‘other’ individuality created by her hubby. that H2O now takes the physical form of that misplaced individuality. Edna’s rousing Begins with Adele Ratignolle. and with this relationship. the anxiousnesss of Edna’s day-to-day life are shucked off. Taking into history upper category values. it was impossible for a adult female to hold physical desire and yearning. Edna’s first attractive force to Adele is physical.
Ironically. sing her determi¬nation to fling the furnishings of her function as a society matron her nuptials ring. her ‘reception day’ . her ‘charming home’ the high point of Edna’s waking up is the dinner party she gives for her 29th birthday. Edna thinks of her matrimony as a error. the text makes it clear that Edna has married her hubby. chiefly because he was fine-looking and differed greatly from other work forces. Taking into history this state of affairs. symbolically. the writer depicts that matrimony and societal category go a prison for Edna which prevents her to obtain equal place and equal rights with work forces.
Edna wants to hold the same rights as work forces have and to be equal with them. She seems to hold believed that work forces and adult females likewise have great trouble accommodating their demand to populate as distinct persons. These conflicting demands prevarication at the centre of the narrative. In amount. the writer depicts that category place had a great influence on every facet of life: economic and societal. Upper categories can be economically independent which means that they can talk their head and it would non be them any¬thing if they offended person.
Chopin depicts development of spirit and will of the female characters. merely as Edna’s life alterations. so does her construct of the sea. “The H2O of the Gulf stretched out before her. glittering with the million visible radiations of the Sun. The voice of the sea is seductive. ne’er discontinuing. whispering. clamouring. mutter. ask foring the psyche to roll n abysms of purdah.
All along the white beach. up and down. there was no living thing in sight. A bird with a broken wing was crushing the air above. staggering. flap. circling disabled down. down to the H2O. ” Chopin Chapter 39. pg. 51-152 The changing function for Edna. as is depicted in “The Awakening” is witnessed through her concluding act of self-destruction. or an act that is wholly contrived by her. and executed by her ; therefore. independency. full independency from anyone. It is H2O that is the accelerator in this instance. and it is H2O which purifies Edna at the terminal of the narrative. and baptizes her into her true ego. and rids her of all of the contrary natures shoved onto her by her hubby and society. Therefore. the symbol of H2O plants in the novel as a device which allows Edna a full individuality.
