The Perfect Villain Essay, Research Paper

Kavita Makadia

Period 6

January 24, 2000

An Awakening

Kate Chopin? s novel The Awakening relates the emotion-driven narrative of Edna Pontellier. Her narrative is a happy 1. Not because of some typical fairy narrative stoping where they all live merrily of all time after, but in that she accomplished her end in life. She ne’er & # 8220 ; sacrificed herself for her children. & # 8221 ; ( p. 115 ) Edna Pontellier remained an person. The music that was brought to her by Mademoiselle Reisz stirred up a deeper significance in Edna & # 8217 ; s life. This is the point at which she feels her new being forming. In the terminal, non merely did she realized that her new life had no topographic point in this universe, but that she would be happier in the sea, where there were no limitations placed on her and the possibilities could be eternal. She achieved her end of being a free spirit through her decease.

Both Robert and Edna are in love with each other, and both know that with the social restraints that a love affair could ne’er be possible. Still with the combination of Mademoiselle Reisz? s music and a newfound love for Robert, Edna starts the & # 8220 ; Awakening. & # 8221 ; An astonishing transmutation takes topographic point in Edna throughout the class of a few months. The people with whom she interacts and the civilization in which she is submersed play a important function in her & # 8220 ; awakening. & # 8221 ; Edna is able to interrupt away from the keeping universe of Adele and Leonce in which she will ne’er happen her topographic point. Stirred by the thaumaturgy and machination of Mademoiselle Reisz & # 8217 ; s universe, she finds the strength to make for that which is existent for her, and she allows her true being to reflect.

To Mrs. Pontellier, & # 8220 ; the kids appeared before her similar adversaries who had overcome her ; who had overpowered her into the psyche? s bondage for the remainder of her days. & # 8221 ; This is the comp

lete antonym of what she wanted her relationship with her kids to be. She was willing to make anything for her kids, except give her ego up for them. Her individualism was preserved during her life by her separations from her household. Edna bought the house around the corner in order to travel and be off from her kids and pigment. Towards the terminal of her life, Edna realizes that she is going consumed by her household. They are taking over her psyche. “But she knew a manner to evade them.” ( p. 115 )

Her actions around her self-destruction greatly typify everything she hopes to accomplish in her life, and eventually found in her decease. As she walked down to the beach for the last clip she put on her bathing suit. When she arrived at the shore, & # 8220 ; she cast the unpleasant, pricking garments from her. & # 8221 ; That symbolized the sloughing of her & # 8220 ; unpleasant & # 8221 ; and & # 8220 ; pricking & # 8221 ; life. & # 8220 ; For the first clip in her life she stood bare in the unfastened air. & # 8221 ; ( p.115 ) She was on her manner to being free. & # 8220 ; She felt like a new-born animal, opening its eyes in a familiar universe that it had ne’er known. & # 8221 ; ( p.115 ) Mrs. Pontellier had ne’er known religious freedom. This was her release from a controlling universe. As she swam towards infinity, Edna idea of a batch of things. She thought of her kids and hubby. She knew so that & # 8220 ; they need non hold thought that they could posses her, organic structure and soul. & # 8221 ; Edna knew that self-destruction was her lone manner of wholly emancipating her psyche.

Edna Pontellier underwent a religious waking up. It was achieved through the eternal physical slumber of decease. In the instance of The Awakening, the rubric itself relates the cardinal thought of the novel. Edna? s religious waking up is important because everything else in the work is working towards that end. Edna can non hold anything she desires in this universe, and hence removed herself from it in a concluding & # 8220 ; rousing & # 8221 ; of her psyche.