The Awakening Essay -- Kate Chopin essays research papers

The Awakening is a story full of symbolism and imagery that can cod many different meanings to the many who have rake it. I have read several different theories on Kate Chopins meaning and though some are vastly different, they all seem to make sense. It has been tell that Kate Chopin might have been ambiguous just for this reason. At some point, almost everyone struggles with knowing or not knowing their purpose in life, and in that respectfore it seems, that on some level, most who read the story about Edna Pontellier can relate to her in some way. I believe that those who have theorized about this story, have do so based upon their own struggles with the same issue. To me, life is all about self discovery and what one does upon their self discovery. Each time that I read this story, I can feel the pain and the turmoil that Edna experiences before and after her awakening. The ocean is the center and foundation of this story. The ocean is also part of the scenery and the backg round, without the ocean, there would be no story. Not only is the ocean the center and the foundation, it is also a symbol of many things in this story. To me, the ocean in this story takes on human characteristics in that to me, it symbolizes a seducer or seductress. The ocean also becomes an escape from reality and symbolizes life itself. The ocean is important because it is what helps bring Edna into her awakening and that is good, in the sense that it helps Edna into finding herself. However, the ocean is evil in that it is responsible for Ednas demise. I believe that in the beginning of this story, Edna has not yet discovered who she is or what she really wants out of life. Edna has come to the Grand Isle as a dutiful wife and bring forth who grew up in an oppressive, unloving and un-nurturing home without her mother. Ednas marriage is not a loving one, neither she, nor her husband have an emotional connection to each other. Edna goes about her life as a mother and wife in a mechanical fashion, she doesnt have the mind for it and its obvious that her current position where she wants to be although at first she doesnt see it yet. Edna most likely has never experienced any sort of love or connection with anyone. She doesnt seem to think very super about her husband, father, or sisters. Her love for her children is flighty at best. Its as if shes been locked in a cage m... ...is tragic to me that Edna had to choose suicide however, I dont see Edna as a failure for what she did. I think that Edna was a woman who was ahead of her time, just as some have said Kate Chopin was ahead of hers. The ocean in this story also symbolized life for Edna. Tragically, Edna was not ever afforded the tools necessary to deal with her awakening. Edna was love starved due to her elevation and her marriage, which made it impossible for her to live life as a lonely nonconformist as Madame Reisz had done. Edna was also born into a society where women were not loud to be anyth ing but mothers and wives, which are positions that Edna was intended for. At first, Edna feared the ocean and life as an individual, then she is awakened sexually, spiritually, creatively, and emotionally and throws herself into her discoveries, and she learns to swim in the ocean and the unemployed in her life seems to be filled. However, Edna sees terror and death while swimming and begins to feel the terrors of isolation as she casts off her facade. Edna begins to struggle and fight lifes currents, getting caught within the tumult, she becomes exhausted with it all until she can no longer stay afloat.