Reader Response to The Awakening
This story was really intriguing to me. The struggle of Edna to be herself and not what others thought she should be really related to me. The social norms of women today are not really that different, except we can have jobs as long as it doesn’t compromise “the family”. I have always tried to be true to myself and never just do what people wanted me to.
On Grand Isle, her relations with Adele Ratignolle and Robert Lebrun were more intense within the story than her relations with Leonce or their children. In the beginning Adele was what Edna wished she could be, but knew she could never be. AR was very beautiful and had an adoring husband and adored her children. It seemed that without them she would cease to exist. At the end , when Edna leaves Adele’s side she begins to feel sad that Adele will never experience “life’s delirium” . Does this mean that Edna thinks that Adele is not whole because she’s never experienced the inner struggle to find freedom , that she is not sane if she doesn’t question the foundation that her life is based?
Edna’s desperation to be one within herself and not always to be torn becomes relevant when she leaves the family house and moves into the “pigeon house”. This seems to separate “real” self and the illusion of herself in the “real” world. Her relationship with Arobin(she knew people would talk) seemed to isolate her more just as the not returning visits to her callers did.
When Robert comes back into her life she feels somewhat together and anew(reborn). When they professed their love to each other, she is finally free. After she comes back from Adele’s, and finds the note of Robert’s “I love you. Good-by -- because I love you.”, she is suddenly snapped into again with her desperation to be with him leading her emotions. She has nothing to live for and never will again. So why not go where you will never be judged and will be accepted as you are - the ocean.
The vivid descriptions of the ocean: “The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander in abysses of solitude.”, seem to call to Edna’s innerself to release her inhibitions to become free from herself and others. “The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.”, is to me saying that it will accept her and will not judge her. The sea was also a limitless place with no boundaries or rules regulating it. I believe that Edna saw it as a place to seek sanity away from the distractions of the people she cared for.
After reading the hypertext, I do see the clothes symbolism within the story. At the beginning Edna was fully dressed and in the end she is naked. This could symbolize her turning away from the rules of society one by one in order to become true to herself.
When Edna learns to swim, she becomes able to swim within the currents of the water without aid and develops a relationship between her and the calming , alluring sea. I agree that her learning to swim is a symbol of her own self reliance. The concepts of getting in over one’s head and staying afloat are all very true throughout this story.
I love the symbolism of the Ocean throughout the story. I agree its a symbol of freedom and escape for Edna and the thought of it seems to relax and gives her security in doing the things she wants to do. Even when she’s at the city.
The sleep symbolism also appealed to me. That is what alot of people do to escape the monotony of everyday life. With Edna it seems no different. Sleep is a very important defense mechanism throughout this story.It seems it was the only way for Edna to continue living.
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