How Does Edna Gain From The Restrictions Of Society?

The Awakening by Kate Chopin was at one time considered to be scandalous by many critics in 1899. Chopin uses the character Edna Pontellier to express ideas, that, at that time, were completely oblivious to American society. Edna, a archetypal woman in society, being that she was married with two children, vacationed at a place named Grand Isle during which she began her awakening period with a man named Robert. Over the course of the book, Edna continued to meet influential people such as Adele Ratignolle, Alcee Arobin, and Mademoiselle Reisz, who all continued to spark her desire for independence from the restrictions of society such as her husband and children. Consequently, several incidents occur, such as the ring remaining intact after

Previously, Edna decided to throw a going away party to celebrate her accomplishments of moving into a smaller residence, but the dinner ends in failure due to Edna becoming frantic after hearing a song, and all her guests go home. After returning to her new home, the pigeon house, Edna tells Arobin, “I feel as if I had been wound up to a certain pitch- too tight- and something inside of me had snapped” (Chopin, 101). Edna had presumed the dinner to be a success and show others that she could be independent and live by herself, but after all her guests left due to her outbreak, her spirit was crushed because it had not resulted in a positive outcome. The failure of the dinner showed her that becoming free from the restrictions of society was not as effortless as she had looked forward to, and foreshadows her failure in her future attempts to separate herself from her husband Leonce. Additionally, Wyatt’s essay also contributes to the idea of failure at the dinner when he states, “she behaves in an inappropriate manner at the dinner party when she practically falls apart when Victor sings Robert’s song” (3). Edna could not conceal her emotions when she heard the song, meaning that she had failed in trying to convince the others that she was capable of being independent,

During the process of Adele’s childbirth, Edna’s only thoughts are those of pain and agony, but before she leaves, Adele tells her to think of her children. Once in the open air, Edna begins talking to Doctor Mandelet in which she tells him, “I want to be let alone. Nobody has any right-except the children, perhaps” (Chopin, 120). By saying this, Edna now realizes that she is attached to her children in a way that she can never be totally independent of them. Without being able to separate herself from her children, she has failed to escape all restrictions of society like she desired. Bird adds to this statement in her essay by saying, “Edna finally realizes the commitment and obligation she has to her children “and that children can demand the mother’s life, even if they cannot claim the woman’s soul” (1-2). Insightful to reality, Edna knows that she cannot abandon her children because she has an obligation and commitment to them, nevertheless meaning that she has failed in her mission to become totally independent of them. Adele’s childbirth brought back painful memories, but also made her realize that her children will always be her children, so therefore, she cannot be totally free from the restrictions of