The sea in The Awakening symbolizes Edna’s independence and freedom. Edna is able to open up to Madame Ratignolle by freely discussing her problems. She can only do this in front of the sea revealing the comfort and empowerment this environment creates for her. She knows the sea will not judge her. “She threw out her arms as if swimming when she walked, beating the tall grass as one strikes out in water” (18). As she throws her arms about, she relives her past and describes her childhood yet she changes the environment from an open field to the sea. She pictures herself as a child walking throw an open field and connects it to the seashore because this is where she finds ease and can start revealing her true self. Also, the sea speaks to Edna’s soul. “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul”(15). By relating to the sea, specifically its tidal movements that appear to be free in motion, yet under the control of the land, Edna finds comfort in the sea. She draws strength from its carefree nature thus helping her discover her individual strength. This allows her to start relying on herself and gains self-power from entering the sea. She grew brave and controlled her body to venture out “where no woman had swum before”(32).
"How still it was, with only the voice of the sea whispering through the reeds..." (42)
After swimming for the first time by herself Edna's Awakening is growing. Mr. Ponetllier, when he comes home from the beach to still find her in the hammock at one in the morning. He tells her to come inside and go to bed repeatedly. Which stirs feelings of defiance in Edna. She tells him to "go to bed...I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you" (37)
In class Ms. Ahmed and a few others compared this defiance to Edna turning into the 'man'--not being the typical woman of the times who does as shes told, especially from her husband.
And when sailing across the sea to go church Edna feels free. As if she's in control and can do what she wants for once. A feeling that keeps growing.
Also, much like Tesnime said above, the Sea does speak to Edna. It like a siren call to her--both luring and ominous because listening to a sirens call always leads to death. (Foreshadowing) But at the same time, Edna still has a slight fear of the sea and how easy it is to die.
It's raining after Alcee comes to visit after writing his elaborate apology note. She needs to get out and go see Mlle. Reisz to calm herself down, and when she leaves she gets drenched in the rain. It's sort of a cleansing thing, calming and cool. And even though she's all wet and cold, Mlle. Reisz exclaims that she's bringing in light like the sun. In this case, she gets to experience the water, the rain, and it calms her. And when she leaves Mlle. Reisz's house, the rain "seemed bracing and invigorating as she splashed through the streets on the way home" (96). At the dinner party, the drinks, inspired by her dad, are beautiful and they all get drunk. The liquid is freeing and lovely.
Edna doesn't encounter the sea in these chapters. However, she does encounter many liquids, which we can take to represent the sea. When Edna impulsively visits her children she feels free enough in other parts of her life (living in the Pigeon House, for example) to "[weep] for very pleasure,"(111) of seeing them. She feels free enough to let her emotions be free.
When Edna's sons show her around their grandmother's estate she "catches fish from the back lake," (112) with them. She is free to throw off the expectations of what a housewife might do and instead, do what she wants. She spends time outdoors with her sons- what proper mothers actually does that?
Alcohol, too, represents freedom - in a different way. Rather than abstractly representing freedom, the consumption of alcohol frees the person consuming it. When Edna sends over champagne to Mme. Ratignolle's house (113), because she missed the dinner party, she might be attempting to extend the same freedoms. At the same time, even when under the influence of alcohol, the other character at the dinner party manage to for the most part stay within their societal boundaries. It may be that alcohol will only encourage the inclination to seek freedom, not plant the notion in the first place.
While Edna is sitting in Mlle. Reisz's house, waiting for her to arrive, she notes that "the breeze which blew from the river was very pleasant," (114). Immediately backwards, Robert shows up at the apartment. If we understand water to represent Edna's freedom, a clear parallel is being made between Robert and the breeze off the the river. He both brings the freedom to her when she cannot be immersed in it herself, and is a product of it.
The sea has a HUGE impact in the end of the novel. Edna walks home from Madam Ratignolle’s house hoping to find Robert waiting for her. When she enters her home, no one is around but she finds a note from Robert, “Good-by – because I love you”(133) it read. After getting over the initial shock of the situation, she decides to take a trip to the beach.
The beach has always been a place that called out to Edna, a place were she felt free, independent, and comfortable. Edna visits the beach to find herself again, or that is what I thought when I first read she was at the sea. But after reading some more I realized that there was something wrong with her, she didn’t care about anything around her. Edna finally recognizes the sea as a place of strength, and pride but also a thing that is always alone. She notices how lonely the beach was, the immense shore, the crashing waves, all the sea has is itself, and Edna finally understands that if she continues living her life as she has she will be alone. Her husband is giving her space, Robert is leaving her because he understands it won’t be socially acceptable to be with her, Ms. Reisz has some doubts of her strength, the children aren’t around, and she is completely alone.
When Edna undresses and walks into the sea naked “the foamy wavelets curled up to her white feet, and coiled like serpents about her ankles”(136). The sea is welcoming her, as if she is a part of it. “The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace”(137). The sea understands Edna, all her heartaches, and her troubles, and is trying to engulf her in its arm. The sea is protecting Edna from the outside world, and talking her in. After swimming far out into the sea “exhaustion was pressing upon and over-powering her”(137). She is finally giving up, giving up on life, her children, her husband, Robert, her friends, she is tired of acting strong and independent. “She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again”(137). The sea, the only thing that fully understood her, and took care of her, never judging is what finally took her life away. Edna ended her own life in the sea, fully making her one with the sea.
Here, the biggest way the sea motif occurs is the comparison between the way Edna feels when she is painting and the way she felt at the sea... "It moved her with recolections. She could hear again the ripple of the water, the flapping sail" (Chopin 68). We know by this point that water is something seductive to her, unknown and definitely a symbol for her awakening.
I think this comparison is super important because it shows again her awakening but through a different medium than water. What's interesting is that Mr. Pontellier uses Ratignolle as an example of an artist who still has time for her family ( or just still adheres to the following of social expectations) but he seems to be overlooking that the greatest artist Edna knows is Mademoiselle Reisz, who is so far different from someone who follows the norm.
Basically, it is clear that through painting, Edna is having an awakening like when she learned to swim. What is happening is she is developing her own skills that are things she enjoys. It is very validating to her sense of self when she has talents and passions. And when she's developing her person like this, it helps her be an independent and thoughtful person, not just a puppet like when she was asleep, when she didn't know how to swim.
chapters 26-30 There is very little mention of the sea, or even water in these five chapters. The only real references to it are when she is remembering Robert and their time together by the sea. The fact that the sea is so intertwined with her thoughts of Robert show that he, as well as water, symbolizes freedom and rebirth to her.
The sea in The Awakening symbolizes Edna’s independence and freedom. Edna is able to open up to Madame Ratignolle by freely discussing her problems. She can only do this in front of the sea revealing the comfort and empowerment this environment creates for her. She knows the sea will not judge her. “She threw out her arms as if swimming when she walked, beating the tall grass as one strikes out in water” (18). As she throws her arms about, she relives her past and describes her childhood yet she changes the environment from an open field to the sea. She pictures herself as a child walking throw an open field and connects it to the seashore because this is where she finds ease and can start revealing her true self.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the sea speaks to Edna’s soul. “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul”(15). By relating to the sea, specifically its tidal movements that appear to be free in motion, yet under the control of the land, Edna finds comfort in the sea. She draws strength from its carefree nature thus helping her discover her individual strength. This allows her to start relying on herself and gains self-power from entering the sea. She grew brave and controlled her body to venture out “where no woman had swum before”(32).
-Tesnime Selmane
Ch. 11 - 15
ReplyDelete"How still it was, with only the voice of the sea whispering through the reeds..." (42)
After swimming for the first time by herself Edna's Awakening is growing. Mr. Ponetllier, when he comes home from the beach to still find her in the hammock at one in the morning. He tells her to come inside and go to bed repeatedly. Which stirs feelings of defiance in Edna. She tells him to "go to bed...I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you" (37)
In class Ms. Ahmed and a few others compared this defiance to Edna turning into the 'man'--not being the typical woman of the times who does as shes told, especially from her husband.
And when sailing across the sea to go church Edna feels free. As if she's in control and can do what she wants for once. A feeling that keeps growing.
Also, much like Tesnime said above, the Sea does speak to Edna. It like a siren call to her--both luring and ominous because listening to a sirens call always leads to death. (Foreshadowing) But at the same time, Edna still has a slight fear of the sea and how easy it is to die.
chapters 26-30
ReplyDeleteIt's raining after Alcee comes to visit after writing his elaborate apology note. She needs to get out and go see Mlle. Reisz to calm herself down, and when she leaves she gets drenched in the rain. It's sort of a cleansing thing, calming and cool. And even though she's all wet and cold, Mlle. Reisz exclaims that she's bringing in light like the sun. In this case, she gets to experience the water, the rain, and it calms her. And when she leaves Mlle. Reisz's house, the rain "seemed bracing and invigorating as she splashed through the streets on the way home" (96).
At the dinner party, the drinks, inspired by her dad, are beautiful and they all get drunk. The liquid is freeing and lovely.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKatie Strode
ReplyDeleteChapters 31-34
Edna doesn't encounter the sea in these chapters. However, she does encounter many liquids, which we can take to represent the sea. When Edna impulsively visits her children she feels free enough in other parts of her life (living in the Pigeon House, for example) to "[weep] for very pleasure,"(111) of seeing them. She feels free enough to let her emotions be free.
When Edna's sons show her around their grandmother's estate she "catches fish from the back lake," (112) with them. She is free to throw off the expectations of what a housewife might do and instead, do what she wants. She spends time outdoors with her sons- what proper mothers actually does that?
Alcohol, too, represents freedom - in a different way. Rather than abstractly representing freedom, the consumption of alcohol frees the person consuming it. When Edna sends over champagne to Mme. Ratignolle's house (113), because she missed the dinner party, she might be attempting to extend the same freedoms. At the same time, even when under the influence of alcohol, the other character at the dinner party manage to for the most part stay within their societal boundaries. It may be that alcohol will only encourage the inclination to seek freedom, not plant the notion in the first place.
While Edna is sitting in Mlle. Reisz's house, waiting for her to arrive, she notes that "the breeze which blew from the river was very pleasant," (114). Immediately backwards, Robert shows up at the apartment. If we understand water to represent Edna's freedom, a clear parallel is being made between Robert and the breeze off the the river. He both brings the freedom to her when she cannot be immersed in it herself, and is a product of it.
KATIE STRODE
Chapter 35-39
ReplyDeleteThe sea has a HUGE impact in the end of the novel. Edna walks home from Madam Ratignolle’s house hoping to find Robert waiting for her. When she enters her home, no one is around but she finds a note from Robert, “Good-by – because I love you”(133) it read. After getting over the initial shock of the situation, she decides to take a trip to the beach.
The beach has always been a place that called out to Edna, a place were she felt free, independent, and comfortable. Edna visits the beach to find herself again, or that is what I thought when I first read she was at the sea. But after reading some more I realized that there was something wrong with her, she didn’t care about anything around her. Edna finally recognizes the sea as a place of strength, and pride but also a thing that is always alone. She notices how lonely the beach was, the immense shore, the crashing waves, all the sea has is itself, and Edna finally understands that if she continues living her life as she has she will be alone. Her husband is giving her space, Robert is leaving her because he understands it won’t be socially acceptable to be with her, Ms. Reisz has some doubts of her strength, the children aren’t around, and she is completely alone.
When Edna undresses and walks into the sea naked “the foamy wavelets curled up to her white feet, and coiled like serpents about her ankles”(136). The sea is welcoming her, as if she is a part of it. “The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace”(137). The sea understands Edna, all her heartaches, and her troubles, and is trying to engulf her in its arm. The sea is protecting Edna from the outside world, and talking her in. After swimming far out into the sea “exhaustion was pressing upon and over-powering her”(137). She is finally giving up, giving up on life, her children, her husband, Robert, her friends, she is tired of acting strong and independent. “She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again”(137). The sea, the only thing that fully understood her, and took care of her, never judging is what finally took her life away. Edna ended her own life in the sea, fully making her one with the sea.
Tesnime Selmane
Chapters 16-20
ReplyDeleteHere, the biggest way the sea motif occurs is the comparison between the way Edna feels when she is painting and the way she felt at the sea... "It moved her with recolections. She could hear again the ripple of the water, the flapping sail" (Chopin 68). We know by this point that water is something seductive to her, unknown and definitely a symbol for her awakening.
I think this comparison is super important because it shows again her awakening but through a different medium than water. What's interesting is that Mr. Pontellier uses Ratignolle as an example of an artist who still has time for her family ( or just still adheres to the following of social expectations) but he seems to be overlooking that the greatest artist Edna knows is Mademoiselle Reisz, who is so far different from someone who follows the norm.
Basically, it is clear that through painting, Edna is having an awakening like when she learned to swim. What is happening is she is developing her own skills that are things she enjoys. It is very validating to her sense of self when she has talents and passions. And when she's developing her person like this, it helps her be an independent and thoughtful person, not just a puppet like when she was asleep, when she didn't know how to swim.
chapters 26-30
ReplyDeleteThere is very little mention of the sea, or even water in these five chapters. The only real references to it are when she is remembering Robert and their time together by the sea. The fact that the sea is so intertwined with her thoughts of Robert show that he, as well as water, symbolizes freedom and rebirth to her.