Is Edna finally independent/free/alone (solitude)? Explain
Answer the question using evidence from the text. You many use in class notes and the blog along with your text book. To reduce time spent on typing out quotes, the link below is the full text unabridged version of the novel. Just copy and paste it to your paper. Good luck!
http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/chopinawake/chopin.html
What is independence?
ReplyDelete-- One is independent when one is in control of their life, can take care of themselves, and is not subject to the control of others. (Victoria, Jenny, and Webster's Online Dictionary)
Is Edna independent?
She is being offenive about her independence, instead of just defending it she is fighting for it. She's been oppressed her whole life. She is not dependent on anyone to make her own decisions. She is becoming financially independent. And thus, she is independent of her husband but dependent on men. Society is still there, despite all she worked to avoid her husband. It is built into her society that you lean on the man when you walk... she doesn't know how to stand up straight. She's never been granted with the opportunity. She wants to be independent but she doesn't know how to because of her culture. She's working to become independent but I don't think it's in her power.
We are figuring this out by looking at the way Edna interracts with Robert, Mr. Pontellier, and especially the move of her to the Pigeon House.
Symbols of freedom to Edna:
ReplyDelete- the sea
- birds (mockingbird outside the birdcage)
- moving to the pigeon house
- sending the kids to her mother-in-law
- Mademoiselle Reisz
- Robert (leaving her husband for him)
- breaking habits (leaves church in the middle of the service)
- the image she sees when Mlle. Reisz plays piano (naked man on the beach)
Edna thinks that freedom is about changing the world around her and eliminating the things that have control over her (like her husband, later her children, and the society). It involves no longer caring what other people think about her life and decisions.
When Edna dives into the sea for the last time, it is out of fear to go back that she doesn't turn around. The last thing she wants is to go back to her old life of opression so she goes the only forward direction that she can see how to go, which is death.
Group #3: Solitude/Alone
ReplyDeleteHow does is apply to Edna? Group 3:
Solitude/Alone
What does it mean to Edna? And define it
*Trapped by our relationships w/people. To be truly free you have to/will be lonely. Being alone doesn't always mean freedom.
*Edna can't ever really be alone because she's still got the children, Mr. Pontellier, etc./Edna is never really alone. When Edna is alone it's more of a thought, but she's always thinking about her relationships which really don't make her free.
*She is supporting herself via her mother's inheritance, so still not 100% free/independent because she's not using her own money. (Note it's not money from her father either and she's not using Mr. P's money anymore)
*It kinda seems as if Edna doesn't understand what alone really is and wants to be alone regardless, but isn't sure how to achieve that.
*And is also seems that Edna is alone in her desires because no one really understands what she's feeling as she's going through her awakening--not even Mlle. Reisz isn't 100% on the same page as Edna. But it's almost ironic that Edna gets her solitude but at the same time is finding out that it's not all that she thought it would be or wanted it to be.
How did we come up with this?
Well, we talked to you (Ms. Ahmed) and we were comparing Edna's solitude in the beginning of the novel to her solitude at the end of the novel. And analyzing her feelings during the moments of solitude, as well as her situation and all the things that Edna considers shackling and oppressing her.
Sam, Isaiah, Katie S., Diarra