Suicide In Kate Chopin's The Awakening
In the story of “The Awakening”, writer Kate Chopin tells the story of a married young woman thrown into the Creole lifestyle in the 1800s. Twenty-eight years old, Edna Pontellier, was brought down to New Orleans by her husband, Leonce Pontellier, where they wed and quickly had two children. Fulfilling the social norm, Edna takes care of the children and maintaining the household. While fulfilling his own social norms, Leonce is busy working to provide for his family and run a wealthy business. However, as the marriage goes on, Edna realizes how unhappy she is with her life and marriage after meeting Robert, a well-known flirter and guest of Grand Isle. After Edna’s vacation from Grand Isle, the reader sees Edna make very rash decisions and somewhat lose control of her life. One of the biggest characters
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Takes her own life. While back in Grand Isle, Edna goes near the water and has a revelation. She calmly undresses and stands next to the water.
“The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.”
Many readers interpret her suicide in different ways. Some see it has her rebirthing or ‘awakening’ of her life, that she’s free from all attachments and troubles of the world. Others, like myself, interpret her suicide to escape from her own poor decisions. She’s escaping her unhappy marriage, the affairs, and Creole society. All in all, throughout “The Awakening,” Edna learns who she is as a person. By becoming an independent woman who takes risk, she learns she doesn’t need a husband to function throughout society, especially Creole society. From getting into Creole lifestyle, the affairs, and her suicide, I believe Edna was her own biggest influence throughout “The Awakening”. Although, I do believe she learned the repercussion of making risky
Takes her own life. While back in Grand Isle, Edna goes near the water and has a revelation. She calmly undresses and stands next to the water.
“The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.”
Many readers interpret her suicide in different ways. Some see it has her rebirthing or ‘awakening’ of her life, that she’s free from all attachments and troubles of the world. Others, like myself, interpret her suicide to escape from her own poor decisions. She’s escaping her unhappy marriage, the affairs, and Creole society. All in all, throughout “The Awakening,” Edna learns who she is as a person. By becoming an independent woman who takes risk, she learns she doesn’t need a husband to function throughout society, especially Creole society. From getting into Creole lifestyle, the affairs, and her suicide, I believe Edna was her own biggest influence throughout “The Awakening”. Although, I do believe she learned the repercussion of making risky