To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best day and night to make you everybody
else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. E. E. Cummings. In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is fighting this fight. She
must overcome the discrimination and beliefs in her society. Her husband, children, and her old
friends impress these things upon her. Only after she overcomes them can she be herself. The bird
and ocean symbolism helps to convey Chopin’s theme of individuality.
Kate Chopin utilizes the symbol of the ocean to represent Edna’s awakening. During Edna’s first
swim, she gets a feeling of the infinite and unending universe, and then, she realizes that she is in
great danger all by herself (Chopin, 37). “The fear of death, of a threat to the self, clearly reveals
the intensification of self-awareness hat the experience has given her” (Ringe, 583). The ocean is
the turning point in Edna’s life where she realizes her place in the universe and becomes more
stubborn, refusing to be led around by the hand like a child. Not only is the ocean the starting
place of her awakening, but it is also the end of it; Edna eventually takes one last solitary swim
into the depths of the sea to escape society (Chopin, 156). “Since Edna cannot give herself to
anyone, but instead remains aloof from any true relationship with another, she is doomed to
stand completely alone in the universe, a position that is symbolized by… her solitary swim far out
into the emptiness of the Gulf” (Ringe, 587). The ocean is her escape from society and all of its
binds, however, the price of this is her life. In conclusion, the ocean symbolizes Edna’s rebirth and
death.
Chopin chooses to use birds to symbolize Edna and the way that she is overcoming society. Edna
begins to visit Mademoiselle Reiz after her awakening, “When I left her today, she put her arms
around me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my wings were strong, she said, ‘The bird that
would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must strong wings” (Chopin, 112). Reiz
understands how strong Edna will have to be if she is going to overcome prejudice and tradition,
that it will not be easy (Elz, 5). The traditions of her society do not allow for women to have their
own identities, so Edna will have to be able to stand the consequences of her actions. At the end
of the book, Edna sees an interesting sight, “A bird with broken wings was beating the air above,
reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water” (Chopin, 156). Edna is injured in her
soul, by Robert, her children, and Alcee, and cannot survive in-flight” (Elz, 6). Edna’s wings are not
strong enough to overcome the prejudices, resulting in her death. In conclusion, the birds in The
Awakening are used by Kate Chopin to symbolize Edna becoming an individual.
The theme of self-awareness in Chopin’s The Awakening is conveyed by the symbols of the bird
and the sea. The birds represented Edna overcoming the barriers that society places in front of
becoming an individual. Not only does Chopin use birds, but she also uses the sea. The sea is the
point of Edna’s rebirth, the death of her old self, and the birth of her new one. Not only is it the
point of rebirth, but it is also the place that Edna is fully awakened from her old self when she
commits suicide. There is one of two things that one could learn from The Awakening and apply to
lives today. One can either accept the rules of society and be happy, or one could try to transcend
the boundaries and most likely be broken.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you everybody
else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. E. E. Cummings. In the Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier is fighting this fight.
She must overcome the discrimination and beliefs in her society. Her husband, children, and her
old friends impress these things upon her. Only after she overcomes them can she be herself. The
bird and ocean symbolism helps to convey Chopin’s theme of individuality.
Kate Chopin utilizes the symbol of the ocean to represent Edna’s awakening. During Edna’s first
swim, she gets a feeling of the infinite and unending universe, and then, she realizes that she is in
great danger all by herself (Chopin, 37). “The fear of death, of a threat to the self, clearly reveals
the intensification of self-awareness hat the experience has given her” (Ringe, 583). The ocean is
the turning point in Edna’s life where she realizes her place in the universe and becomes more
stubborn, refusing to be led around by the hand like a child. Not only is the ocean the starting
place of her awakening, it is the end of it; Edna eventually takes one last solitary swim into the
depths of the sea to escape society (Chopin, 156). “Since Edna cannot give herself to anyone, but
instead remains aloof from any true relationship with another, she is doomed to stand completely
alone in the universe, a position that is clearly symbolized by… her solitary swim far out into the
emptiness of the Gulf” (Ringe, 587). The ocean is her escape from society and all of its binds,
however the price of this is her life. In conclusion, the ocean symbolizes Edna’s rebirth and death.
Chopin chooses to use birds to symbolize Edna and the way that she is overcoming society. Edna
begins to visit Mademoiselle Reiz after her awakening, “When I left her to-day, she put her arms
around me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my wings were strong, she said, ‘The bird that
would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must strong wings” (Chopin, 112). Reiz
understands how strong Edna will have to be if she is going to overcome prejudice and tradition,
that it will not be easy (Elz, 5). The traditions of her society do not allow for women to have their
own identities, so Edna will have to be able to stand the consequences of her actions. At the end
of the book, Edna sees an interesting sight, “A bird with a broken wings was beating the air above,
reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water” (Chopin, 156). Edna is injured in her
soul, by Robert, her children, and Alcee, and cannot survive in flight” (Elz, 6). Edna’s wings are not
strong enough to overcome the prejudices, resulting in her death. In conclusion, the birds in The
Awakening are used by Kate Chopin to symbolize Edna becoming an individual.
The theme of self-awareness in Chopin’s The Awakening is conveyed by the symbols of the bird
and the sea. The birds represented Edna overcoming the barriers that society places in front of
becoming an individual. Not only does Chopin use birds, but she also uses the sea. The sea is the
point of Edna’s rebirth, the death of her old self and the birth of her new one. Not only is it the
point of rebirth, but it is also the place that Edna is fully awakened from her old self, when she
commits suicide. There is one of two things that one could learn from The Awakening and apply to
lives today. One can either accept the rules of society, and be happy; or one could try to transcend
the boundaries and most likely be broken.
Mr Pontellier expresses displeasure with her eagerness, and her acquaintance, madame
Retignolle, "the epitome of all womanly grace and charm," unwittingly acts as a social pressure.
Edna handles it in her own manner, maturing in stages fueled by bursts of selfishness and
vulnerability. She begins her journey as a lady who submits to her husband out of habit and has no
idea why she feels bad about it, describing her misery as "indescribable oppression that seemed to
emerge in some new area of her consciousness..." Chopin 14 Chopin ( After being dragged out of
her comfort zone at Grand Isle, Edna begins to transform and feel more liberated.