Analysis Of The Unbearable Realism By Peter Ramos

Encouraging readers to look at Edna through a different lens, Peter Ramos’ “Unbearable Realism: Freedom, Ethics and Identity in ‘The Awakening.’” writes on Edna’s longing for the achievable identity; pure freedom. He introduces the idea that Edna was struggling to confidently fulfill her social identity and longed for the freedom she was never able to grasp. Ramos believes that given her current struggle for freedom, “Edna's search for such an unrestricted, undefined and, ultimately, impossible state- a freedom from identity- ironically deprives her life of meaning”(147). He believes that through oppression, Edna has lost the ability to grasp the identity that she so badly desires, as if she feels trapped. Ramos claims that Edna’s death is more than just an escape and acknowledges that it is very easy to view her suicide as nothing more than a woman crushed by obstacles, taking the easy way out. He also notes that Edna was a radical character and through her actions she began to slip further into delirium as with the more confidence and freedom she gained, the farther she became secluded into her “fantasies of identity”(149). Ramos claims that Enda’s greatest, fateful flaw was her inability to imagine a successful or even a decent future in the …show more content…
He claims Enda’s imagination is the key to her eventual downfall and after reading this book and essay, I somewhat agree. His point is clear throughout the book and it is apparent Edna was not particularly proper minded. She often daydreams of fantasies that are impossible, such as being alone with Robert as her lover. Edna's thoughts distract her from her inevitable real future, in which she does not see a comfortable place for herself. Ramos creates the perception that Edna is trapped inside her own mind and way of life with no way