Themes and symbols often complement each other and help readers connect plot lines in novels. In The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, there is a theme of solitude and independence giving way to a deeper understanding of one’s self. The reader is introduced to Edna Pontellier, who embodies this theme by seeking her own freedom and independence in the sea. Water is a symbol that is seen throughout the book, too. It represents rebirth, cleansing, or even death. In The Awakening, Chopin ties theme and symbols together through Edna’s search for solitude and her awakening; this ultimately leads to Edna’s death in the sea.
One of the most prevalent themes in The Awakening is that solitude and independence give way to a deeper understanding of one’s …show more content…
It took her the entire summer to learn how to swim, but nevertheless, she persisted, and when she finally learned to swim she had control of her own strength. This control of her own body made Edna “want to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” (Chopin 71). Edna, quite literally, swims far out at the end of the novel and ultimately achieves total independence and solitude in death. This phrase could also be interpreted with a deeper meaning in regards to women’s rights. Edna wanted to challenge the social perceptions of women at the time so that she could have greater independence over her life; she would also have solitude of thought, because many people did not believe in women’s rights at this time in …show more content…
It is through water that Edna begins and ends her own awakening, signifying the symbolic nature of water. As mentioned before, Edna learns how to swim and achieves greater control over her own strength. Edna seems to derive power from the water, as it is described “she plunged and swam about with an abandon that thrilled and invigorated her” (Chopin 126). Chopin personifies water saying, “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” (Chopin 34). The ocean seemed to call to Edna, convincing her to get lost in its abyss, and she answered that call every time she went for a swim; ultimately this call leads to her eternal abyss in death. Chopin later says that “the touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace” (Chopin 34), and this could give an explanation as to why Edna feels such a closeness to the sea- it gives her the emotional freedom that she longs for, while still enveloping her in its
One of the most prevalent themes in The Awakening is that solitude and independence give way to a deeper understanding of one’s …show more content…
It took her the entire summer to learn how to swim, but nevertheless, she persisted, and when she finally learned to swim she had control of her own strength. This control of her own body made Edna “want to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” (Chopin 71). Edna, quite literally, swims far out at the end of the novel and ultimately achieves total independence and solitude in death. This phrase could also be interpreted with a deeper meaning in regards to women’s rights. Edna wanted to challenge the social perceptions of women at the time so that she could have greater independence over her life; she would also have solitude of thought, because many people did not believe in women’s rights at this time in …show more content…
It is through water that Edna begins and ends her own awakening, signifying the symbolic nature of water. As mentioned before, Edna learns how to swim and achieves greater control over her own strength. Edna seems to derive power from the water, as it is described “she plunged and swam about with an abandon that thrilled and invigorated her” (Chopin 126). Chopin personifies water saying, “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” (Chopin 34). The ocean seemed to call to Edna, convincing her to get lost in its abyss, and she answered that call every time she went for a swim; ultimately this call leads to her eternal abyss in death. Chopin later says that “the touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace” (Chopin 34), and this could give an explanation as to why Edna feels such a closeness to the sea- it gives her the emotional freedom that she longs for, while still enveloping her in its