In Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, Edna, the protagonist faces a dilemma of loneliness and confusion in which no one seems to grasp and understand, not even her own. Taking place during the 1800s, in an era full of strict social laws, women juxtaposed with men were expected to take care of domestic matters and focus on their families, limiting the opportunity for individual expression. However, Edna as a static character works to detach herself from this ideal and seek her own outward presence in the world. The people she meets on Grand Isle awaken desires and stimuli that Edna would never have thought of before regarding sexual attraction, art, music and, above all, individual freedom. As a child, Edna begins to see the world in a new light and as a result leads her to neglect her identity as both a mother and a woman in pursuit of individual satisfaction. Where the events leading up to this awakening allow Edna to learn three new “languages.” These languages ​​then, in relation to the plot, are consequential to the overall development of his character as he faces the decision to seek his own desires in life or conform to society's outward projections as he always has. In addition to being the mother of two boys, Edna Pontellier is an ever-evolving character who aspires to seek things through her own intentions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay For example, Chopin writes about Edna's indifferent personality: "It would have been difficult for Mr. Pontellier to define in his or anyone else's eyes satisfaction in which his wife failed in her duty to the children." If one of the little Pontelliers fell while playing, he was not inclined to rush crying into his mother's arms for comfort; he won nothing else where his wife failed in her duty to her children. If one of the little Pontelliers fell while playing, he was not inclined to rush crying into his mother's arms for comfort; more likely he would recover and... continue playing (4.10). Edna's failure as a mother, as defined by Mr. Pontellier, her husband, is an issue in which he fails to give himself a voice. Instead he fully understands and observes the actions of his children which express this idea as it is written: "If one of the Pontellier boys fell while playing, he was not inclined to rush crying into his mother's arms for comfort;" (4.10) revealing how little relevance Edna has in her children's lives. Even after meeting Madame Ratignolle on Grand Isle, Edna cannot help but admire Madame Ratignolle as a woman who so perfectly embodies all the virtues of a family woman, that unlike Edna, she can attest to loving her husband and children more than everything else. Where, because of Madame Ratignolle, the first language Edna discovers as part of her gradual awakening is tenderness and affection. The language aside from a bigger picture expresses the struggles that Edna faces as a woman in a compliant society. Where, neglecting her children, she finds herself better suited to other tasks such as painting and finding independence. Furthermore, inwardly Edna tries to search for a voice of freedom in the midst of what society believes in, while in an outward unwavering battle she struggles to go against them that tie her to things she feels no emotional attachment to, in this case his children. negligent nature thus far, the struggle she feels against a conforming society begins to confuse her both physically and psychologically, being expressive of her sexual frustrations. To highlight this,Chopin writes to describe the experimental relationships that Edna explores: "Why?" asked his companion. "Why do you love him when you shouldn't?"... "Why? Because his hair is brown and grows away from his temples; because he opens and closes his eyes and his nose is a little out of shape; because he has two lips and a square chin, and a little finger he can't straighten from playing baseball too hard in his youth. Because..." (26.110). As Edna is finally realizing the few opportunities she has in such a limiting world, along with her neglect of her children, she also begins to pursue true love as a result of her gradual awakening. Although Edna is married to her husband Leonce, she is obviously dissatisfied with their marriage as she has no sentimental value to the wedding ring that binds them together. Chopin writes, "Why do you love him when you shouldn't?" it is symbolic of Edna's infatuation with men other than her husband, particularly Robert, a man she met on Grand Isle. Even though she fully understands the consequences of her actions, she relies on herself to dictate her own actions and punishments while blaming everything. he does this in the name of his awakening after being repressed for so many years. In comparison, to her husband Leonce who embodies the values ​​of hard work and tenacity, Edna instead values ​​her own satisfaction above all else, which she transmits in the second language she discovers. , the language of intimacy and sexuality. Having never been at all in love with Leonce, she has led Edna to "experiment" with several men in her life. The language of intimacy is one that he quickly learns and truly appreciates instead of tenderness through Madame Ratignolle. The language of love, however, is difficult for Edna to pursue because although she may be completely unaware of the consequences, Robert, the figure of her infatuation, understands it completely otherwise and separates from her, causing her to begin to experience emotions of loneliness. and injured. Furthermore, although Edna is able to detach herself from her family and win the battle against herself, she soon begins to observe a new struggle, a struggle of solitude and solitude as she learns the reluctance of others contrasted with her own when she goes against society. Even though Edna is now able to allow her awakening to shape her life and dictate her actions, she begins to abandon it by reminding us of her role as a woman in a limiting society. To emphasize this idea Chopin writes of Edna's remedy for her difficulties along with her tragic end: "But when she was there by the sea, absolutely alone, she threw off her unpleasant and pungent garments, and for the first time in her life she stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, of the breeze that beat her and of the waves that invited her. How strange and terrible it seemed to be naked under the sky! How delicious it felt like a newborn creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world she had never known (39.156). Having been left to her own devices with the independence she had always sought, Edna realizes what a terrible idea it was all along. After leaving her family to pursue her own desires, she sadly finds herself doubting the extent of others' will to prevail over society, especially her lover Robert. Due to her infatuation with the concept of personal freedom despite belonging to an idealistic society, she became oblivious to the things around. to her, making her forget the things that mattered most to her: her family, her children, and much of her old life. .Remember: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom Essay So, as Edna found it too late to fix anything.