The Awakening is a traumatic story of a woman named Edna. Edna finds herself in a whirlwind of emotions that dramatically change her life and all those around her. At the beginning of the novel Edna is an ordinary married woman with children. However, that all takes a quick turn when she meets a man named Robert. They spend most of their time on the beach. During this time Edna begins to feel differently about life and who she is. Being around Robert just like being around the sea makes her feel free in a way she had not experienced before. Edna begins to rebel against society and it’s standards for woman. She does this by leaving her husband, getting her own place, having an affair, and spending lots of time painting. Her sudden change in lifestyle begins to have it’s toll on her especially after her true love Robert leaves. The departure of Robert and the chaos she has created for herself causes her to commit suicide. I think of this as a tragedy. Edna was finally free but at what cost? There were plenty of alternative methods that she could have taken such as seeking a divorce. The novel foreshadowed that she would kill herself in the midst of the sea. She often described it as beautiful and seductive. I think the sea was symbolizing Robert.
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