A Way Out

Suicide: such an uncomfortable topic to discuss and such a controversial way of suffering. There are always the questions that are left unanswered, and that terrible mixture of painful feelings that forever remain above the deceased's memory. That unfortunate person is gone, but the family is left behind with a bone-crushing burden over their souls. After the person is gone, there's nothing you can do but wonder everything that was left unnoticed. You try to remember, and try to pinpoint any time in their life in which a single hint might have foreshadowed this catastrophe. Was the person happy? What could have caused him to reach such a point of utter desperation, which was enough to let go of the dearest gift one was granted from the moment we took that first breath of air into our newly shaped lungs? Then you encounter the most uncomfortable question of all, what could have been done to avoid it?

This gloomy pondering over suicide was incited by the last moments of Chopin's novella. As a reader, I am completely shocked at the end that was chosen for the story. Who knew Edna would reach that breaking point? As a keen observer of Edna's process of awakening, Chopin provided us with more than enough insight on Edna's disturbed thoughts and feelings. From the very start of the novel we were able to see into her mind, and understand the change that had been stewing up within her. However, I never imagined that Edna would wind up as suicidal. The interesting part, though, is that we can trace back and gather the information that might have been unnoticed at first, but might now explain how the process of becoming awake led to killing herself.

The most important reason to be analyzed is Edna's love for Robert. As had been mentioned before, Edna's awakening is deeply connected with her love for Robert. After a long odyssey of secrets and hidden intentions, they were both able to declare their love. However, without any explanation, except for the words "Good by--because I love you" (214), he left. Who knows why he left? Perhaps he felt guilty, or knew that their love could never be, so he preferred to avoid it. Maybe he too committed suicide (that is a dark thought there). However, that really isn't what's important. After all, she knew that one day "he, too, and the thought of him would melt out of her existence, leaving her alone" (212). Then, after all, Robert wasn't really the problem. In fact, none of the men in her life would be a problem to her at all, as she had decided that she would be nobody's to claim. She even told Robert that if he were to ask Mr. Pontellier for her, and he would miraculously yield her like if she was his possession she would laugh in their faces. She had declared herself free, and nobody would have any power over her. However, this powerful revolution is suddenly crushed down to earth when Adele's sick voice whispered to her "think of the children" (207). This terrible truth was a knockout for any of Edna's plans of freedom. How could she forget her children? Her two sons, small and defenseless, were the only barrier that Edna was not able to overcome. Could she live with herself, knowing that her rash actions of defiance would ruin the reputation of her children? After all, society's stern look would burn them, as everyone would know that their mother was a crazy woman who ran off with some guy, leaving her family to become an artist. Her children are the embodiment of her duties as a mother. Her soul was overpowered and overwhelmed by their mere presence, the established rule that she was condemned to follow. This is when she realizes that she will never be free. This alone was the reason that drove her to swim as far as she could go until her arms could swim no more, and the shore was too far behind her. Perhaps someone could have helped. A kind voice like Doctor Mandalet would have been able to drive her back to the path of obedience, but it was too late. She was already awake, and the truth of her eternal slavery was all too clear for her know.

As Edna slowly fades into her final fate, memories of her childhood come back to her. Perhaps these are recollections of moments in which she was still a young girl, with no boundaries or restrictions yet. This takes us back to the description of a memory in which she would walk through the blue grass of Kentucky, with no real motive settled. This may have been the time when she was closest to freedom. However, the image of an old dog chained to a tree is there, reminding her that the future was settled to chain her down to her duties as a woman, wife and mother. The memory of her father is also there, with the sound of cavalry boots which far back attempted to create a rebellion, which was also frowned upon by society. The last words of the passage are a memory of "the hum of bees and the musky odor of pinks filled the air" (214). This last image evokes the sense of nature, and those last moments of realization of death. It gives a sense of peace, as if there was no real reason to worry now, and as hard as it may seem to imagine, at last Edna is free.
In the end, as desperate as Edna seemed, and as irrational as killing herself might have been, Edna was able to set her soul free. She had declared that she would never sacrifice herself for her children, only the essential. This turned out to be precisely what she did. She was willing to give her life for them (apparently death was better than social disapproval), but she reserved her soul to her own freedom. It's still too sad that the only way she was able to finally be the only owner of herself was to take her own life.

Trace

Exploring Revelations

Wake-Up Call

What is it about Mademoiselle Reisz that's so intriguing? Why does Edna suddenly feel that desperate need to see her all of the sudden? Who would want to see Mademoiselle Reisz anyway? Everybody from the corner grocer to the elegant Mrs. Ratignolle agree she is "the most disagreeable and unpopular woman" (114) they have ever met. However, this doesn't stop Edna from looking incessantly for the little woman. After a long day of searching, she finally manages to target her house.

As it can be recalled from an earlier part of the novella, Mademoiselle Reisz is the mean old lady with a gift for the piano who made Edna cry during one of her performances. (Don't get me wrong, Reisz didn't punch Edna or laugh at her dress, as mean as anybody might think she is). This cry was provoked by the awakening feeling her music was able to stir in Edna's spirit. The effect Reisz's performance had on Edna is probably reflected on her changed attitude from this moment onward. This change, starting from her swimming accomplishment, all the way to outspoken defiance towards her husband, is steadily emerging. Even outsiders like Victor and Madame Lebrun are able to notice a change in her. Victor even comments that "she doesn't seem like the same woman" (118). Perhaps this is what has led Edna to pursue Mademoiselle Reisz. Whatever that little woman did to cause those stirring feeling within her, she wants more.

Edna's visit brought on a storm of feelings. For one part, the encounter is somewhat awkward, as the relationship between these two contrasting characters isn't clearly settled. Whether they sympathize, or not isn't really defined and Edna even admits, "I don't know whether I like you or not" (120). Then, Reisz reveals a precious treasure: a letter from Robert that mentions Edna. After a heated quarrel between them, Mademoiselle Reisz gives in to Edna's plea. She gives her the letter and even plays more music for her. The combination between a letter from her beloved and Reisz's music turns out to be explosive. She leaves, immersed in a river of tears "sobbing, just as she had wept one midnight at Grand Isle when strange, new voices awoke in her" (123), and asks to come again.

It seems that Edna is starting to recognize these feelings that have been growing inside her. The hunger she has to evoke them and nurture them is rapidly developing. Somehow, she knows that these voices, newly awakened within her, need to grow louder until she is finally able to open her eyes.

Marital Problems

Edna Pontellier is going insane! At least that’s what her husband is concluding from her sudden irrational behavior. At first it started with a small defiance. She just didn’t feel like doing her reception duties one Tuesday. That’s all right. One day isn’t anything worth worrying about. However, Edna’s disobedience quickly starts growing, and soon she cancels all her receptions and dedicates herself to painting. All household chores are forgotten and the entire staff is involved in her sudden artisitic outburst.

This, in Mr. Pontellier’s opinion, is an absolute disgrace. All through their marriage he had been a very courteous man “so long as he met a certain tacit submissiveness in his wife” (110). But Edna’s blatant insolence has gone way beyond his tolerance. What happened to Edna that has led her to this unacceptable conduct?

The reason behind it could be her obvious unhappiness with her marriage. One night, after receiving the reprimands of her discontented husband, she went into a hysterical frenzy, which included vase breaking and wedding ring stomping. What could be a clearer sign of her hate towards her marriage? However, it’s not a hate towards her marriage specifically, but to all marriages. It seems Edna was not built for married life. After spending and afternoon with the Ratignolles, which happen to be the perfect “fusion of two human beings into one” (108), she realized she didn’t envy their relationship. She didn’t feel the slightest appeal towards the “domestic harmony” (109) the Ratignolles enjoyed, and she even felt pity for Madame Ratignolle's “colorless existence….and blind contentment…in which she would never have the taste of life’s delirium” (109). It seems that the thing Edna’s heart desires is to feel adventure, or experience a romance that breaks the borders of mundane life and colorless marriage. Her spirit isn't meant to be chained to the position of submissive wife, and somehow she has to find a way to free herself from those restrains.

Departure and Confession

As this novel slowly unravels the mysterious development of Edna Pontellier's complex character, an unexpected twist is added to her fate. Robert has suddenly decided to leave for Mexico. As shocking as it is to everybody, the most surprised is poor Edna, who never suspected that her dear Robert would so abruptly decide to leave her, without even bothering to inform her previously. As it had been previously discussed, Edna has shown an evident weakness towards Robert, and despite the fact that she is married, it seems that their "friendship" could be a little closer than appropriate.

Anybody could wonder what Mr. Pontellier might think about this, but his perspective on the issue is yet to be presented. His character seems to be standing on the background, as is his status of husband in Edna's mind.

The interesting part of this is that everybody seems to be aware of the situation. When Robert announces his news, everybody turns to Edna, aware that she will be the most affected by Robert's departure. "Do you miss your friend greatly?"(91), is the question everybody asks her. The truth is that she really does. She was greatly shocked with the news, and when he came over to say good-bye, she was very upset with him. After he left, all she could do was cry, realizing that once again, she was being left behind. She didn't care about the past, and the future was too mysterious for her to ponder about. All she cared for was the present, which was there "to torture her...with the biting conviction that she had lost that which she had held, that she had been denied that which her impassioned, newly awakened being demanded" (90).  This realization, more than a confession of love, is a testament of Edna's developing being, which was stirred into awakening by her passion for Robert.

Left with the bitter taste of resentment and loss, Edna Pontellier is finally aware of her love for Robert. The question that is yet to be answered is does this love have a future? So many obstacles lie between Edna and her precious Robert. Aside from his absence, there's also the problem of the marriage (though this doesn't seem to worry Edna at all), and the possibility that Robert doesn't feel the same way towards her. The answers to these problems will hopefully be revealed as the summer ends and the Pontelliers go back to New Orleans.

R is for Robert or Rebellion

As this novella continues, there seems to be a growing strength within Edna. First of all there's the obvious change in her, manifested through her actions of accomplishment, such as finally learning how to swim. However, that night, after she triumphantly paddled in the water, wanting to "swim far out, where no woman had swum before" (60), there was a change in the course of the story. This change is none other than the growing importance of Robert in Edna's life.
Robert is beginning to spend a lot more time with Edna than it had been presented at the beginning of the story. He had been mentioned earlier, but his character had been merely an innocent name until Madame Ratignolle called out to our attention. She takes him a side and seriously asks him, "Do me a favor Robert...leave Mrs. Pontellier alone" (45), as she is worried that he might be trying to woo Mrs. Pontellier. To us, his intentions aren't at all clear yet, but Madame Ratignolle's warning could imply the possibility of a romance happening between them.
Edna's reaction to this possibility, though to her it hasn't been explicitly presented, seems to suit her well. The more time she spends with her "friend" Robert, the more it seems to nurture that feeling of awakening that has been mentioned constantly throughout the novella. During that time between the night of Saturday and all of Sunday, Robert and Edna were constantly together, and through this time, Edna starts showing signs of strength that contrast sharply with the first descriptions of her. At first she was described as a very delicate and poised woman, which made her stand out form the crowd (37). But now, she seems to describe herself frequently with the word "strong". It seems as she is starting to perceive that growing fire inside of her and it's starting to be reflected in the perception she has on herself.
However, despite the positive effects that Robert might cause on Edna, there's still a problem. Their relationship could never happen, because, if anybody remembers, Edna is Mrs. Pontellier (a.k.a she is married). Perhaps this could add an extra spice to the process of awakening, and possibly rebellion that Edna will go through.

Edna Exposed

Edna Pontellier is a very particular character, and as Kate Chopin might have hoped, the one entitled to be the heroin of this novella.
Edna does not seem to fulfill the expected role of mother or housewife. Her main focus is certainly not her children, which seem to stand in the background of her priorities. Unlike the other mothers, Edna doesn't run behind them, looking out for whatever danger, real or imaginary, might haunt them. She even admits that her love for them is uneven. Sometimes she adored them and "she would sometimes forget them"(43). It appears to be that she lacks the responsibility that the role of a mother requires.
Edna's mind is focused on a subject that is far away from her present duties of respectable housewife. Her thoughts wander towards her childhood, when she was free of any type of compromise or responsibility. There is a memory in her mind in which she walks through a green meadow, "idly, aimlessly, unthinking and unguided" (41). Perhaps this memory contains her bottled yearning for freedom, which she gave up when she got married.
Love is a second aspect Edna is missing. When she was a young girl, her heart throbbed for a romance and a love story. This feeling was a very important part during her maiden years, and it would seem that her dream might have been to live a romantic adventure and marry for love. However, as Fate would decide it, she ended up marrying Leonce Pontellier by what she declares was "purely an accident" (43). Out of sympathy and partly rebellion, Edna decided to take Mr. Pontellier as her husband. This decision appears to be one of the biggest mistakes of her life, as it plunged her into a relationship where she is confused and uncomfortable. What reason moved her to resign to love and turn down her childhood dreams? Perhaps this question is the cause of her nightly weeping, and the reason behind her slow but certain awakening. There is "a certain light beginning to dawn dimly within her" (34), and this illumination could be a turning point in Edna's life.

Fumes of Feminism

The story of Edna Pontellier begins ironically from her husband's perspective. The very first pages of the novella are centered on Mr. Pontellier, and Mrs. Pontellier is presented later. This way of introducing the story is a way of introducing the forthcoming issues that might be dealt with throughout the story. The importance of the man seems to overshadow the real issue of the plot, which turns out to be Edna.

During these first chapters, Edna Pontellier's life is shortly presented, displaying her overpowering husband and her silent obliging attitude. Despite her obvious dissatisfaction with her husband, she is "forced to admit that she [knows] none better" (24). She seems to be enjoying a very comfortable life, drowned in fine presents and bonbons from her husband, and one would think her marriage is running smoothly. However, she is overwhelmed with “an indescribable feeling of oppression” (22), which goes far beyond her tactless husband or the way he seems to replace love with expensive merchandise. There is a strange feeling budding up inside her, in “some unfamiliar part of her consciousness” (22), which wonders how fate led her on to where she is today. This smoldering fire inside her being might have chances of bursting, but for now, it quietly sits outside in the night, all alone with no real motive.