I'm just beginning to see how this "awakening" is in its process of bloom. The feminist ideologies are finally flooding my mind. I see desire in Edna Pontellier. Her desire to be free and youthful again where she can embrace her femininity and sexuality. Although married to Leonce, Edna is enticed by Robert Lebrun who is surely one who has Edna's approval of his flirtation. This brings Edna more to her senses of this womanhood to embrace. Also seeing Adele Ratignolle and her happiness and devotion to her family, Edna engages in the sense to become an enlightened and graceful woman who strives to take her womanhood to the next level, and to overcome the likely distress of motherhood and lack of confidence due to weakness and decreased time out of the day. Mrs. Pontellier goes through this process of bloom with such a wisdom that encourages her to extract her womanly glow.
One of my favorite parts so far is where Edna decides to take a chance at going to the beach with Robert. Although he keeps a distance after a while, I discover that Edna is not familiar with how to swim. She then finds the strength and courage to try it out, and she ends up swimming farther and enjoying the personal moment with just herself. It seems as if she had felt one with herself and like she was finally catching on to the control and aural power she naturally has as a female. Afterward, I'm amazed at how quickly things grow intense between Edna and Robert. He moves on to her as she decides to walk home, and he deciding to follow. As he waits with her for Mr. Pontellier to arrive home, things are silent, but grow into a silence of uprising passion. I am somewhat appalled at this. Mrs. Pontellier is married! She is not Mrs. Lebrun! She seems to be not too supporting of her own husband now and she is urged more to having Robert around. What I also question is the children. Oh! What an effect this is having on the children when I think realistically of today's world and the occurrence of such events. The story is surprising me; however, at the same time, I feel some sort of approval for Edna is living in a most special moment in a girl's life once again!
This is great analysis of Edna's character and goes to the heart of the story--the theme of self-awareness in the midst of social pressure/mores. Edna is bravely following her needs rather than kowtowing to Leonce. By doing so, she is walking a fine line between asserting herself as a feminist and making a fool of herself as a mere egoist.
ReplyDeleteYour analyses are really in-depth! I like how you are connecting the title of the book to what's going on in the story.
ReplyDeleteThank You, I really like how the story is coming together so far. It very much interests me, and I feel like every female can relate in some sense when it comes to how we see life emotionally.
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