Symbolism And Motifs In The Awakening

Literary critics and readers fervently obsess over symbolism and motifs in literature, with their significance furthering messages and themes throughout novels. Throughout Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, symbolism runs rampant with messages relating to the life of Edna Pontellier, a strangely individualistic woman living in southern Louisiana in the Victorian Era. As Edna grows and finds her voice as a woman in her conservative society, several motifs embody challenges. Themes of birds and the ocean symbolize the oppression of women and divergence from the expectations of society. Edna’s experiences with water and swimming symbolize rebirth and her ability to escape the oppression of her society. Several of Edna’s awakenings about individualism

Embracing her individuality, Edna soon learns to swim, symbolizing her empowerment and ability to break free from oppression. A prior lack of ability to swim represents how Edna’s society grounds her, preventing her from having freedom of movement and confining her to land. At first, Edna’s attempts to learn to swim are futile, but as her confidence grows, she tries again, only to swim recklessly far. Lastly, after Edna comes to terms with this unique individualism, she drowns in the ocean, her ultimate act of divergence from society. The ocean represents an escape from oppression. It is both the beginning and end

The expectation of women in Edna’s class is to be pleasant and attentive to their husbands and children. Society shuns women who fail to fit into the correct stereotype. However, Edna’s husband, Léonce, and other men in her high society have freedom of movement and speech; they are free to complain, come, and go as they please. Before Edna’s journey with individualism begins, Léonce complains about the volume of a parrot, which symbolizes Edna; he criticizes its volume, a parallel to Edna’s outspokenness, and relocates to another room, a stark contrast to the physical and metaphorical cage that the parrot and Edna find themselves in, respectively (Chopin 43). The state of the wings on birds represents the strength to go beyond societal expectations. During Edna’s awakenings and empowering moments, birds with powerful wings soar in the background, and when Edna faces oppression and fails to advocate for herself, birds with broken wings flutter down to earth. Edna’s friend, Mademoiselle Reisz recognizes Edna’s individuality and warns her, “the bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings” (Chopin 138). The ability of birds to fly reflects Edna’s true freedom in her life. Edna’s oppressive society grounds her, trying to control her actions, but when Edna refutes these views, she soars as