While reading The Awakening the motif of water and sea continued to repeat. Throughout the story, the idea of water pops up weather it is walking on the beach, or learning to swim. Edna is always near water throughout the story, which helps in her process and transformation of the “new women”. The sea is also brought up in The Gibson Girl because it represents freedom and self-discovery. When Edna learns how to swim, she swims out further than any other woman has swam. This instance shows Edna’s courage in wanting to escape the norms of women and society. Edna is trying to transform to a new independent women through her journey in water. Edna appears to be fed up with the stereotypical norms of a mother, women and wife. She did not have the same devotion for her family as Adele. Adele appears happy and satisfied by taking care of her family and children. Edna’s process of transformation is clear to all the characters in the story as they notice changes that are occurring in her. As the novel continues, Edna discovers that she has changed. Edna on page 88 discovers that “her present self is different from the other self”. Edna states, “she is seeing with different eyes and making the acquaintance of new conditions in herself” (88). Throughout the story, I feel that Edna’s connection with water has to continue to grow in order for her to break the traditional norms and become the new woman she is inspiring to be.
Really nice finding! I really overlooked the common occurrence of water. While Edna was swimming, I recognized this as part of her "awakening" to self discovery and self choice. The farther she swam, the more freedom she was getting. However, I never thought about it in terms of escaping society which is an excellent point. Water is also a great symbol for freedom because it is within arms reach to her but she has to strive for it.
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