The Awakening- Part 2

The second half of “The Awakening” fully embodies the matter of truly awakening one’s soul. While the first section we read was the beginnings of Edna Pontellier’s need to discover herself, the second part was her doing just that. Within the second half Edna takes the actions necessary to be completely free of her husband and the outlooks that her friends and society may have of her. A pivotal moment where she fully realizes that she has been woken to her true power is in a discussion with the Doctor about societies expectations, “perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one’s life”. This proclamation is a full of life and Edna comprehends then that she has gained true fulfillment. With this realization and Robert’s abandonment Edna almost begins to withdraw. She feels she is up against too much with what is expected of her in society and the illusion she is meant to uphold. She thinks of the boys and the shame they would experience if she were simply leave. She is expected to move back into the large house, back to her empty marriage and away from all that she had been learning on her own. The thought of this consumes her and leads to her eventual suicide, why should she be forced to live a vacant life when she knew that so much more was out there? She dies on her own terms and as her own person.