Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Edna's INNER VOICE
At this point, you should have started to learn something about the inner stirrings of Edna in The Awakening. What can you say about her "inner voice"? How is her voice talking to her? How is it moving Edna into world that seems to isolate her from her family and community? Can you find a few quotations that help to illustrate this? Be sure to mention page # for each quotation that you use. Try to explain/analyze Edna's reasons for each of her actions that seem to move her more and more into that other world of her yearnings.
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Although we just started the book we are finding that Edna is not happy with her life. In the first couple chapters we start to see her inner voice start talking to her. When her husband starts yelling at her for not being a good mother she goes and sits outside and starts to cry. She is realizing that her life isn't what she wants. She is not even sure why she is crying. Her voice is making her realize that she is not like all the other woman at the summer place the family is staying. This is making her feel very left out. Also we see that because of her not knowing what she is wants she doesn't really spend that much time with her family. She is never really spending time with her children. All she really does is dress and feed them. The children always seem to be with the nurse if they have a problem. Also the children and Edna is never with the husband. When he asked her to go to the beach she says that she doesn't want to but then ends up going because of the sea calling to her. Some quotes that relate to this topic is " the voice of the sea speaks to the soul," this is when she is at the beach and her first thoughts of her awakening start to happen. This quote is on page 29 in the 6th chapter. As the book goes on we start to see that she is starting to have emotional feelings for Robert. Robert is also starting to have the same feelings for her as well. Her awakenings are becoming very common and she is starting to break away from the way woman should act.
ReplyDeleteHayley, I agree that Edna is not happy with her life. She is not living the life that she always wanted to. She really doesn't know what she wants. She is not caught up in Robert but she has a husband and a family at home to take care of, which she also doesn't do. I think she doesn't know if she wants Robert or if she wants her husband. She is very confused and often cries about it. Robert has feelings for her but often doesn't take the relationships on a serious level. I think that Edna is attracted to him because she knows she shouldn't be, just like with her husband when she decided to marry him. I think she just needs to figure out where her life is headed
DeleteHayley, I agree with your blog very much because I had the same thoughts. I think that Edna started to realize that she wanted to move on with her life the night that the fight broke out between herself and Leonce. I also like your sentence about her feeling left out from all the other people that summer. She came from a different background and probably feels alone even though she is married and has kids. I really like your sentence about her family because I feel that this is part of the problem. Parents always say that their children are their life. If she isn't bonding with them, than that could affect her emotionally. I hope that even of she does move on with Robert that she doesn't forget about her kids. I really liked your quote about being at the beach and how the voice of the sea speaks to her. This was the time when she felt free to do what she wanted. Really good job on your blog this week Hayley.
DeleteEdna is one person who didn't follow her heart when she should have. At this time period women didn't really follow what they wanted to do, instead they followed what society wanted. Society said that a woman should take care of the home, the husband, and the children. Women had to put themselves at the very end of this list, and this was a common thing. If women didn't do this they were looked at like they were a detriment to society. I think that it was important for women of this time to break free of the views of society and do what they want to do. This is only to a certain extent however because sometimes people could take this to an extreme level.
ReplyDeleteThe I believe sea is the largest symbol of Edna’s awakening. “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul,” is a quote from page 29 that shows how Edna is beginning to respond to this voice inside her. She is starting to follow what she wants to do. She has taken up sketching which benefits herself unlike Adele who sews to benefit her family. The sea on page 29 is described as “whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.” This can show how Edna is losing herself in her thoughts because she can't stop thinking about her life and all of her thoughts and her life are revolving around this. Edna’s difficult path to awakening is represented by the broken down path to the beach. The path that leads to the sea, and is a symbol of Edna’s awakening because her life has been broken down up until now. The road to her awakening, or the sea, was a long, bumpy, rough path. In chapter seven Edna starts to talk openly about her feelings to Adele, something she has never done before. This shows how she is being awakened because she is beginning to talk more about how she feels and is even surprised by it herself. Edna starts to become more and more awakened throughout the course of the novel. Eventually I think she will start to let her feelings take full control over her which can either be a good thing, or a very bad thing.
Rachel, I think you made some good point in your blog. Edna should of went with her gut feeling in the first place. She wanted to break out of the common woman routine. I think that you made a good point when you said that all woman. I feel like people thought that if they went away from the norms that people would not accept them. This is sometimes how it still is today in society. I give Edna a lot of credit for doing something different. Also I agree that the sea is one of biggest symbols of the awakening. It really speaks to Edna. As i can see we both used the same quote. I think that one was really important because this was one of the first awakenings. I agree with your last sentence that she will eventually break away.
DeleteRachel, I really like your first paragraph about how society controlled women a lot in that time period. I had never thought about society playing such a role in a women's life during that time period. I also liked your quote about the sea playing a big part in Edna's awakening. I had just thought of it being a calming place for her, but she really let it speak to her and let her true self out. Until I read the part of your blog that talked about the sketching that Edna had taken up, I never really thought that much about it. Edna sketched because it made her happy. She did it as a hobby, not as a chore around the house. I thought you did a really good job of explaining that and proving that Edna cares about taking care of herself and finding time for her. In conclusion, I think that your last sentence is appropriate because I also think that she will let her emotions take full control of her life.
DeleteEdna reminds me of somebody who is bipolar. You never really know what kind of a mood she is going to be in. In the beginning of the book she seemed happy to be married to Leonce. Than, she started to have feelings for a family friend named Robert. I feel that it was really evident of a relationship forming in Chapter 12. At one point Robert said "We'd share it, and scatter it together." This was on page 55 when Robert and Edna are talking about being rich and sharing what they had together. Before this took place, Chapter10 was all about Edna swimming in the ocean for the first time. She had an overwhelming rush of energy and felt like she was on top of the world. On page 46, it says "A feeling of exultation overtook her....". I think that she had waited all story for this to happen to her and she took the opportunity head on. I think that this is the turning point in the story because it seems that Edna has finally found herself. She thought that she loved Leonce until she realized that he was holding her back. Chapter 11 is all about the fight between Leonce and Edna. This was also a critical point in Edna's life because she realized that she could hurt him in the same ways that he hurts her. On page 52 in Chapter 10, Edna says "Don't speak to me like that again." She is saying that enough is enough and she seems ready to move forward with her life. The sad part is that she isn't thinking about her children in any of the decisions that she is making. She isn't the ideal mother figure, but you would think she would think about them a little more. I think she has had her "inner voice" throughout the whole book so far and is just now starting to listen to it. I just hope that she does what is best for her children, while still finding time to make herself happy. I am really curious to find out what might happen at the end of the book. I have a feeling that it is going to be juicy!
ReplyDeleteCamille I think you made some good points in your blog. I thought it was interesting about what you said Edna being bipolar. This is a good term that describes her. One minute she is happy and the next she is crying but doesn't even know why! Your first quote that you said really shows the relationship that is forming between Robert and Edna. They talk about sharing their possessions together. The quote where she says that's enough really shows that she wants to change and move on with her life. I think that her moving on will make her truly happy. One thing that makes me kinda mad about this book is that Edna has nothing to do with her children. This makes me kinda mad. Also she is like Daisy in Gatsby because she doesn't look after her children either. I think you made some good points in your blog!
DeleteYou make an excellent point comparing Edna to someone who is bipolar. You reasoning for this is also good. She seems fine with her life until she decides otherwise. The change is rather sudden and drastic from how she used to live. I think that the book only really mentions Edna's children to make a point that she is a bad mother. The point is reassured when she neglects to think of her kids when changing her style of living. She wants to change her life when she can hardly keep up with what she already has.
DeleteCamille, I never really thought of the term bipolar to describe Edna before. This term however is extremely accurate! One day she is happy and then the next day her life seems to be spiraling out of control! She seemed to really like Robert, but she just doesn't know what to do with these feelings because she knows they can't be together. She does whatever she wants in the first place, so to me it was no surprise that she ran off with Robert.
ReplyDeleteI think you had a lot if good points in your blog this week, but you jumped from one thing to the next very quickly. I think that after you used a quote you could have explained it a little more in depth. Other than that however you did a very good job this week!
Edna is living in the life of a woman who is treated like most woman of her time were treated. She was looked at as a woman in the house that should take care of her children, and mind her husband Leonce. She has an inner yearning for another life. She wants to be a free woman who can do what she wants, but with her husband in her life, it is not realistic. Edna's inner voice is telling her many different things that help allow her to start to awaken from her life and come out of her shell. Therefore, Edna had a new view on life, in which a voice kept telling her to live.
ReplyDeleteIn the life of Edna, she is like every mother during that time period. She cooked, cleaned, cared for the children, and minded her husband. Even though she had children, she wasn't a motherly figure. She didn't mind when her children were gone. As she goes along with her life, her inner voice tells her to start to break away from her commanding husband and friends. She also starts to accomplish her goals, such as learning to swim, which allowed her to feel free, "she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over-confidence. She could have shouted for joy."(Pg. 46) This showed how her inner voice was pushing her, and telling her to break away from her stereotypical life of a motherly women and do what she wants to do, but as she breaks away, she draws farther apart from her community and family.
Along with her swimming, her inner voice also started to tell her to break away from her husbands orders. As she started to break away however, her husband did over come her thoughts,but this was just the beginning of her rebellious ways of her inner conscience. As she rebels, it puts distance between her and Leonce also.
In conclusion, Edna's inner voice tells her to try and break away from her everyday, boring life, and do what she wants to do. She wants to be free from the life of being a mother and wife to Leonce. Hr motherly views are very different from those of her friends. She rebels and stands up for her self towards the end of chapter 12.
Emma I like how you brought in the stereotypical attitude of women in your blog. Edna is definitely different than these women, but she is afraid to try to escape from her cage. Edna's inner voice of the sea is the first experience that she listened to what her heart wants instead of what everyone expects of her. Finally Edna feels her first moments of freedom and control. Also Edna's rebellion against her husband was also a contributing factor showing her newly developed attitude. I thought your blog was informative, but I wished you have brought how Edna's new attitude effected her new relationship with Robert.
DeleteEmma I find that the stereotypical mother is the perfect way to describe the life that Edna is trying to live. We notice that her actions and thoughts do not really fall into this category as we learn about the life she is truly living. She begins to start a rebellion within her relationship with her husband and the rest of her family in order to spend more time with Robert and performing other actions that are out of the ordinary. I think that the act of swimming was a great example of a change in behavior for Edna. However, I do think that Robert should have been talked about a little more for the true effect of how she is changing. Robert is the person who may change the whole story.
DeleteEmma, I agree that she was a very stereotypical type mother. She did what all moms did because she thought that was how it was supposed to be. She kept all her feelings bundled up until she started to feel her inner voice, her awakening. This helped her to become a little more free.
DeleteEdna's "inner voice" can be seen and heard through symbolism. Edna, like the parrot in the cage, feels and is trapped. Edna's cage is her present lifestyle. In my opinion there are clues within this novel that are trying to get Edna's attention. The parrot is a symbol used to represent Edna. This parrot is trying to speak to Edna. "Allez vous-en! Saprist!" This French phrase repeated by the parrot means " Go away! For Heaven's sake!" (Page 42) I believe that the parrot is trying to tell Edna to escape from her cage.
ReplyDeleteEdna also has an inner voice speaking to her. Edna's inner voice is the sea. Edna describes the sea as "seductive" and having a "sensuous touch." (Page 29) Also Edna feels that "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." (Page 29) When Edna goes to the beach the sea is calling her to go in. Edna responds to this call and for the first time swam. Edna became "bold and over-confident." (Page 46) "A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and soul." (Page 46) This exert means that Edna feels freedom as she swims further away from shore. Sadly when Edna looks back she frightened and panicky swims back to shore. This resembles Edna's fear to venture from her caged life.
After this experience Edna's attitude and perspective towards life changes. Edna calls for Robert to be with her for the entire day. This shows that she is finally listening to her inner desires. Also Edna stands up for herself against the rude commands of her husband and she never gave in. This shows her new attitude forming. Edna's awakening is revealed through her experience in the sea and her day spent with Robert. Not only is Edna changing, but Robert is changing as well. Edna and Robert's relationship is growing, but may soon be challenged. As soon as Edna's relationship with Robert is revealed, Robert is moving away to Mexico. Edna's inner voice is challenging her as to what to do about his voyage.
In a way I believe that Robert is also afraid of his relationship with Edna. So in my opinion, I think that Robert is running away from change and the unknown. My question is what is going to happen with Edna and Robert's relationship? Also how is Edna's inner voice if the sea going to effect her next move? Looks like it is time to venture forward in my reading this weekend!
Marla I feel that you described all of the important facts of the story perfectly. When Edna first took her venture out into the sea, she felt a sort of revival inside of her and was able to realize her true feelings and desires. I like how you compared her look back to the shore as the bird cage that is keeping her from truly living out the life that she always wanted to live. When she finally meets up with Robert, she knows that she is changing and that Robert himself is also changing. I am also so excited to see what happens between these two!
DeleteI never really though of the outside world trying to tell Edna to change. The parrot is probably only one of these events in the story. I also feel that the sea plays an important role in Edna's evolution. Her swimming away from everyone really shows that she wants to escape from her restricted life. Calling for Robert was also a large part in her changing, the book made a big deal of her never doing it before by stating that she never has 4 times. I really am clueless as to what will happen to Edna over the course of the story.
DeleteMarla, I didn't even think that Edna's "inner voice" being described as symbolism with the parrot. That is a great idea. Her voice is shown in the parrot because she feels trapped, and the parrot is trapped in the cage with a mockingbird, which symbolizes the men in this story is free and mocks her like she is just an object. Also, you did a great way showing how the sea plays a big part of her inner voice. The sea is sensuous and mysterious. When she swam out in it she felt free, so thats how she wishes to live. Your point on how Robert is what Edna waNts is also a good idea on how deep down, she wants him, but I wish you would have described how her inner voice is tearing away from her family and community.
DeleteEdna is a very unique character. She never really thinks for herself and usually does what she is told too. This way of living led to her never knowing what she really wants. She is also ignored by almost everyone, even with her children. Edna's kids would rather care for themselves or go to the nurse for help, the book states this on page 21 as, "he was not apt to rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort." Edna's character has an initial setup of being an outcast styled character.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, she begins to become more outgoing and willing to be noticed. She starts to do thing she had never done before and thinks for herself more. In chapter 11, Edna refuses to go back with Robert and wishes to remain on the beach. She has a new and unique feeling rise from this, the book describes it on page 52, "Edna began to feel like one who awakens gradually out of a dream." In chapter 12, Edna send for Robert in order to do something with him that she had decided to do. The book makes a rather big deal that Edna had never sent for him before on page 53, "She had never sent for him before. She had never asked for him. She had never seemed to want her before. The book is trying to show that Edna is changing how she acts and is starting to become an independent person. Possibly the biggest revelation is in chapter 10 when Edna swims out alone. This moment described by the book page 46, "Intoxicated with her newly conquered power, she swam out alone." This foreshadows to her breaking away from the control of people around her. She does realize that she did not go out to far, and when she sees how far she did go out, she sees a vision of death. The little scare made her return to land. While she was out she also felt the the deeper water was almost an impenetrable barrier that she could not pass alone. Although Edna broke away from the people around her, she could not make it very far before realizing she needs them. The book is trying to make Edna to be a character that evolves as the story progresses. Will she really become independent, her swimming out alone foreshadows otherwise. Had she stayed out and returned when she wanted to, the foreshadowing would be different. However, she started to fear for her life and return quickly, indicating that she can not go on without the people she depends on. I can not really predict what will happen with her, but I bet it will be interesting.
Tyler you did a good job in describing how Edna doesnt do what she wants, she does what everyone else tells her to do. But I feel that her children picked themselves up from injuries because they know that Edna isnt a very motherly woman, and that she probably wouldnt do much to help them if they sis get a little scratch, so they just didnt bother going to her. I dont think they are just ignoring her, I feel that they know that she isnt a food motherly person. But good job in showing how she starts to listen to her inner voice with Robert.
DeleteTyler, I agree with what you said about Edna never doing what she herself wants but instead what everyone seems to want from her. I don't, however, think that Edna is ignored by her children as much as Edna ignores her children. While her children may seem to ignore her, the reason that they ignore her is because they know that the relationship between themselves and their mother isn't really a touch-y feel-y one. Edna seems to have children, but she does not care for them like mothers are supposed to. The nurse, in a way, is more like a mother to the children than Edna is. I agreeably feel that Edna swimming out on her own is a shift in the story. It shows that Edna is changing and becoming more independent, a characteristic that Robert only seems to be helping her with at this point.
DeleteIn my opinion, Edna seems to have been born in the wrong time period. Women of her time period were expected to cook, clean, take care of the household as well as the children and basically told that they needed to drop everything they were doing if their husband needed something. While most women of this time period seemed to love the idea of this, we can clearly see that Edna did not. This could be seen in Edna's relationship with her children, for example, she was not the motherly type. If anything wrong had happened to the children they would run to the nurse before they would run to their own mother. Her unhappiness is also able to be seen in her relationship between herself and her husband. Edna was crying at the end of one of the chapters after her husband had yelled at her and told her that she was not a good enough mother. Edna's inner voice can almost be characterized by the sea. The sea calls to Edna unlike anything else that she has ever heard. I think this says something about what Edna subconsciously wants. The sea symbolizes freedom and this is what Edna is seeking as we can see by her growing relationship with Robert. Edna seems to be developing feelings for Robert and he seems to make her happy. She is intrigued by Robert much like the way she is intrigued by the sea, and whenever she first learns to swim it seems is the beginning signs of a budding relationship with someone other than her husband.
ReplyDeleteMorgan, I like what you said about Edna being born in the wrong time period! Edna definately doesn't conform to the way women of that time period were supposed to behave. I think that the sea is an important part of this novel because its popped up so much and is so symbolic everytime it does.
DeleteMorgan, you have many of the same things that I had in my blog, starting with the sea controlling her emotions. Indeed she is not the motherly type, but maybe the sea will change her for the good and make her a motherly type of person. All Edna wants is to be free. That is exactly what the sea is. The sea is free, and it is calling Edna to be free with it. I also believe that she is having a budding relationship with Robert. Robert seemed very interested in the way the sea was calling Edna, that he may want to experience it himself.
DeleteThe Awakening was a very hard book for me to stay “awake” through. In the beginning I really struggled to understand this symbolism that I was supposed to be seeing. Reading now isn’t so difficult and I’m beginning to see and understand everything that we’re supposed to. As for Edna’s inner voice I feel like it’s been asleep for most of her life. Edna doesn’t really understand herself at all. The chapters we’ve read up to now really demonstrate how this inner voice is vocalizing itself. A quotation that demonstrates Edna freeing herself takes place in the scene where she is learning to swim, she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over-confidence. She could have shouted for joy."(Pg. 46). I think that this quotation is showing a sort of rebirth for Edna. It tells of how she feels like a child suddenly aware of everything that is happening in the world.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if Robert is the reason Edna is moving into this new world of her desires. Before Robert’s attention was focused on her she kept these thoughts in her head, sometimes not even letting herself think them. Robert is the match to setting the internal fire within Edna. He shows her things and tells her things that allow her feelings to really show through. I feel that if Robert hadn’t paid Edna any attention she wouldn’t have broken out of her shell in the same way.
Maddie, I really like the quote you took from the book; it really describes Edna coming out of her shell, starting to learn a new way of thinking as a child would learn how to walk. You are extremely honest saying that you fell asleep reading the beginning of the book, and I'm sure you were not the only one (ha the first three chapters killed me)! I agree with you that Robert was the one that sparked Edna's awakening. Even though the other women refuse to take him seriously, it seems that Edna has formed a bonding relationship with him, and is sad to see him go. Good job!
DeleteMaddie, I completely agree with what you said about the beginning! I did not understand how the symbolism would come into play at all. But now I get it. The birds being trapped in the cage show how she feels. Edna is trapped in her time period and trying to fit in with how the other women act. I feel like Robert gives her a chance to actually do what she wants to and break away.
DeleteEdna is the type of person who tries to please everyone around her and ignore the feelings that are inside of her. She tries to please her husband and stay with him even though she does not have the feelings a normal mother and wife would have towards her family. She overlooks the fact that she does not fit the stereotype of all of the other women on Grand Isle to try to fit in and keep peace. However, we begin to see her branch out into new horizons with the arrival of Robert into her life, which changes the game for everybody.
ReplyDeleteTo me, I understand Edna's inner voice as the ocean. She feels that on the inside, she is free to move and flow any way she wants to and wants to feel the openness and freeness that the ocean embodies. Edna admits that she was not good with the swimming lessons that she was taking. There was always a feeling of "a certain ungovernable dread hung about her when in the water unless there was a hand near by that might reach out and reassure her", resembling her reliance and need of approval from other parties (pg. 46). She soon began to feel a tantalizing intoxication with the ocean and a need to go in and forget about the rest of the world and accomplish a task on her own. She realizes that she cannot go around living her life in a shell, and decides to take the plunge into the water and obedience to her own voice. She thought that "as she swam she seemed to reaching out for the unlimited in which to loser herself" (pg. 46). She realizes all of the potential that she has on her own and the accomplishments she can fulfill if she sets her mind on a subject and follows her heart. When she walks to the ocean with Robert, it seems like she wants him to enter this new world with her and travel down this path together. She is beginning to open up in new ways that she was never able to do with her family.
Carli, you, along with many other blogs that I have read, have described Edna's inner voice as the sea. I also think that the parrot could be a great symbol in this novel as well because of the stuff that it said at the beginning of the novel. Your quotes that you have chosen are very interesting. You picked great quotes that really describe how Edna reacted when she encountered the sea. It caught my attention when you said that Edna wanted to travel down the path together with Robert. I believe that Robert and Edna will have a growing relationship later in the story, and they will both be touched by the sea.
DeleteCarli, you are correct in saying that Edna does not fit the stereotype of the women of this society. Edna also does not fit the role of a typical mother of this time either. In this book the ocean is Edna's inner voice. This voice is calling her to break away from her cage. This is seen when Edna swims by herself for the first time. Edna finally feels and experiences freedom. Edna's desires are slowly becoming realized. Edna is starting to break out of the stereotypical society.
DeleteEdna is the kind of person that the society has a giant influence on. Not only does the society and people around her influence her, the sea does too. As it says on page 29, “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.” This is what Edna feels sometimes from the sea. I truly believe that the sea could be the inner voice that Edna is hearing because why else would be explained like that in the book? Something that “The Awakening” has a lot of is symbolism. This is just one of the many symbols that were used so far. The parrot was another symbol that represented Edna. The parrot wanted to be free from its cage, just like how Edna wanted to be free in society. I believe that the sea will begin to make her isolated from other human beings. The voice of the sea that we are hearing is impenetrable, piercing every part of Edna’s body to get her attention. She did not want to go into the sea at first because of fear. Then the sea started calling her to enter into it. When she finally went into the sea, she felt very free in it. We can definitely tell that Edna’s inner voice has a giant impact on her life. She is not very happy with her life, so she relies on the sea or inner voice to make her better. Her husband yells at her sometimes, and as a result she will go outside and start crying. With her inner voice channeling her every emotion, she feels that she is on top of the world and is able to be free in her lifestyle. I believe that the see will be like a guide or mentor for her because it will keep speaking through her. This is a very interesting characteristic that Kate Chopin is able to do. She makes nature speak through her characters. This is a characteristic that is very unique and that not many authors possess. Edna was not a very good mother either. If her children had a problem, then they would go to the nurse before they would go with their mother. It is not a very good thing that her own children cannot rely on her for motherly things like cooking and cleaning. The sea is taking over Edna, and will change her for the good that she can become.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I appreciate that you went through and picked out almost every symbol we have discussed so far from the book. I especially like the correlation you made between Edna's inner voice and the parrot. It's funny because the parrot is one of the first things we are introduced to in the story, and Edna's inner voice is developing as the story goes on. It was good to mention the importance of the sea for Edna as she continues to come out of her shell. I found it very interesting that you said, "I believe that the sea will be like a guide or mentor for her." Also, I like that you credited the author for these important features, since she wrote it.
DeleteAndrew, I feel as though the sea does speak to Edna, but maybe not quite in the way that you're thinking. It's the same as when you get something like a fortune cookie or something, and almost anyone can relate it to their lives in any way that they want. It's almost as if she's hearing from the sea what she's thinking deep down, instead of it telling her to feel a certain way. I may be wrong, but that's the way that I viewed that specific symbol. Overall, you had a really great blog this week and it really helped me to see and understand other symbols throughout the story.
DeleteEdna’s inner voice is developing as we continue to read the book; she is really coming out of her shell the more she spends time with Robert. Her relationship with Robert appears to be influencing this change within her. When the novel begins, it begins not with Edna, but with her husband. It describes the setting from Mr. Pontellier’s point of view. Edna isn’t, in my opinion, introduced as a major character until chapter two, which I found very odd since the story is mainly about her. When Edna is introduced, she is referred to as Mrs. Pontellier, but as the story carries on, she is referred to as Edna. This I found as very ironic because the more her inner voice strays away from life she lived with her husband, the less we hear of him, even though he was the first character we heard from in the book.
ReplyDeleteEdna’s inner voice is evolving as we continue to read on. Just as her relationship with Robert develops in the story, Edna begins to change; she is more care free and is not in least bit concerned about her husband or children. In the beginning of the book she is more concerned about her husband, not because she loved him, but because she knew he loved her more than she would ever love him. On page 59, when she wakes up after mass when spending the day with Robert, she finally remembered her husband after such a long while. She said, “I wonder if Leonce will be uneasy!” Also, the ocean plays a large role in Edna’s “awakening.” The more the sea calls to her, the more her inner voice comes out.
Maria, I didn't even realize many of the things that you pointed out in your blog until reading your blog and looking back at the story. It is kind of odd that the story begins with how society would view their marriage, with Mr. Pontellier as the "main character" in their marriage, but it quickly evolves into a story almost solely about Edna. The story almost shifts into how the author thinks about the life of a woman, that they should have the same ability to make decisions as men do.
DeleteMaria, I love your blog. You have pointed out things I never even thought of, and now I totally understand what you have mentioned. The marriage between Edna and Leonce has now become something that Edna realizes is not the correct way to live in a marriage and is falling for Robert. You did a very good job of putting this into a blog, and I learned a few things from reading it.
DeleteEdna is the type of person who may not quite know what she wants, but even if she did know, she probably wouldn't take the initiative to get what she wants near the beginning. However, as the book develops, you see her following what she wants more and more. Whenever she wants to spend time with Robert, she does. When she doesn't want to do anything with her husband, she just doesn't. It's almost as if she begins to care less and less about the people around her and care more and more about what she wants. She begins to realize that she doesn't want what society wants her to have, which was to be completely devoted to her life as a mother and wife.
ReplyDeleteYou begin to realize what a large part Robert is starting to have in her life in around chapter 12. On page 55, they even discussed what they would do together and how they would share with one another if they had become wealthy. This want of Robert is pushing Edna even further away from her husband, her children, and even society in general during this time period.
Her inner voice is shown to us through many different mediums, ranging from the ocean to birds. In the ways of the ocean, it almost symbolizes the way she wishes her relationships could be like, as it says on page 29, “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.” To me, it sounds like Edna wishes there was more tenderness and love in her life, which may be why she chooses to spend so much time with Robert. Robert is someone who is always there to listen to and support her, no matter what. I feel this is why she chooses to risk her life with her family, a life she didn't really want in the first place, just so that she could spend time with him.
Tori, I agree with you saying she seems to not care about the people around her, but I don't know if what you say about how she began to not care is true. To me, Edna seemed like she did not care before either about the way that people viewed her. She obviously was not much of a mother and it was openly seen how unhappy that Edna was in her relationship with her husband. While she did not ever leave her husband, I do not think it was because she didn't want to, but rather because she never really had a place to go to before where as now she has Robert to rely on if she leaves. I like the way that you said her personality can be seen in the birds. This is like how at the beginning of the novel the birds were trapped in the cage much like Edna was trapped in her marriage and motherhood.
DeleteTori, you began your blog with a very true statement and I enjoyed reading your blog. She is finally taking the initiative to do what she pleases, because her whole marriage has been doing what Leonce wants. Children are something that parents cherish and love more than they love themselves, but Edna does not feel this way. I sort of think this is because she doesn't enjoy her life. I still don't understand how she doesn't care about her children, though. I also agree with Morgan when she says Edna did not leave her husband because she had nowhere to go. She was not a Creole in a place where Creoles dominated. Good blog, Tori!
DeleteEdna has been living her life with her husband and children the way not many mothers seem to live their lives. She does not console her children when they are hurt, as they know better than to receive affection from her. She does not spend time with her husband, and he comments on this in the beginning of the story. She even says to Adele that she is not used to receiving or showing affection, which is sort of sad. One night, she sits outside on the porch and cries to herself because she realizes that her life is not what she has been wanting. She does not, unfortunately, enjoy her husband and children. When Robert comes along, she begins to realize that what she has with him is what she wants. She is herself with him, and he dotes on her. Everything she wants or needs, he is right there to do or give her. She is finally acting on what she wants, even calling for Robert to join her. She has never done this with anyone, and she feels almost as if a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. She has finally swum in the sea, and it is sort of ironic that the person she does this with is Robert. It is almost as if she has finally broken away from her life and is now with him. After being out in the water, she is afraid to come back. This is sort of symbolic of her not wanting to come back to the shore where she will have to face reality with her husband. From the very first sentence in the book, birds in cages have been used to symbolize something or someone. We can finally connect these birds to Edna, being trapped, but soon going to escape and enjoy their freedom.
ReplyDeleteNicole, I enjoyed reading your blog! You made some good points. When we first starting reading the book, I thought it was really strange that she didn't seem to care about her kids. However, we're staring to see why. I think that she was never really happy with her life. She just settled for Leonce to disobey her parents. Now that she is older, she really just wants to follow her dreams and do what she wants.
DeleteI completely agree with your blog. Edna is living in a world of her own. She seems to not care about her children, and she seems to avoid her husband. She is gradually waking up. She is starting to explore more of what she could do with life, and symbols like the ocean and the birds are great examples of this.\
DeleteNice job with your blog Nicole!
Edna's inner voice is telling her that she is different than most of the other women in the book. She is not happy with they way her life is now. She sees something in Robert and she wants to explore it. This inner voice is separating her from her family. When she is with her husband, she is usually thinking of Robert. Her children usually never cross her mind. She shows them no compassion. The women of that time were all about family. They took care of their kids and listened to their husbands comands; so she is isolating herself from her community as well. Adele is perfectly happy with her children and her husband. Mademoiselle Reisz does not need a man in her life to make her happy. Edna is not like either of these two. She is unsure about her life, but she knows she wants to be free. When Edna swam for the first time, she felt joy, frredom, and power. The book says, "As she swam she seemed to be reaching out for the unlimited in which to lose herself." She wants to follow her fantasies. The farther she swam out, the more she was frightened. This symbolizes that breaking away from the community can be a scary thing. When she swam back to shore, this symbolizes her coming back to reality.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I used is on page 46.
DeleteNice job on your blog Larissa. You hit all of the main points exactly. I also liked the quote from page 46, it fits in great with Edna's personality and makes the whole idea of awakening pop out to the reader. The point about Edna swimming in the ocean could point to what she may do in the future. She may go out farther than she has before, and we will just have to wait and see what happens.
DeleteGreat job!
Larissa, you used a really good quote in your blog. I feel like her swimming out there and being scared is symbolizing what she is doing with her life. She's always been held back from doing what she wanted, so when she finally does it was probably a little scary at first for her. She may decide to go out farther in the ocean which may symbolize going farther in her life the way she wants. Or she may decide to swim back in which may symbolize her being afraid and going back to her normal life.
DeleteEdna is constantly changing throughout this story. This may not be a bad thing. She does not care for her children in the most caring way. Sometimes she shows that she cares, and others she seems to ignore them. I am not entirely sure what she actually feels, but this awakening could be good. The person Edna seems most open to is Adele. Adele is always around her and this helps with her coming out of her "shell." Adele is really helping Edna. She seems to be a major factor in Edna's "awakening" to life, and how she could be living it. I think this shows through the discussion on Pg. #55. Edna starts to wonder about how life could be if she made different choices. In this case, she is thinking about what a rich life with Robert would be. Not only is this making her "wake up" more to life, but this pushes her farther away from her husband.
ReplyDeleteEdna's world that she has formed inside her mind is full of her wants and desires. There are symbols like the ocean and the parrot on pg #1 that symbolize these things. The ocean is a driving force, it is always there. It is vague, but the readers get a sense of its "power" or of how it could almost be a character. There is no way around seeing that the parrot in the begging is showing how Edna feels trapped. She is stuck in a "cage" of her personal life, and this awakening may make her more like the mockingbird in the first paragraph of this story.
Edna's inner voice is speaking to her through the sea. The sea is telling her to do as she wishes, it is trying to set her free. On page 29 the sea is described as "whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.” This is one of the main parts of Edna's awakening. It symbolizes how the ocean is trying to talk to her, to lead her in the right direction. The voices from the sea can also symbolize that edna is starting to respond to the voices inside her and to the sea. Edna didn't follow her heart when she should have. She cared too much what society thought of her, she didn't care about her feelings. But that's how is was back in that time, women just took care of their families and their houses. It was almost like women didn't matter back then and their feelings didn't matter. The seas is one of the most important symbols of her awakening. Also, the path leading to the beach could be a symbol. The path is long and broken, but it leads to better things like the sea. This symbolizes Edna's awakening because her like was broken for a while and she had no say in anything. But once she got through a lot of the rough patches in life , it lead to better things and she followed what she wanted to do, not what others wanted her to do. Edna is now open about her feelings and realizes that she really can decide what she wants with her life. At first in the novel she kept everything inside of her and was very quiet. As the novel progresses though, she is starting to feel more "awakened".
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