Awakening: the Role Model

In Kate Chopins The Awakening, Edna Pontellier continuously splutters with breaking the fond norms that are imposed upon her by the bulk most her including her own friends and husband. Throughout the novel, Edna is able to detach herself from the life style that inn appoints her by emulating white perch Reisz, an mugwump fair sexhood who has lived her life without conforming to society. white perch Reisz is non only when a model for Ednas awakening, al ane she in corresponding bitner represents the emancipation and mortality that Enda wishes she could attain.Through imitating Reisz, Enda realizes the cleaning woman she is capable of becoming, just later learns that she can non truly be an fissiparous woman because of her differences from Mademoiselle Reisz. The kind amongst Edna and Reisz is constructed on the nice tie-in between the two characters. Enda, a painter, is very fond of Reiszs musical talent. Edna specifically likes single of Reiszs songs that s he calls solitude. Chopin writes, The name of the piece was something else, but she called it Solitude. When she heard it there came before her imagination the omen of a man standing beside a unembellished rock on the seashore. He was naked. His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he nerveed toward a distant dame winging its flight away from him (38). This is what the relationship between Edna and Reisz is built on. Not only is it the esthetical connection, but it is also the desire to be an individual that brings the two together. The song portrays an almost a burnished movie in the mind of Enda, the form of art that she enjoys.This particularly touches her because even though it is a varied form of art, Edna still is able to understand and go down it. In her mind, Reiszs song leaves her with the sensation of be alone and dispatch, a vox populi that Edna longs to pick out for herself. The sea, which resembles costlessdom and knowledge doneout the novel i s set as an obstacle for the man who can only looking at the bird that can go the another(prenominal) way and travel over the water.The resignation that the man and Edna feel are both in retort to the way that they cannot publish themselves offly from the land they are on, which can be understood as society itself, unlike the bird that they work to watch manifestly fly the other way. From this interaction between the two, it is unvarnished that Ednas relationship with Mademoiselle Reisz is based on the two intellectual each other by dint of them both macrocosm artists. alongside of their artistic connection, Edna Pontellier looks up to Mademoiselle Reisz as the woman she aspires to be.Enda complimentss to be an fencesitter artist that is a maverick among the conventional slew in the society just like Reisz is. This is diaphanous in how the two characters interact. Chopin writes, When Mademoiselle Reisz came and touched her upon the lift and spoke to her, the woma n go throughmed to echo the thought which was eer in Ednas mind or, better, the feeling which continuously possessed her (69). Edna is figuratively and literally touched by Reisz in this moment. Edna wishes to be free and bump up the all of the responsibilities she has a a woman.She does not want to be in the habit of doing all the accessible responsibilities that are placed upon women. Reisz echoes the freedom that Edna wishes she had by moving her and almost giving her that independence she yearns for. We can see how Edna struggles on the inside with wanting to be free and breakaway from how the narrator refers to it as a feeling which constantly possessed her. The possession shows how Edna does not have control over this feeling and she result forever and a day want to be a free individual.Reisz communicates to Edna that it is come-at-able break the social standards by touching her and heavy her that it is possible to be different because Reisz has done it herself. Th e connection between the two in this passage is one that is very much one that is mutual and close. Mademoiselle Reisz provides Edna with enlightenment that possesses her, while Edna gives the most disagreeable and less-traveled woman a true friendship in a society that is bias a dupest independent women who perplex the social convention. Reisz once again touches Edna similarly to how she had prior on in the novel.Chopin writes, She put her arms more or less me and felt my shoulder blades, to see if my fly were strong, she said. The bird that would soar above the level plain of custom and damage must have strong move. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to globe (p. 127). Similar to the man from the song that wishes that he had wings like the bird to be free. Ednas wings that she can use overcome the tradition and preconception of society are being checked by Mademoiselle Reisz to see if she is strong enough to fly on her own. In a ddition, Edna s reached out to by Reisz and is comforted by her knowledge on how to be an individual. Edna wants to be free and is happy to relieved by the fact that Reisz is there to attend to her. Although Reisz is there to help Edna, Reisz also does think it is a shame if Edna were to break up in obtaining her independence. Mademoiselle Reisz calls it a spectacle which sacrifices those who fail look ridiculous or like a fool. She is also telling Edna if she doesnt succeed that she will make herself a spectacle that the entire tradition on the ground, society, is breathing out to see her fall as she makes herself look like a fool.We can also see that Edna does enjoy the battlefront of Resiz although it may be hard on her at times. Chopin writes, There was nothing which so quieted the ruckus of Ednas senses as visit to Mademoiselle Reisz. It was then, in the presence of that personality which was offensive to her, that the woman, by her ecclesiastic art, seemed to reach Edna s spirit and set it free (p. 120). At this point, Edna Pontellier feels as if the personality of Reisz, which she seems to envy because of its complete freedom, is the only thing that reaches Ednas spirit and sets it free. Ednas world that is filled with struggle to be independent can only be calmed by the presence of her role model and deity, Mademoiselle Reisz. Since the relationship between Edna and Reisz is clearly one based on being independent women in a society that is prejudice against those whom that contravene the societal laws, the Ednas life and suicide can be understood with more lucidity. Ednas life through the novel is incontrovertibly a mimic of the life of Mademoiselle Reisz. Since Reisz is the independent and free woman Edna strives to be, Edna simply follows all the things that Reisz does.Edna returns back to paintingwhat does she want from painting, she no longer goes through the daily treadmill of the life which has been portioned out to us, and she no longer l ets society assertion her what to do. Even though Edna is a free and independent woman by following the lifestyle of her counterpart, Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna struggles to be completely free. She still has to deal with the return of her husband and most importantly living with her children. This struggle makes the seemingly independent woman, Edna, ultimately commit suicide.Although Edna is fulfill by her ability to initially take flight, gain freedom, Edna is just like weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to reality (p. 127). Because Ednas wings are weak she is inefficient to fly and be free. This is because of the accuse on her placed by her family. With Roberts return, Edna again begins to feel the societal pressures that were absent while Robert was in Mexico. Edna is pressured into falling O.K. into the daily treadmill of life because of her husband. This is one fountain that she deicides to discontinue her life.Unlike Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna has a spouse wherea s Reisz does not have a spouse that pressures her into conforming to society. then Ednas independence is challenged in her own dental plate unlike Reisz whom is free to do as she wishes. Alongside of not having a spouse, Reisz does not have to use up almost children dissimilar to Edna. This is key in understanding Ednas suicide because of the extent to which he children were a major component in her deciding to give up her life. Reisz does not have to worry about children so she is much more capable of being a free woman. On the other hand, Edna has to take financial aid of her children.This makes a major difference for Edna because her children will most likely be affected by societys thoughts and opinions on their mother. Her children, the only people who should be able to love her unconditionally, will have to ultimately ostracize their mother if she was to be an independent woman. Edna also gives her life because she does not want to burden her own offspring with societys creative thinker and beliefs of their own mother. In conclusion, Edna is weak considering that she is unable to expect an independent women and that she decides to end her life instead of pickings power over her life.By submitting to death, Edna loses to society and ends her life for the vex of her children. Because she conforms in the end to what society wants her to do, take care of her children, Ednas death can be considered as a defeat. Mademoiselle Ratignolle, the prime example of person that conforms to society expectations and beliefs, says that women should give their lives for their children. Edna does exactly that and therefore is not only weak, but dies as a woman with no independence or freedom.