Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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mother.

Throughout the book Edna takes many steps to increase her independence. She
sends her children away, she refuses to stay at home on Tuesdays (as was
the social convention of the time), she frequents races and parties.
Unfortunately, her independence proves to be her downfall.

Edna stays married because divorce was unheard of in those days. She wants
to marry Robert, but he will not because it will disgrace her to leave her
husband. No matter how much Edna exceeds social boundaries, she is held
down by the will of others, despite what she wants. In today's world
divorce, sadly, is almost commonplace, but in her time she would have been
an outcast of her society. By the end of The Awakening, Edna feels like a
possession - of her husband, of her children, and of her society. The only
solution she sees is to end her life, which she does by swimming out into
the sea until her strength gives out. This is a very symbolic death.

I feel the theme of The Awakening is deeper than ...

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