Friday, April 22, 2011
In Preparing for the D-Day: Edna and her Narrative in The Awakening
Edna has never failed to invoke heated discussions in any of my novel classes. She is a character that you love to love and love to hate. She has always been an example of a strong female character. Is it wrong to be happy? Isn't that what every individual in this world seeks for? But in pursuit of her happiness death overtakes her. So my question to you people, does she choose death or death chooses her?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks Puan Juridah...... Love you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Puan Ju =)
ReplyDeletei have faced some troubles in determining which is whcih but understanding the whole story, i think edna chooses death. it is her choice to swim in the ea. no one forces her to do so let it be robert or her husband. Edna t me, is a women who seeks freedom seriously, but unfortunately living in the era where woman are not allowed to have a say or be independent, the freedom that she lust for only available at the sea.
ReplyDeletejust my two cents.
thank you pn. ju
only in death she truly finds her own freedom. she would not be what she wanted to be if she were to choose to live. who to be blamed? society is to be blamed. it shapes how a woman should be. society defines women. Edna chooses to define herself. she does not suck up to the society. she is a brave woman. whether it is a success in search of her true self is no longer a question to be asked. it is the determination of Edna that encourages women now to continue to fight for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pn. Ju for activating my rusty brain :P Edna indeed is a very 'hot topic' to be discussed.
Hi Pn. Ju...
ReplyDeleteHhmmm...quite confuse yea...she chooses death or death chooses her???
A good question Pn. Ju...hehe..
Will find it out~
For me, death chooses her because she chooses death. *Oh my...what am I talking about?*
Okok...back to the novel...bye...
Thank you Pn. Ju. Have a nice day. ^^
To be seriously frank and not disrespectful, I think Edna is stupid and foolish. Not because she pursues her love and happiness. She could have made very wise decisions and be happy.
ReplyDeleteLoving ur thought provoking questions :)
thanks Puan Ju. :)
ReplyDeletepn ju....since the day you posted this..i have been browsing various websites about The awakening...
ReplyDeleteand now...im totally CONFUSE...=D
rite, but as a conclusion i think Edna chooses her death...
she had choices to make in her life,but she followed her emotions blindly ...to a final stage she couldnt take up her family expectations and also society pressure..and frustrated by her ownself ,she surrender to the sea...
Thanks Pn.Ju..
ReplyDeleteI loved my novels paper today
ReplyDeleteThough all that i studide did not make an appearance
But at least
The questions were awesome
I just had too much of a hand cramp
to write a whole thesis
I loved the fate and choice question
Wuthering Heights
The Scarlett Letter
The Awakening
Honestly
It made me reflect
Yes
We make choices
As i said before
Every step in life is a choice
But
Every choice we make is sometimes intervened by fate
Like in The Awakening
Edna did not choose death
But fate and death conspired
and pulled her into their embrace
In Wuthering Heights...
Catherine chose social security over love
But that made Heathcliff revengeful and cruel
And they were both misarable till the very end
In Scarlett Letter
They chose to commit a sin
But fate showed their sin to the world in the form of Pearl
But still
Hester chose to endure it all with dignity....
We may make choices
But fate conspires and intervenes too
Never forget
There is a greater power above us all
Smile
Have a Good Day.....
Hello Pn. Ju.
ReplyDeleteAt first, i thought that Death choose Edna. But after hearing the different ideas, i finally change my opinion and decide on Edna as the one that choose death.
Edna choose death as she does not want her new found freedom to influence how society treat her children.
Besides that, Edna choose death as she could not turn back to how she was used to. She could not play the woman mother role that society expect her to be. The only way she knows how to maintain her independence is go into the sea, the place that she first found her independence. The birth place of her new found identity...
P/s:
ReplyDeleteAlthough some may say that she is a selfish women (me included at the beginning), but after thinking it though, i think that if she had found herself before her marriage, she would not choose Leonce and have children. Instead, she might choose to be an painter or at least choose to marry someone that she love.
Although it is unfair that she choose Independence over her children, but in the end, Edna still took responsibility and sacrifice her life (something she considered unessential) for her children.
Edna might not be considered as the perfect mother, but she is still a mother non the less.
Hello Puan Ju,
ReplyDeleteKhaymalatha here
i feel inspired to write more about this debatable issue.....in my opinion, Edna did not choose death...it was death that chose edna...why??? you may ask me...
I feel that when she went to the beach, when she walked into the sea, she had no intention of dying...instead.....her intention was to heal with nature...why sea? Because it was an element that she could connect to.
When she went to the sea, she felt like a newborn child. However, emotionally she was weak. Thus, when she swam far out and her physical strength was failing her, she started to lose her energy and will to turn back. This was why death ultimately chooses her.
If fste hed wanted, a wave could have pushed her back to the shore, but no, fate conspired with death and pulled her into it's clutches.
Poor Edna, she could not fight against the embrace of death, which was strong in it's clutches.
Perhaps fate had thought that Edna could not live in a society that conforms and forces her into not being herself. Maybe death thought it would heal her misery. Thus, death chose her to be embraced in it's powerful arms.
Thus in conclusion, death chose to end Edna's misery in the world......
hi Pn. Ju,
ReplyDeleteit's me Najmi.
in my opinion, I think Edna is the one who choose death. Edna actually has reach her limits in her life. She just doesn't know what is the best for her life. The only things she see is only death which is she believe is the only way out for her. Death means freedom to her as she pictures it in her minds and her actions. Furthermore, in the society which is she lives in actually one of the factor that also forces her to choose death. As we may know, the expectations of society to her has made her to be so uncertain to her real purpose of her life. Besides that, I think Edna also frustrated as she has been mistreated by her husband. She has been treated like property of her husband and that is the reason why she does not love her husband. She actually wants real love. Thus, she can't get the love , so she just take the her own initiative to choose death as she see death as the only way to save herself from the misery.
Hi Puan Ju. :)
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I do believe that death didn't choose Edna at all! But, she herself chase the death. Nobody force her to drown herself into the sea, or even nobody try to make her drown! It is her choice.
Plus, Edna planed her "death" in a very dramatic way. She even naked before swim to the sea! @_@
Ya, maybe some people said that it is the expectation from the society to her, or the behavior of the husband towards her that makes Edna decides to commit suicide. But, it didn't change anything.Instead, its change nothing! Does all the problem solve after Edna's death?
I don't think so.
For me,Edna just trying to run from all the problems,misery by doing-not to mention, a stupid decision.
That's all.
Thank you. :)
Nor Faizahaishah Bt Othaman 152319
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think Edna choose death. She choose death as escapism from society expectations on her. She doesn’t want to fulfill society expectations either feel lonely after she left her family and Robert left her. She chooses death as escapism, which is she found death is the only way to escape from the reality. The reality of society that expects her to be a good mother to her children’s and a loyal wife to her husband. She had desire for her own life and wants to achieve her own dream. However, she can’t have both in life. She choose death as death become an escapism to her and the important thing, she found freedom in death.
That's all for now,
Thank you..
Sharmila Malakar 154744
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, death chooses Edna. I personify death as something which is jealous of her happiness. This is because in my own understanding, i feel that Edna wants to still live on because she has found her inner joy and confidence. She found herself already after all this years of living without a reason. Therefore she wouldn't have thought of dying, not even a bit.
According to the final chapters, Edna went to the sea. It's because she was sad and depressed because Robert left and disappointed her. Here it doesn't mean that she wants to end her life but she want to feel the embrace of the sea that once given her the meaning of life. She must have gone to the sea to feel strengthened and renewed again. She swam as far as she could as there were many things in her head.
She didn't realize how far she has gone. And finally when she realized it was too late. From my understanding, she must have grown tired and due to the fact of her sadness, she couldn't swim anymore. Her energy has diminished and therefore she was taken by the strong waves. She lose to the sea.
This is based on my own understanding because Edna is a strong woman. She defied her society by taking a stand and living life according to her own rules. She's not a coward. She wouldn't simply take her own life just because Robert is not with her anymore. If her life is all for Robert then that makes her so foolish. But she isn't and in my opinion she is a very intelligent lady. She wouldn't lose the race of life just by killing herself. I know killing our own self takes a lot of courage and bravery but there's more to it. Because she is intelligent and practical she didn't choose death. It happened as i said earlier that death is jealous of her.
Edna being a very different kind of lady and the fact that she's from that century shows how unique she is. She persevered all this while in the book and stand for her happiness. The sea in chapter 6 was her friend. But the sea in the final chapter, was death. It must have grown jealous of Edna because she is such a strong and independent woman. It( the sea ) took advantage of her frailty ( weakness ) and carried her away.
There are many important paths that we must follow on our journey through life. We follow the path without questioning its intent. The path informs us when we should learn to talk, to walk, to marry, and to have children. We are told that we should never stray from it,because if we do,society will make it certain that we are bound for damnation.
ReplyDeleteObviously a woman has all rights to marry the man of her heart. But its not appropriate for a woman to be 'happy' by having an affair after she is married as her husband is still loyal to her. If she feels neglected she could have discuss the problems with her husband which she did not.
On the subject of death..I would say Edna Pontellier struggles vigorously to escape the shackles of society. With the final realization that she will never be entirely free, Edna takes her life.
Edna had found true love with Robert and a sexual intensity that she could never find again. The depth of true love MUST be a part of our sexual experience to truly satisfy. Trying to recapture that experience through sexual gratification alone was impossible for her. It had driven her so strongly that she gave up her children to search for it. This goes against all social expectations even today! When JUST the sexual experience did not bring the depth of her relationship she had experienced with Robert, it deeply grieved her to the point where she could not go back and could not go forward!
All she could think of during her lifetime was Robert. It's called 'dieing from a broken heart' and that made her find the darkness through death!
SIVASANGHARI A/P NADARAJAN
J36340
BP TESL SEM 8 (UPM PJJ)
Wei Sam 151654
ReplyDeleteI am particularly in love with 2 characters. They are Edna from 'The Awakening' and Hester from 'Scarlet Letter'.
Honestly, Puan Ju, I was hoping one of the questions in the final asking us to find the similarities of both of them :P
Maybe I am a feminist, just a little not the extreme one, and also headstrong; that's why I find connections with Edna and Hester. Even though their actions may seem as immoral, I have a total different perspective looking at them.
Choice, it is the choice they dare to make in life that inspires me. We can never separate choice from our lives. Both women chooses love and their own happiness. Is that wrong? This is always the question. We just can't leave social responsibilities behind. We all have different roles in life, as a son/daughter, teacher/student, husband/wife etc. It is not easy to just give up our responsibilities just like that. Most of us might not have the courage that Edna and Hester have.
People condemn them. People humiliate them. People laugh at their actions that seem stupid in their eyes. But these people are cowards. They do not even dare to have a single thought in changing their existing life that looks perfect. I would call it a 'comfort zone'. Only a few dares to be the odd ones. Because they are different, society rejects them, but this does not mean that they are at wrong. Who says that we have to follow what society says?
The act of succumbing to society's expectations makes you a coward not Edna or Hester. And make you no right in condemning them in any way.
Why call Edna or Hester a slut? They admit their sexual desires. Women are humans as well. So, they do have desires. By constraining yourself and not admitting your desires make you a better person? You don't even have the courage to admit what you want.
Edna and Hester are selfish? Come on, who does not? You are such a liar if you say you are not selfish. At times, selfishness is needed to protect ourselves from harm. Again I said, learn to love yourself first before spreading your love.
Edna committed suicide? Yes or no, I hope that she is happy in her afterlife. I hope she gains her newborn freedom and happiness.
Hester is a sinner? Yes or no, her decision in life makes her stronger and a better person. I also hope she gains happiness in her afterlife with Dimmesdale.
*I used 'you' quite often, please don't take it seriously. It's my opinion. You can agree and disagree with it. Of course, I am fighting for Edna and Hester that are being called in several negative terms.
To Puan Ju,
I am quite sensitive to issues regarding woman's rights and freedom. I might not score well in exam. But I love all the novels and feel like fighting for the female characters.
I always believe that women are stronger than what we expect. In my own way, I will always prove that I am stronger than the men. :)
farah nabillah mior yusup (154096)
ReplyDeleteAssalamualaikum Pn. Ju...
This is farah here..
Based on my reading and understanding, honestly...I think that Edna herself choose the death. From my reading I can see the Edna is a free spirit woman. She wants everything to be on her own. She doesn’t like people to control her life although sometimes she needs it to make her life in the right track. When she started to sense her awakening, she begins to do everything own her own. She begin to rebel to her husband and family. She hungers for the freedom that other women never had before this. And finally the freedom that she is craving for ruins her life till the end. She had gone too far in her life. She rebels to her own family, leave the house, mingle around with the guys, sleep with any man she likes and that portrayed me, she is such a bad woman. Huhuhu... When I read the last chapter of the novel, I think Edna herself choose the death. She knows that she is not so good in swimming but then she dare to swim alone at the sea. She swims so far and she knows she would never be able to swim back to the sea shore again. She knows that there is nothing in this world for her to wait. She lost her family, she lost her lover and the society also could never bring the happiness. She chooses to swim and died “peacefully” in the sea rather than to live in that society. That is what she really wants in life because for me, she doesn’t want to turn back anymore after everything that she had gone through before this.
SHARIZAN BIN SARIMAN (152855)
ReplyDeleteAs I take on a glimpse through the novel, “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, according to my point of view, Edna Pontellier selects death. Edna Pontellier is the twenty-eight years old wife of a Louisiana Creole businessman, Léonce Pontellier, and they are blessed with two sons, Etienne and Raoul. Simply put, Edna Pontellier is a woman, or accurately, a housewife with an assortment of old-fashioned Creole ethics within her. However, she is transformed into a woman with a feminine elegance and charm through her relationship, or accurately, friendship with Adèle Ratignolle, and she discovers the awakening within herself. Soon after in the novel, Edna Pontellier come across a forbidden bond with Robert Lebrun, the single son of Madame Lebrun whose cottage was the residence of the Pontellier family when they were in Grand Isle, and Alcée Arobin, the town’s seducer. Her bond with the latter appears to gratify her sexual desires, even though without the warmth of mutual emotion. The awakening within Edna Pontellier appear to whisper once again when Madame Ratignolle informs her in relation to the developing distance between her and her husband and sons, and, as well, the ethics of a Creole woman. With the uncertainties fiddling within her mind, Edna Pontellier goes to the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico to rekindle the uncertainty in her life – her freedom from her husband and sons, her friendship with Madame Ratignolle and her forbidden bond with Robert Lebrun and Alcée Arobin. Here, in the part of the novel, Edna selects death as she walks into the water of the Gulf of Mexico and let the waves engulf her, following his own piece of thoughts.
Isolde Hon Pei Sha (152560)
ReplyDeleteI believe that Edna chose death and that is why death chose her too.
In my opinion, she needed a way out.
She needed to break free.
She needed to find a place where she belongs.
A place where there is no discrimination.
A place where she can be herself without pretense.
She feels like she is coming to a dead end.
With no where to turn.
She takes a swim to calm herself down.
She wanted to take away the stress she was facing.
In the end, she found it.
The only way that she can achieve independence and freedom was to take her own life.
This way, she can be free.
Free of society's condemnation.
Free of negative critics.
Free of confinement.
And finally, FREEDOM.
fatin nabila binti jasni 153451
ReplyDeletefor me...edna chooses death rather than death chooses her since she is not strong enough to carry on living in the new life that she created by herself because she still has a soft spot for her children.......in order to live in her new life...she needs to be very strong, because in her new life, she will be hate by the society she is living in....in my point of view,she will be very strong if not because of her children..however, in order to make her children happy and not hurting them( hurting them emotionally, when society hate her, maybe they will punish her children because of her n make her children embarrassed).......so in my opinion, because of that reason, she decided to let go of her life in the sea......for me, she was actually died because of drowning in her own thought and decided she cannot bear them anymore.....
It is a brand new day.
ReplyDeleteI hope I can persuade few more souls to join in this community.
Sam, If you look at the question on choice and fate again you would have seen that I have answered your prayers. Both make independent choices in life. The same thing can be said about Catherine too. Perhaps many of you see Catherine as a whimsical, spoiled child. She chooses because she feels she would be happy. She would be happy because she has taken a step that will give her power to free Heathcliff from Hindley's demonic clutches. Alas,I have digress. This is all about Edna.
Hanis illyani mat johari
ReplyDelete154027
Hi pn ju,
In my opinion, Edna herself choose death. It is her choice. She allowed herself to be drown in the sea. For me, she choose sea to commit suicide because sea is the place where she meet Robert, her lover. The sea has a lot of memory between her and Robert. So, she want to die where she meet her happiness. It is not wrong to be happy. Every individual in this worlds seeks for it because your life means nothing when you are not happy with your life. In Edna case, She can’t fulfill what society expects her which is to be a good mother to her children’s and a loyal wife to her husband. She had desire for her own life and want to achieve her own happiness. She just want to be happy and since she can’t have what she want, she choose death as she see death as a freedom. Only in death she truly finds her own freedom. She can’t be what she wanted to be if she choose to live. So, she choose death…
That’s all,
Thank you
Choong Yar Hui (151673)
ReplyDeleteI don’t know for exact whether Edna has chosen or has been chosen by death. All I know is she’s dead in the end and all dead are dead alike.
In Edna’s story, I don’t see any way she could make a difference. She could have been alive if she decided to give in to society and their expectations, but she will lead a miserable life for the rest of her days. So practically Edna is only left with two choices- to live unhappily or to die. To me, living a life without passion and full of frustration has no difference with dying. Which is why, again, I cannot decide whether death has chosen Edna or Edna has chosen death.
Somehow, I really pity Edna. Even when she has ended her life in a beautiful way, people still claim that she is selfish. So my question is, since either way she still gets poked, why doesn’t she just continue to live to pursuit her dreams selfishly?
In my opinion, for a start, she married the wrong guy. If only she has married someone who fulfilled what she wants in life, someone who’s willing to give her all the tender, love and care she wants, she would have been happily taking care of his children and pursuing her dreams the same time. Is that not possible? It is. If Leonce has been supportive, I don’t think society matters to Edna. It is when the person who sleeps next to her failed to understand her, and that the person she thought would understand her- Robert, decided to give up, she ends everything.
In The Awakening, the focus is often on Edna and her character. Some salute her, apparently it’s because they can relate to her; some reproached her, probably because they failed to understand what led to her situation. For me Edna is a common character. She had the awakening after she’s married, which happens not only to her but many women throughout the centuries. If only she realized sooner, if only her maturity has allowed her to understand what marriage is all about before she gets into one (instead of marrying the wrong man for wrong reason), she would’ve chosen a different path instead of settling for the second best.
assalamualaikum and hi puan ju...
ReplyDeleteit's me. zulaikha's here.....
for this post, in The Awakening, if there is no Edna, there would not be a story. so, at first i think what is Edna did was right because she was trying to search and find for her independence. but as i read through the story, at the same time i think Edna is quite selfish because to find your independence it does not mean that you have to abandon your family especially your children. Mom is still will be a mom. for me, it is not wrong to go and find for your independence but to be selfish is not good.
Edna said that she was happy because she went out from the house and leave in pigeon house. for me, her happiness is not the true happiness because she did not know where to go. yes, she could do anything she wanted to but is she actually happy. not to me.
at the end, some people said she commit suicide. but for me, she was not. she just to tired to go back to the shore. she went across the boundary where she wanted to but it was too far to go back. i choose death choose Edna because it knew that she would not be able to survive in that particular community. so, it is better for her not going back.
thank you,
zulaikha khairuddin (153465)
Dear Pn Ju,
ReplyDeletein my opinion, i think Edna chooses death.
probably, to Edna, death is freedom from everything that she suffers in her life.
i would not say whether i agree with her choice because every individual has the right to make their own decissions.
however, i was thinking... since she has the guts to die, why not she has not guts to live on?
though she losses herself in her relationships with men, but that doesn't mean that she has lost everything in life.
i pity her children for losing their mother at such young age. with the presence of her children in life, i believe that if Edna has not chosen death, she could live a happier life. besides men, there are many thing that she could love, especially herself and her children.
Edna is a brave woman to me because i think there were not many women in her era would take any step futher to chase after one's dream (they might hope and dream but never dare to take any action).
anyhow, one should appreciate life that is given by god and our parents.... no matter how hard is our life, stay strong and overcome everything.... and also know that, before we want to love anybody, learn to love ourselves first.
Dyg Nurul Ezzarina bt Abg Zainal Abidin
ReplyDelete153006
Dear Pn Ju.
This novel seriously impress me. Though it was written way before our current century now, the author somehow managed to see a conflict that those people during her time tries to avoid.
Yes, during their time, it's a taboo of anything related with women cheating on their husbands. But now, seriously, it happens, a lot.
I shall say that the author is a visionary and brave, for being bold enough to produce this kind of book during her time.
I don't think it's an insult for women to be in Edna's shoes. Perhaps, we women often being left without any choices at all. And if there's any, it would be only one. And that is to obey the society.
In my point of view, Edna choses the death herself. Well, of course, I viewed it that way for she drowned herself in the sea.
But then, why did Edna choses to end her own life? Well, I think, Edna probably think that she just could not take it no more that she wants all her pain to be ended.
What's the point of living when you live in pain and grieving? Yet, here, the author shows a sense of immaturity of Edna, for taking the easiest way out, by taking her own life.
In my defense, Edna shouldn't be blame for her decision anyway. She end up marrying the wrong guy, building a family with the man she does not really sure, if she is ever in love with.
So, is it wrong when she finally met the person he wanted to be with, is it wrong that she finally fall in love with another guy but her husband? No, it's not. Because we can't fake feelings. As I said in my previous comment, love or feeling come uninvited, and they leave unwanted.
There's no wrong or right in love. The human race themselves draw the line which is can and which is can't in this thing.
Believing that she doesn't have any way out, probably thinking that it's best to hurt herself rather than hurting other's feelings, Edna, finally choses death.
Death, is somehow, is not the end, but a transition to another world. That is what Edna might think for herself, probably thinking she would be able to be with Robert on the other life.
Just my point of view, Pn Ju. :)
Sorry Pn. Ju
ReplyDeleteMost of us think that Edna failed to be a good mother... as in the last chapter she is not willingly let go her freedom for her children. In the first thought it will sound like * what kind of woman is this*, *she don't deserve to be called as mother*.... but no one did put their feet in her shoes...
Edna is desperately need love, she expect to get it from her husband, Leonce but it didn't. Then the two other guys in her life Robert n Alcee. Robert is different with Alcee.. Love and lust take charge in Edna's life as she expected but never last long. This matters effected Edna's unfullfilled life. Then she decided to go further more in her life by taking a risk- in the form of go beyond the boundary - boundary that she made for herself regarding the commitments she have. But still is that what she really wanted ?? Pn. Ju i don't think so... She is a brave woman who can decide what she want and goes along with the decision. And i would proud to say that death never choose her and she also din choose death.... Matter is she wins death..
dear puan juridah..
ReplyDeleteits me salam 154595
although its a bit late but i actually still want to comment..
in my opinion Edna actually just wanna be free in her own way...
yes,,if someone ask me Edna was making mistakes its a yes..but somehow rather edna actually find her own way to find her freedom...
freedom that anyone cant give her...she make mistake when she left her children and left her husband...
that is the wrong part...but for me finding our own freedom and searching for our own happiness is not wrong...
Edna swim trough the sea and make herself comfortable where she can feel the satisfaction in herself...
everybody in this world i trust want to feel happy...but we have to fight a good fight in our own struggle...and you'll see the bigger picture...life is not a snapshot where u can find all u want in this life..there must be a test from God that u must go through....
for me Edna choose her freedom trough death where actually the real freedom she only had...
thnk u puan ju...:)