Edna's Decision in The Awakening

In the final chapter of Kate Chopin's novel The Awakening, Edna Pontellier, the novel's protagonist, drowns herself in the ocean. This decision may be viewed as both a personal victory and a societal defeat. It has aspects of both, and it is difficult to choose just one.

Edna, through the course of the novel, "awakens" to the fact that she is unfulfilled and changes her approach to life. No longer will she bow down to what society expects of her. Sadly, she learns that she cannot have it all; she cannot be herself and still be a good mother, since her rebellious actions will reflect badly on her children. However, she realizes that she cannot give up who she is for the sake of her children, so she sacrifices her life instead for the sake of their reputations.

On one hand, this decision can be seen as a personal victory. Edna preserves herself by giving up her life. She does not give in to what society is demanding of her. She will be herself until the end. Yet she is not able to live long as fully realized person. Her life after her awakening is very short in comparison to the time she spends repressed, so she has little time to develop her artistic skills and even less time to spend with her new love, Robert Lebrun.

In that way, Edna's decision could be seen as a societal defeat. She is not strong enough to fight against society, so she leaves it. Society, whose restrictions she thinks she has overcome, overcomes her in the end. However, Edna probably would not be truly defeated by society unless she reverts to its ways. If Edna does not kill herself for her sons' sakes, then she must sacrifice the person she is now to become what society expects of her. Going back would truly be societal defeat.

The ending of The Awakening is open to several interpretations. It is impossible to say that only one is right. Depending on one's perspective, both positions are correct.

Copyright © 2002 Colleen Fischer | Last updated October 7, 2002