Theme

Theme: Identity

Analysis: In The Awakening, Edna struggles to be a loving devoted mother and a wife to her husband. She suffers trying to remain intact to appear good in front of people and keep a good name for the Pontellier's. Leonce her husband pressures her to remain on good behavior and reminds her of their wealth and name regularly. Edna indeed loved her children and husband but she felt no desire to be wed  to him or to be their mother. She didn't enjoy being a wife and mother like Adele Ratignolle did. When Edna began to have flirtatious relationships with other men she felt free and boisterous. The Awakening for Edna is her relationship with Robert."Something put into my head that you cared for me; and I lost my sense. I forgot everything but a wild dream of your some way becoming my wife."(Pg.145) It was not until he left to Mexico were she starts to become extremely depressed making her husband question her well being. Edna ended her life at the end of the novel in the ocean. As her bodies grows weak she begins to think of her family."She thought of Leonce and the children. They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul."(Pg.157) The ocean is believed to be what Edna had felt would give her freedom which is why she always enjoyed going to the beach.

How does this theme relate to 2019?
People today  continue to struggle with their identity and expressing who they are as a person. They are often afraid of being judged and rejected which leads to living a two-faced life as Edna does.