Physically and Mentally Crossing Boundaries in "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin.

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Literature is often about crossing boundaries, both physically and mentally. In what ways, and to what extent, does the crossing of boundaries contribute to Kate Chopin's "The Awakening?"

In Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”, the author uses physical and mental boundaries which the main character, Edna crosses throughout the story as a symbol for the freedom she yearns and all the boundaries she has to overcome before finally achieving it.

One of the most important boundaries when she swims in the ocean for the first time. The sea is such a vast and endless that it can symbolize freedom. Although Edna has cross societies boundaries, Edna is still at this point, attached to her family and responsibility however this changes after she goes into the ocean. When Edna swims in the ocean she experiences self discovery and an unknown awareness. This moment is also ironic since all the people in the beach are applauding this achievement, when in reality it is a symbol of defiance against society. In this moment Edna crosses the limitations that society has created in her mind and she does not “drown” doing so. This shows that Edna not drowning is being able to stand up for herself as an independent women without her husband, friends or children. The fact that she wants to swim very far where no one has swam before, is significant because this is a foreshadowing that Edna will go further away from societies norms “than anyone has before”.

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Another moment when Edna crosses physical and mental boundaries is Edna crosses is when she decides to leave with Robert to the isle of Chênière. In this instance Edna is crossing both physical and emotional boundaries, this is the first moment where Edna leaves her home, it is important to remember that her husband is home and not on a work trip. Before she leaves with Robert we can see her defiance towards her husband as she realizes that she always did what she said without questioning it. The night before Edna became aware of the senselessness of obeying everything her ...

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