Response to “The Awakening”

the vast expanse of water, meeting and melting with the moonlit sky,

conveyed to her excited fancy. As she swam she seemed to be reaching

out for the unlimited in which to lose herself (567)."

Chopin is clearly describing a surreal occurrence here. This is also one of the most defining moments in the story, when Edna realizes that she can swim, sanctioning her with a new sense of worth and being. She is overwhelmed with a desire to let the ocean fulfill her needs of her senses being awakened and her wishes discovered.

Furthermore, in this supernatural chapter, Robert describes a spirit that all too closely resembles Edna's experience.

"On the twenty-eighth of August, at the hour of midnight, and if the moon

is shining-the moon must be shining-a spirit that has haunted these

shores for ages rises up from the Gulf. With its own penetrating vision the

spirit seeks some one mortal worthy to hold him company, worthy of

being exalted for a few hours into realms of the semi-celestials. His

search has always hitherto been fruitless, and he has sunk back,

disheartened, into the sea. But tonight he found Mrs.Pontellier. Perhaps

he will never wholly release her from the spell. Perhaps she will never

again suffer a poor, unworthy earthling to walk in the shadow of her

divine presence (568)."

This glorious language that foreshadows Edna's entire extraordinary occurrence, also serves as a glimpse into her transforming soul. It opens the door to Edna's fantastic realm by addressing the possibility of its existence. Chopin actually utilizes the words "realms of the semi-celestial" or paranormal to describe this fictional spirit that in fact symbolizes Edna's newly acquired state of mind.

Another prime example of Chopin communicating Edna's surreal state is:

"She slept but a few hours. They were troubled and feverish hours,

disturbed with dreams that were intangible, that eluded her, leaving

only an impression upon her half-awakened senses of something

unattainable. She was up and dressed in the cool of the early morning.

The air was invigorating and steadied somewhat her faculties. However,

she was not seeking refreshment or help from any source, either external

or from within. She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her,

as if she had placed herself in alien hands for direction, and freed her soul

of responsibility (571)."

Once again, this arousing of her inner soul could only be described by Chopin through a bizarre manner. It took over Edna like a force from out of this world. The fact that this phenomenon "freed her soul" is an important characteristic. It allows the reader to understand her actions as uncontrollable, in the sense that she cannot control them if she is to discover who she truly is by letting go of who she had become. Overall, Chopin is attempting to explain Edna's "awaking" by describing the unexplainable. The only way to elucidate something that can't be clearly understood is through utilizing the fascinating details of the enigmatic.