The Awakening engages us in the emotional ups and downs of Edna Pontellier, a woman extremely unfulfilled by her roles of wife and mother. Edna flatly refuses to adhere to the conventional behavior and attitudes imposed on women, confining them to such roles. Edna is most unwilling to adhere to her husbandÆs demands. She believes woman are confined by male patriarchy and unfair social conventions that favor men. Having nothing to do with such constraints on behavior, Edna takes lovers and lives the life of an artist. In the end, her search for love and fulfillment ends in vain, as she commits suicide by swimming into the ocean. Chopin uses birds, either caged or free, to symbolize both EdnaÆs frustrations and her desires.
The opening of the novella presents us with a green and yellow parrot in a cage. By speaking the bird disgusts Mr. Pontellier who flees its presence. We are told, ôMr. Pontellier had the privilege of quitting their society when they ceased to be entertainingö (Chopin 1976, 3). We see from his behavior that Mr. Pontellier is only interested in the birds if they please him. This is symbolic because Edna refuses to please him, which will eventually make him leave her presence. In this way, the bird represents EdnaÆs frustration at having to please her husband and her desire to be free of such an obligation.
The opening with the bird is also significant because we are told that ônobody understoodö the bird, except for the mocking-bird outside (Chopin 1976, 3). This is also symbolic of EdnaÆs frustrations and desires. Her frustration comes from her need to live outside conventional roles and behavior for women. In this way, she feels trapped in a cage like the bird. The symbol of the two birds also illustrates her desire. She wants to be outside the cage her husband and society locks women in, free to spread her wings like the mocking-bird, the only one who understands.
...