Edna Ponteiller Essay Example For Students

Edna Ponteiller Essay Edna Ponteiller, the protagonist in The Awakening, is perhaps one of most controversial feminist characters in English Fiction. The ideals and values of individuality and freedom to defy conventions of society, which she exemplifies was pugnacious and censorious in eyes of the then Creole Society. Kate Chopin has achieved in portraying Edna in favorable light by supporting Edna in her endeavors. It is by making us sympathize with Ednas conditions that Chopin succeeds in communicating the significance of respecting the principles for which Edna epitomizes. The metaphysical connection that is established between the caged parrot which introduces us to the novel and Edna imbues in our senses a pity for Ednas prognosticated predicaments. By using this symbol of a caged and misunderstood parrot to mirror Ednas life the tone of despondency and miscomprehension is established. This tone infiltrates in our senses, captivating us in an anticipation of distress, and dread that influence our sympathies for Edna. Conflicts and sufferings are key tools in arousing our sympathies. Hardly has the plot of The Awakening developed when we are thrust into what is the defining altercation between Edna and Leonce regarding the moralistic issue of the children. Leonce is portrayed to be repetitive and vexatious (He talked in a monotonous, insistent way) which seeks to enlist our sympathies for Edna as we realize that his concerns are in essence of a lower order of significance. This short dispute is followed by the first of many to come, intense inner contemplations that envision Edna as a thoroughly forlorn woman. (The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontelliers eyes..)(An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness filled her whole being with a vague anguish; Pg 8) This cogitation marks the commencement of Ednas awakening as she indulges in a path of self-discovery. The sufferings though not explained do enrapture our sentiments for Ednas situation and w e feel some form of innate sympathy for Ednas pains. As the narrative continues we are also exposed to the external happiness that enshrouds Ednas life. She has married to a gentleman whose devotion and love for her is incessant. He is prefigured by society to be the best husband in the world. She has also befriended a vivant man : Robert; and is with intimate terms with a charming lady Adele Ratignole. This is the opposing force against the sympathy that we were encroached to feel, as we realize that Ednas life is in perfect harmony. Soon we are enlightened to what the narrator deems to be fountain of her dolefulness: a certain form of realization and awakening to the realities of her life. As this is conveyed we notice a sympathetic and pitiful tone employed by the author (ponderous weight of wisdom to descend upon a young soul)(How few of us emerge from such beginning! How many souls perish in its tumult!) to induce in us sentiments of commiseration and compassion as we apprehend her predestined fate. Ednas infatuations characterize failures in her life and failures are another key tool to captivating our sympathy. All her earlier unfulfilled passions also portent her unsuccessful future thereby capturing our sympathy for her Fate. Ednas first swim into the ocean which scripts her first step towards freedom, self-discovery, and individuality is embellished with a prominent symbol of an infant advancing in its first walking steps. This insinuation teases and provokes what can only be characterized as an exploitation of the universality of sympathy felt for a fragile, innocent, and vulnerable infant. (But that night she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers)(A quick vision of death smote her soul, and for a second of time appalled and enfeebled her senses). This effective image burns in our consciousness and captures our sympathy. Also it attenuates Ednas physical and spiritual form, and indicatively makes her a being of lesser abilities which makes it easier for us to forgive her amoral attitudes. By indirectly supporting Ednas process of awakening, Chopin proposes her acceptance and belief in the desire to defy conventions. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Argumentative EssayDoctor Mandelet, an intelligent and discerning character too offers his sympathies to Edna, and this unlike our natural pity is one of an intellectual cognizing. The final climax aided with the small anti-climax of Ednas witnessing of the birth of Adeles child is the ultimate facet for drawing on our sympathy. The poignancy and piteous manner of her suicide grapples our emotions, compassions, and pity while at the same time enhancing our comprehension of the underlying reasons beneath her calculated and premeditated death. The anti-climax involving an appalling, and tormenting parturition of Adeles fourth child, of which Edna was a forced witness has detrimental effect on her psyche, as Adele has as she intended succeeded planting in Ednas mind a horrifying and oppressing impression of her responsibilities.(she was stunned and speechless with emotion) However as we reach towards the last pages of this epiphany, Ednas vicarious character imposes upon on us and when she states (The children appeared before her like antagonists who had overcome her ; who had overcome and sought to drag her into the souls slavery for the rest of her days) we strangely feel justifying her assertions. For us as readers to cast aside our sympathies for harmless and impeccable children who require care-taking in favor of a seemingly selfish lady and her independent desire is truly an enchanting work of art by Kate Chopin. Why do we support Edna in spite of her moralistic discrepancies? I think we must admit that we have never seen these children in any way discontented with life, while on the other hand Edna through Kates artistic weaving is a pitiful (new born creature opening its eyes in a familiar world that it has never known). Therefore with the death of Edna ends this novel, and in retrospect we must note that through out the entire book the narrator had intensively focused on Edna, and this technique following up till her death is efficacious in imbuing in us an engaging sense of sympathy for her plenary character. One impacting symbolism that ends, and crucially procures our sympathies is that of a (A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water). Fulfilling Mme Reizs apocalyptical prophecies Edna is a wounded bird whose death is ominous, and therefore we are to respect and mourn for her death realizing just how convincing her ideals were but alas there was no one in the society to support and enliven her fascinated imaginations and aspirations.