Some of the Motifs in the Awakening by Kate Chopin

Throughout the Awakening, Edna’s sense of music and understanding help the reader employ she is different than the other characters in the book. The symbols of art and music represent freedom and flourish. Mademoiselle Reisz is the only character that secludes her from the world. She lives her life independent from everybody else which is symbolized in the music in her life. The difference Edna detects between the piano playing of Mademoiselle Reisz and Adele Ratignole affect her emotional growth. As the novel unfolds we see that Edna reaches a point in her awakening in which she is able to hear what the music tells her rather than just randomly inventing pictures in her head.

“She liked the dabbling.. She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom… The picture completed bore no resemblance to Madame Ratignolle.” Edna loves painting but is not good at it. She uses painting as a sort of escape from the outside world. She wants to be free. Though she is not good at painting, Edna does not possess a spirit strong enough to be independent.

Another important motif in the novel is children. What are the first things that come to mind when you see children? Playful, Excited, Fun, Loving, and Curious. Right? Well Edna is metaphorically related to a child throughout the novel. She undergoes an emotional growth from youth to maturity. Her childlike self becomes self-absorbed and she starts to disobey. She doesn’t think of the future nor does she fail to think realistically. Edna’s children represent an obligation that no matter what society will always rule and mess with their minds. That increases her chances of wanting to kill herself.

Houses in the Awakening symbolize Edna’s Awakening. She stays in the cottages on Grand Isle, Madame Antoine’s home on the Cheniere Caminada, and her “pigeon” house. Each of these houses helps the reader underline every house is a different stage in Edna’s growth. At the Grand Isle, Edna is expected to be mother like and be a respectful mother. While she slips with Robert at the Cheniere Caminada tranquilizes her. She finds herself romantic and passionate with the foreign world and Robert. After that encounter she moves into the “pigeon” home where Edna allows it to be both a home and independent. That expectation resembles hope that is later turned into death. The house allows her to progress in her sexual awakening but she feels isolated and tormented living along. It is important to realize that this was her last house. After feeling exile, she thought the only way out was through suicide.

 think Edna’s awakening had a lot to do with the people in her life and the society. In terms of the nature of Edna’s awakening, it comes after she realizes she is a human being and not a toy people can play with. Edna defined happiness by the way the Creole society defined it to be. She begins to realize happiness is something more than that and she has all the right to do whatever she wants to get it.