Awakening

Kate Chopin underscores the expression "free as a bird" in the novel The Awakening through the consistent use of aviary symbolism. Throughout the story she cleverly weaves images and descriptions of birds to express the psychological state of mind of her main character, Edna Pontellier. Perhaps the most obvious example of this symbolism is in the first spoken sentences of the novel, which, strangely enough, are not uttered by a human, but rather screeched by …

…creature meets an untimely death, unable to heed the advice of the parrot, not ready to follow the loveless, amoral path of Arobin, and only half-comprehending the words of Mademoiselle Reisz. However, Edna now is freed from the barriers and obstacles in her life, which prevented her from attaining her dream. As she waded into the cold ocean water at the novel’s end, Edna Pontellier was "flying free" to her death -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**