The Awakening, Ch. 25-29

In the next few chapters, Edna has an affair. And the affair, while wrong, it represents the extent of Edna being trapped in a life she doesn’t want. We can pull from the last few sections, when Edna became awakened by the feelings she gets from Robert. Now, Edna isn’t able to figure out what exactly she wants and is in a plateau, confused state of mind.

Edna just wants to have this “freedom” to be independent and do the things she wants, like painting, but she doesn’t know how to have freedom without having everything she wants. She does have all the jewelry and luxuries she could ever want, but she doesn’t able the freedom of her own mind. Edna isn’t able to live with just physical freedoms.

One example of Edna not knowing how to balance her life is when she learns Robert is coming back home she still kisses the other guy. Her actions do not align with what she wants. Edna wants to move to her own little house and be independent, yet before she leaves she goes and has a dinner party, and furthermore bills the cost to her husband. Also when she has thoughts of moving, she wants to take the maids with her. She is back and forth, and cannot make up her mind.

I mean really, Edna has no idea what she wants; all she knows is that she doesn’t want what she currently has. It causes her to be in a very confused state of mind in these sections. She wants to be rich and well respected, while doing what she wants. And she wants her kids to adore her, while she doesn’t pay attention to them.

Edna is doing all right now, but we can foreshadow it won’t last long.