Although “Edna had attempted all summer to learn to swim,”
chapter 10 in the novel is the first time that Edna is actually able to swim
(pg. 27). It is her first time officially learning how to swim ON HER OWN. What
does this swim seem to symbolize to Edna? Meaning, how does the swim affect her
attitude and behavior towards Leonce and the other people in her life? Specifically
reference things discussed on pages 27, 28, and 29 of the novel.
Your answer should be AT LEAST one complete paragraph in
length (5-8 sentences), or longer if that is necessary for you to fully answer
the question.
Kristina Zhukova
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Edna's first swimming by herself symbolizes freedom and independence. She realized how it is easy - to swim, by her own. I can compare ocean with her life. She couldn't swim without any support and instructions before and the same in her life. She was afraid to swim( and to live) by her own. She is in chains of her husband, motherhood, her duties as a wife. She has to obey to her husband and rules, ignoring her own wishes and dreams. It is like a fear, barrier, which doesn't allow her to "swim". After realization of her power and possibilities, she doesn't allow Mr. Pontellier, other people and traditions to rule her. She tries express herself like a personality, she wants to be respected.
Very interesting ideas Kristina! I wonder how your classmates feel...
DeleteDavid
ReplyDeleteI think Edna being able to swim for the first time symbolizes independence. As we have read, we could see that her husband, Mr Pontellier only wants her to become a wife who worships her husband and a caring mother. In other words, she is imprisoned in having to have a responsibility toward her husband and her children. I believe not being able to swim is symbolizes as herself being lost. On contrary, that night, she managed to swim by herself. Edna's being able to swim has given to her a clue to change herself. She finds swimming easy might be the same as looking at how easy it is to escape from her responsibilities, and she might have felt it, how she could change, how a mother or a wife was not enough to satisfy her wants but being an individual was. We could see that her behavior started to change after this incident, for example, in chapter 11, she refused to go in the house even after her husband told her to do so (this is one of her first time disobeying Mr. Pontellier). She began wanting to make her own decision for her life, her own choice (maybe like a Creole).
I think Edna's first time to swim is symbolized to her freedom from her husband. she think her husband is the point against her freedom. the ocean is symbolized to life, she is kind of lost in her life she is confuse just like she can't able to swim in the ocean before she try the first time.but she was learning how to swim as learning how to live. first she want to get off from a perfect mother, not being a doll. she wants move and think as a man. now she is finding the way she's going and this is the awaking for her.
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view , Edna's first swimming by herself symbolizes escape of her husband contain and many works about looking after her house and her children . Moreover it also symbolizes freedom and independence.She could not swim with some intruction before because she scared swimming like she did not like her life .However when she went to the beach , she deleted some promblems before with her husband's rules .Finally , she could find the way how to swim easily by herself . At that time , she wanted to controll her by herself and did not accept any one controlled her like her husband did before
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion her swim symbolized her first step to the real life. She went out from social framework, and she got freedom from her husband and social stereotypes. Her first time swim it is goes parallel with her life. Because of many years she could not swim because she worried about other peoples opinions about herself, and after all of this years and hard work she did her first meaningful step. Now she can say that she is not a just a wife who has to do her usual home work, no she is not a robot she is a individual person with her opinion and rights. And after this heroic act like swim she can tell to the whole world that she is personality.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, swim is one of the hardest thing to study and most of people were very scared when they first saw and ocean in their childhood; some of them encouraged themselves and learned it. Another people give up because of fear and have no confidence to pass through it. Edna's first swimming by herself symbolizes for people who have enough confidence to get over their fear and success, it is as same as Edna overcomes her circumstance to get her freedom. And the ocean symbolizes for her life, where she has no support from her husband. It is as same as a child want to swim but no one encourage and cheer for it so the fear get bigger and bigger. Until one day, Edna encourage herself to swim, to fight with the ocean, to do whatever she likes and good for her. She chose to get her freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think the first time that Edna is actually able to swim show that she start to have freedom. At that time, women don't have much power and freedom, their main job is to be a good wife and mother. The first time to swim, let her think that she start to have freedom from her husband and life, because the ocean is big and she can swim freely.So she start learning to swim, as she start to gain freedom, and it make her feel good about herself.
ReplyDeleteIt is my first time to read "The Awakening" , a passage in chapter 10 interesting me: Edna’s first successful swim. “, and walks for the first time alone. She can swimming by herself shows that she is freedom, and she can not think about other people, and live her life. Throughout the summer. But her triumph does not result from any such assistance, but from her own abilities. It is very interesting chapter.
ReplyDeleteThe link between Edna's awakening and the ocean becomes even clearer. For the first time, Edna can swim: she is gaining control over her body and becoming aware of its full potential. She is discovering herself as a full human being, with sexual desires, intellectual capacities, and emotional needs. The ocean helps her to realize that her body is her own, and this moment of physical awakening accompanies and heightens her mental and emotional awakening.
ReplyDelete