Although Edna and Robert came closer and closer together, their love was a forbidden one therefore, it could not end up in anything but disaster. Edna and Robert met at the Grand Isle summer resort where Robert would spend his time attending to the women’s needs. He had a strong influence on Edna, one that greatly impacts her life. Robert’s influence on Edna pushes her to try swimming; she had been trying to swim since she was young but was never able to do it. Throughout the summer, Edna has been unable to swim because she is afraid of abandoning herself to the sea’s embrace. Being trapped in a life in which Edna is controlled by her husband, she felt that if she goes swimming she is giving her life to the sea because it is a voice of seductive longing. It is Robert’s influence on Edna that makes her want to try to swim. After the summer is over, Edna realizes that she is a different person from the person she was before the beginning of the summer. Even though she is married to her husband Leonce, Edna is in love with Robert because he is different from the rich man she married, she feels comfortable around him, and he makes her feel better about herself. During the summer, Robert and Edna spent their time together learning about each other but what they both do not learn are that they have love for each other. Being the two different people they are, Edna and Robert do not share their love for each other until it is too late. Robert could not live in a life where he is not allowed to be with a woman whom he loved so he left for Mexico at the end of the summer. Although he claimed he was visiting a friend for business, in reality, Robert was only trying to get away from his love for Edna. After he left, Edna became sad and depressed again because she is still living a life in which she was not able to be her own self. “Robert’s going had some way taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything. The conditions of her life were in no way changed, but her whole existence was dulled, like a faded garment which seems to be no longer worth wearing.” (pg. 95) Edna is not the same person as she was during the summer because the most influential person in her awakening left her life. While Edna discovers her individuality, her sexual awakening rekindles when Robert returns from his trip. He confesses that his trip to Mexico was an attempt to fight his love for Edna. In Mexico, he fantasized that she could become his wife if Leonce set her free. Although she is an individual who will no longer be forced into anything anymore, to society, Edna belongs to her husband. Robert knows that he cannot be with Edna because it would not be allowed in society. After Edna receives a message that her friend went into horrible labor, Edna tells Robert to stay and wait. Before leaving, Edna declares her love for him alone. Yet, even though he was asked to stay, Robert left Edna’s home because in reality, he knew that he would not be able to with his true love. When Edna comes back home, Robert is not there but he leaves a letter that reads good-bye. “Robert was not waiting for her in the little parlor. He was nowhere at hand. The house was empty. But he had scrawled on a piece of paper that lay in the lamplight: ‘I love you. Good-by ¾ because I love you.’ ” (pg. 172) After reading the letter, she

Some topics in this essay:
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