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.