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'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin

 

             The first obvious and prominent symbol of the book is the "caged parrot" that seems to possess talent just like Mrs. Pontellier but no one was able to comprehend or recognize this except for the mocking bird "that hung on the other side of the door". The mocking bird represents innocence and understanding just like Robert who understood Edna's feelings as well as her situation, decided not to harm anyone or cause any disruption in Edna's life, thus he eventually said "Good by - because I love you!".
             Mr. Pontellier, at the beginning of the novel, however was "unable to read his newspaper" because he was getting irritated by the parrot and the mocking bird and "had the privilege to leave the society when they ceased to be entertaining" - this shows that Mr. Pontellier only gave Edna the amount of time he felt was necessary and not what Edna actually desired for. When Mr. Pontellier was going to Klein's hotel he wasn't sure whether he would return back for dinner or not and "It all depended upon the company which he found". Edna had the talent, which was unable to reveal itself due to her husband's misunderstanding as he thought Edna was fine and happy the way she is but this was not true.
             Therefore, birds are major symbolic images in the narrative. Edna awoke and confronted the reality to such an extent that she escaped her home, her husband, her life, by leaving for the "little pigeon house". Everything in this house is described as being "little"; "small"; "narrow", this probably meant that Edna wasn't interested in the grandness and the outward look of her life but instead she longed for a small and willing full life of her own.
             Edna, is shown as a bird trying to fly away but not in a very successful way because her wings are too weak. When Edna goes to commit suicide, a bird with a broken wing flutters. This could underline Edna's situation as a reflection of her own - the soul or intellect escaping from the body.


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