In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the main character, Edna, goes through a lot of internal struggles. The novel depicts the life of a woman living during the 19th century. Some of the things that Edna does are acts that women would never think about doing, but now they are just things to laugh at. Edna faces many internal struggles because of such a strict living environment. Edna's has an everlasting desire to be free, express herself, and go against society are things that bring conflicts around her.
Edna has a powerful yearning to be free. She express this whenever she goes swimming, often going by herself. At the time ladies were not swimming very much and they certainly were not alone. When Edna goes swimming she realizes her own strength and her depth as a woman. This yearning is shown later in the novel by wanting to get out of her house and move into "the pigeon house." Though Edna barely makes much of a move, she still feels that she has more control of herself.
Madame Reisz is Edna's biggest supporter when she finds out that Edna wants to express herself. Edna decides that the best way for her to do this is to paint. The weather is basically the factor that decides whether Edna paints or not. On the nice days Edna becomes inspired and paints, but the dreary days Edna does not. The sea also shows Edna expressing herself. When she goes swimming it is seen as a baptism, where Edna has her "awakening". This awakening is what helps her to express herself even more.
Society had a set of very strict guidelines that women usually followed. Edna was one of the very rare women that did not follow them. Tuesday's were Edna's day to receive people at the house and talk to them for the day. One Tuesday she decided that she did not want to sit around and talk with them, and she would rather get out of the house. This did not go over good with Leonce, her husband, who said that it was unfit for her to leave and not tell people where she was.
