Meaning
People cannot truly be themselves while trapped in society's expectations. The meaning can be interpreted many different ways but the societal norms and expectations everyone faces, no matter the culture, gender, age can lead people to do things they otherwise wouldn't. The author's feministic ideals shine through in the realizations that Edna experiences, or the "awakenings" that lead her to want a different life, to need a different life.
Concepts
The relationships among the characters, especially between male and female, are portrayed in a sophisticated style. This novel being years ahead of its time upset many critics, which led the book to be rated poorly and not given a fair fight. But with the feminism movement in the late 1900's, the book was re-discovered and has since been shaping the minds of men and women around the world, young and old. The social standard at the time of publication was a patriarchally traditional mother-wife. The women had kids and loved their husbands and that was their life. Forget about jobs or power or money, "let the men handle that stuff".
However trapped the women may feel, there's an equally trapped feeling that men go through, as well. Obviously run by different social standards, the man has just as many to live up to. He has to get a job or he fails his family. The husband must be tough and hard to protect his wife.
This video explains that these societal norms are habits that can be changed if we get down to the roots.
However trapped the women may feel, there's an equally trapped feeling that men go through, as well. Obviously run by different social standards, the man has just as many to live up to. He has to get a job or he fails his family. The husband must be tough and hard to protect his wife.
This video explains that these societal norms are habits that can be changed if we get down to the roots.
Setting
Grande Isle bookends the novel by opening and closing there, while the majority of the novel is set in their hometown New Orleans. The cottages at Grande Isle are important to the overall meaning because the sea Edna's first taste of freedom and her last.
Symbols
The sea Edna first swims in and later ends up dying in symbolizes freedom: emotionally and sexually.
The bird is a major symbol that pops up throughout the book that represents a trapped woman. The sailing bird symbolizing the woman becoming free.
The bird is a major symbol that pops up throughout the book that represents a trapped woman. The sailing bird symbolizing the woman becoming free.