By Kate Chopin Project By: Zach Almon Ashley Doughtery Landon Baker Kristen Kursave

Our Excerpt From the Book: Chapter 19, page 68 Excerpt: It moved her with recollections. She could hear again the ripple of the water, the flapping sail. She could see the glint of the moon upon the bay, and could feel the soft, gusty beating of the hot south wind. A subtle current of desire passed through her body, weakening her hold upon the brushes and making her eyes burn. There were days when she was very happy without knowing why. She was happy to be alive and breathing, when her whole being seemed to be one with the sunlight, the color, the odors, the luxuriant warmth of some perfect Southern day. She liked then to wander alone into strange and unfamiliar places. She discovered many a sunny, sleepy corner, fashioned to dream in. And she found it good to dream and to be alone and unmolested.

The Analysis of the Excerpt The descriptions of parts of nature that Edna encountered back on Grand Isle show how peaceful she was back there. Words such as ripple of the water, glint of the moon, soft, gusty beating, luxuriant warmth, and to be one with the sunlight show Edna’s connection with nature, and how the simple things made her feel. The solitude Edna sought was the beginning of her search for herself. Through the peace she felt alone in nature, Edna began to see who she really was, and where in life she wanted to be. It gave her a new perspective of herself, one where she could be free to do as she pleased and not have to worry about the opinions of others.

Nature in the Book BirdsThe Sea In The Awakening, caged birds serve as reminders of Edna’s entrapment and also of the entrapment of Victorian women in general. The novel’s “winged” women may only use their wings to protect and shield, never to fly. The sea in The Awakening symbolizes freedom and escape. It is a vast expanse that Edna can brave only when she is solitary and only after she has discovered her own strength.

Photos Of the Ocean And Birds:

YouTube Video