"The Awakening" by Kate Chopin has a complex ending that can be interpreted different ways. The last thing the reader is left with is Mrs. Pontellier swimming out to sea. Is she indeed committing suicide, or does she plan to live? Depending on the reader's own personal preference the story's outcome can be drastically altered to either one of morbid suicide or happiness in a woman finally finding herself. Certain evidence points to the fact that Edna is actually killing herself in an escape from burdens in her life that she can not control. As she is swimming Mrs. Pontellier "[hears] the barking of an old dog" and "her father's voice and her sister Margaret's" (Chopin 109). A lot of times before dying, supposedly, a person's life flashes before their eyes. These seem to be the last moments of her life. Edna's last moment of desperation is a release from life for several reasons: her chain-like bonds to her children, a love for Robert that is obstructed by Leonce, and the new awakening of her mind.

One reason Edna chooses death is because she could never possibly be free without first getting rid of the obligation to her children. This may seem cruel, but this is t

A third reason she chooses death over life is her new awakening to the world. Somehow at Grand Isle Edna undergoes a significant change. Her whole perception of life is altered drastically. Up until this time Edna has just ignored things that are a problem to her. Now Edna brings these problems out into the open and tries to deal with them.

Instead of just going along with her husband and being submissive Edna becomes a woman who wants to take care of herself. She no longer feels the need for a man to financially support her. Edna believes she can do this herself. With this out of the way, Leonce ceases to be as important to her. He can provide her with a place to live and fine things, but he lacks the emotional bond with Edna that most husbands and wives feel.

Perhaps what were awakened the most were her primal desires. This expression of emotions is expressed by "the first kiss of her life to which her nature had really responded. It was a flaming torch that kindled desire" (Chopin 80). This kiss with Alcee Arobin is the first step in Edna's realizing what kind of relationship she wants with Robert. Her fling with Alcee is sort of short and sweet. It does not really mean much to her, but shows her the tip of the feelings the "emotional iceberg" has to offer.

Eventually these emotions become too much for Edna and she cannot take it any more. The emotions are not going to just go away, so Edna thinks of a way to get rid of them forever. There is no way for her to go back to her old self. She has made too much progress in the direction of her full emotional awareness. So Edna decides to take the only way out.

Edna never really shows that she has any idea that Leonce feels this way about her. It is possible that deep down she knew all along. This could be a way of dealing with the problem, similar to the one with her children. If she ignores Leonce's objectivity towards her maybe it will go away.

he way she feels. Edna does love her children, but they are one burden that is suffocating her. When Edna left the children after a visit to Leonce's parent's house, "she carried away with her the sound of their voices and the touch of their cheeks" (Chopin 90). This heartfelt emotion shows how much she truly cared for them. If Edna were able to only visit her children every now and then without the full responsibility of parenthood perhap

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Approximate Word count = 1606
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)