Instead, he seems to be such a peripheral figure in the household anyway that it seems to make little difference whether or not Edna speaks to him.Įdna does not seem to be painting because of any deep-seated artistic conviction. He is surprised to see Edna asserting herself, but he does not appear particularly threatened or resentful. While her husband is upset to see Edna neglect her domestic duties, he accepts her sudden change in behavior without much of a fight. In fact, she does what she wants simply because the moment seems right. However, this does not necessarily mean that Edna is becoming more reflective or self-aware.
![sparknotes the awakening sparknotes the awakening](https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388277290l/7585.jpg)
No longer does she need to express herself through adolescent rebellion instead she is realizing that she can quietly and maturely just do what she wants. In regretting the childish tantrum she threw in stomping on her wedding ring, Edna is growing in maturity. Edna has intense mood swings without knowing why: on some days she is ecstatic and her senses are heightened, while on others she is plunged into the depths of depression and feels like life is pointless. While she paints, she sings the song that Robert used to sing, "Ah! si tu savais!" and she feels transported back to the ocean and overwhelmed with desire for her friend. Pontellier does leave his wife alone, and she gets her two sons, the nurse, and the maid to all sit and model for her.
![sparknotes the awakening sparknotes the awakening](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/jamesjoyce-141119082022-conversion-gate02/95/james-joyce-11-638.jpg)
![sparknotes the awakening sparknotes the awakening](https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781580495820-us-300.jpg)
#Sparknotes the awakening free#
In reality, however, Edna is just expressing her true self, free of the false social constraints that earlier made her be a dutiful, quiet wife. Edna brusquely says that she just wants to paint and that he shouldn't bother her her husband thinks his wife is becoming mentally unstable. Naturally, her husband becomes peevish and demands to know what is going on. She stops receiving guests on Tuesday, neglects the social obligations that her husband expects of her, and instead paints all the time in her atelier. Edna decides that it was silly of her to stamp on her wedding ring and break the glass vase and decides to do what she wants without apology.