"She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had placed herself in alien hands for direction, and freed her soul of responsibility (33 Chopin)." What I interpreted from this quote, is that Edna realizes that her life of responsibilities are unchanging, so she wants to pretend that her duties as a mother and wife by blinding herself to them by ignoring them. To place herself in alien hand may mean that she's not going to think about the decision that she's making because she'll let the universe guide her.
At this point in the book, I feel that Edna isn't thinking straight because she hasn't been the one to make decisions for herself or on her own. From the time that she was forced to marry Leonce, become a mother, and cater to her husbands every demand, Edna has been told by her father and husband what her role and duties were as a mother, daughter, woman, and wife. It's at this time that Edna has decided that enough is enough and that she should now at least start making minor decisions for herself, due to her half-awakening.
1.) What do you think could've caused Edna to have such a hard time sleeping?
2.) What do you think that Edna's disturbing dreams were about?Explain.
3.) In what sense could Edna be half-awakened?
4.) Why would Edna want to fresher soul of responsibilities?
i think she had a hard time sleeping because she was "half awake" ... no pun intended. She's caught in this inner turmoil of whether to follow her desires or submit to the expectations placed on her by society,her family/husband. She thinks they are "unattainable" because how dare a woman of that era pursue her interests/desires sexually and non sexually as an individual.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the inner turmoil arguement. Edna is kinda going through a metamorphosis right now. She's realizing the life she lives ist the life she wants. She's being awakened to her desires. But at the same time she's also mourning the loss of that blissful ignorance she adores in Adele. At this point it's like Edna wants to be free but also wishes she didn't. That depression and feeling of being trapped by social conventions is most likely what's inspiring her nightmares.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Edna's inner turmoil, her realization that her life is not the one she wanted to have, that whatever chances she had at her own happiness were gone, and that she had other people's happiness at stake (influenced by her actions), created the feverish dreams. In other words, she was feeling guilty. She had children to think of, a husband, money, a reputation, but she was unhappy; she had not woken up from her dream until only recently. Edna is panicking; she is having trouble reconciling with her own happiness being prevalent over her responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteAfter rereading the passage, I feel she was finally in her right mind to do what she felt she wanted to, which was stay outside on the porch. I also feel she woke up feeling feverish because she stayed out side so long, so she might have gotten a little sick. The feverish wake up could have been from signs of cold and her own subconscious earring away at her, fireing her "will" into going with her desires. Using the statement, "She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had placed herself I'm alien hands for direction, and freed her soul of responsibility (Choplin 32). Which made me think she did whatever came to mind and whatever she willed it to be she randomly did what she truly wanted.
ReplyDeleteSebastian