Edna the Swimmer

In chapter 10, Edna Pontellier is at the beach with Robert LeBrun. This is when she learns to swim for the very first time. She says, “’Why did I not discover before that it was nothing. Think of all the time I have lost splashing around like a baby.’ She would not join the groups in their sports and bouts, but intoxicated with her newly conquered power, she swam out alone,” (Chopin 37). She feels empowered by being able to swim. She’s gaining control of her body and it’s potential. However, she starts to swim out too far and gets frightened that she will drown. Although she doesn’t go out that far, as Robert tells her, it was far to her for being a new swimmer. Her being able to swim is a metaphor for the awakening she’s experiencing within her soul and the fear of drowning represents her being scared of her new found want to change and grow. She’s worried about where this journey in life will take her.