While reading The Awakening, I came across an interesting scene. After returning from the Grand Isle, Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier are eating dinner in their home in New Orleans, when Mr. Pontellier finds his food unsatisfactory, and leaves to eat at a club. After Edna finishes eating, she walks over to the hearth, where she throws her wedding ring on the ground and steps on it, followed up by throwing a crystal vase on the ground for good measure. This is very important to Edna’s resistance to her marriage. This ring represents the devotion a husband and wife have for each other, and by stepping on it, Edna effectively shows that she no longer wants to be with Mr. Pontellier. Ever since Robert left for mexico, he is all Edna thinks about. I believe she would much rather be married to robert than she would to Mr. Pontellier. Perhaps in the later chapters of the book we will get to see Edna leaving Mr. Pontellier. I think it would be interesting to see a conflict arise between the married couple, in addition to the inner conflict Edna is experiencing while trying to find out what is changing inside her.
I like how you compared the whole stepping on the ring to not wanting to be with Mr. Pontellier. I think she will get caught up with RObert too much that Mr. Pontellier will find out. Hopefully that will spark some drama lol.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the ring symbolizing her marriage and she throws her ring away and stepping on it represents how she no longer wants to be with him, but I feel that it should be noted that she eventually does put the ring back on. I wonder if this symbolizes that even though she hates him, she almost can not leave him.
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