Edna often finds herself drifting into her own, imaginary
thoughts. These thoughts, often insignificant to the overall plot, add finesse to
each chapter, giving the reader description of characters, places, and events.
The first time Edna meets Adele Ratignolle, for example, her adoration for Adele’s
beauty is shown. “Her beauty was all there…the spun-gold hair that comb nor
confining pin could restrain; the blue eyes that were like nothing but
sapphires…” (Chopin 11). The reader, from this description, can imagine Adele
as physically attractive. Edna is very fond and almost envious of her. In some
ways Edna might want to look like her, too! Edna, later, reflects on the summer
at Grand Isle, and her meeting of Adele Ratignolle. It is said that, “The
excessive physical charm of the Creole had first attracted her, for Edna has a
sensuous susceptibility to beauty…” (Chopin 18). Edna, for a time after the
summer, repeatedly thought of Adele and her beauty. She was unforgettable in
that sense. Perhaps it was because she was a Creole woman, and Edna longed to
be one herself. The use of imagery to describe Adele Ratignolle paints a
picture for the reader, just one of the many literary devices included in The Awakening.
I agree with that Edna tends to drift off throughout the book which gives us(the readers) a way to understand the description of characters and how Edna looks at them. She looks at Adele as a beauty and wants to be as her. I believe this goes along with the common theme thought the book of her wanting to be something other than a wife or mother. I
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