The Awakening written by Kate Chopin was considered very shocking when it was first published because of the main character's unconventional behavior. The novel discusses the changing roles of women in the early 1900's and has raised many different questions throughout the years. One of the most controversial discussions of all has been about the ending of the novel where the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, returns to her vacation spot in Grand Isle and drowns herself in the cold ocean. This ending has many different interpretations to people who have read the story, but my interpretation of the ending is that Edna's suicide was both a personal victory and a social defeat.
Throughout the novel, Edna feels that she has always done what is expected of a woman, including marrying Leonce, a man she did not love. As the story progresses, Edna "awakens" to the oppressive role she holds in society, and realizes that she is unfulfilled. From this point on in the story, she changes her approach to life. She decides that she will no longer do what society expects her to do, and continues to disregard the customs of society. For the first time Edna feels like she is an individual who has awakened from a dream.
As Edna "awakens", her options are limited. She learns that she cannot be "herself" and be a good mother at the same time. She also learns that her actions will affect her children deeply. In a conversation with Adele, Edna tells her that she would give her life for her children, but she will not give up who she is for them. Her options are that she can either go back to her husband and children, since a relationship with Robert is out of the question, or she could live a life of solitude like Mademoiselle Reisz. From what we know of Edna, neither of these options are appealing, and for this reason, she makes the decision to sacrifice her own life. She feels that taking her own life would be less of a scandal for her children rather than having a mother that rebels against the norms of society.
