Symbolism in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: essays research papers

Symbolism in Kate Chopins The Awakening Kate Chopins The Awakening is a literary work full of symbolism. Birds, clothes, abodes and other narrative elements are decently symbols which add meaning to the novel and to the characters. I will analyze the more or less relevant symbols presented in Chopins literary work. BIRDS The images related to birds are the major symbolic images in the narrative from the very beginning of the novel "A common land and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept reiterate over and over Allez vous-en Allez vous-en Sapristi Thats all right" (pp3) In The Awakening, caged birds serve as reminders of Ednas entrapment. She is caged in the roles as wife and mother she is never expected to withdraw for herself. Moreover, the caged birds symbolize the entrapment of the Victorian women in general. Like the parrot, the womens fall uponments are limited by the rules of society. In this first chapter, the parrot speaks in "a langu age which nought understood" (pp3). The parrot is not able to communicate its feelings just same(p) Edna whose feelings are difficult to understand, incomprehensible to the members of Creole society. In contrast to caged birds, Chopin uses round the bend birds and the idea of flight as symbols of freedom. This symbol is shown in a good deal of a bird experienced by Edna while Mademoiselle Reisz is play the piano. "When she heard it there came before her imagination the figure of a part standing beside a desolate rock on the seashore. He was naked. His military strength was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a impertinent bird winging its flight away from him." (pp26-27) In this vision Edna is showing her go for for freedom, desire for escaping from her roles as wife and mother, from her husband Lonce who keeps her in a social cage. After these episodes, the images related to birds are absent determine the narrative until the chapter 29. Following th e summer on Grand Isle, where she had awakening experiences, she starts to depict her desire for independence in New Orleans through her move to her own house, the pigeon house "because its so small and looks like a pigeon house" (pp 84). The nickname of the pigeon house is very significant because a pigeon house is a place where pigeons, birds that have adapted to and benefited from the human society, are kept cooped up.