Swim!

She wanted to swim far out, where no other woman had swum before" (pg. 60)

The summer at the Gulf changed many things in Edna's life. One of this changes is seen directly on chapter ten when she finally overcomes her fears and is able to swim by herself. The accompanying crowd cheers Edna as she struggles to swim out. She feels powerful, accomplished and reckless. As she enjoys her new skill, she turns around to the shore and suddenly feels scared, tired and numb. She fears she might not be strong enough to make it back.

The ocean is vast, deep, dark and cold. It bears many unknowns and dangers. In The Awakening, the ocean symbolizes knowledge and wisdom in Edna's life. Being able to swim represents how she is able to submerge into this ocean of ideas and feelings and control it. The summer changed her life, not only in teaching her how to swim, but giving her a new perspective and motive in life. Just as Robert taught her how to swim, he taught her how to love and feel differently.

Mr. Pontellier's reaction to his wife's accomplishment portray their relationship perfectly. He sat and watched from afar, and whe his wife told him about his near-to-death experience, he simply responded that he was watching there. Robert, on the other side, approached Mrs.Pontellier when she was walking home and showed interest in how she felt.

As soon as Edna got home she doesn´t want to enter the house and fell asleep in the hammock outside accompanied by Robert.  As soon as Leoncé arrived and demanded her to enter she refuses and tells him that he should not speak to her in that tone. Her change in attitude represent how after discovering her real power, strenght and value, she is not willing to return to her old life and self. She discovered a new woman within herself.