In her novel, The Awakening, Kate Chopin shows Edna Pontellier's confrontations with society, her imprisonment in marriage, and Edna's exploration of her sexuality. Chopin also portrays Edna as a rebel, who after her experiences on Grand Isle wants to live a full and free life and not follow society's rules. Edna's life ends in suicide, but her death is no surprise. Chopin foreshadows Edna's death through the use of nature and Edna's connection to it; also through the use of symbols, especially the symbolic meaning of a bird; and by the use of many different characters in the novel, such as Robert Lebrun, Mademoiselle Reisz, and Madame Ratignolle. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Edna is a very romantic character, who turns to nature for comfort. She "searches for herself" in nature (508). But the surrounding environment is not comforting to her. He hears voices "from the darkness, from the sky above and from the stars" that are "not soothing"; the voices “taunted and played sorrowful notes without promise, devoid even of hope” (508). Edna would like to feel the embrace of nature on her but instead she does not feel "relieved" and hears a "mourning lullaby" (471). This dark presentation of nature foreshadows future events in Edna's life. Kate Chopin uses the symbolic meaning of a bird to deepen the meaning of the story and foreshadow upcoming events. In "The Awakening" a bird symbolizes Edna Pontilier herself. At the beginning of the novel, Edna is the "green and yellow parrot" caged "outside the door," who says, "Go away! Go away! For God's sake!" (467). Edna feels trapped in her marriage just like a caged bird and after meeting Robert she wants to "leave". Edna, the bird, decides to escape from her marriage and moves to the "pigeon house", where she feels "resurrected in the spiritual" (541). To change her life and escape the "tradition and prejudice" of her circle, Edna "must have strong wings" (533). Mademoiselle Reisz tells Edna that people are cruel and that if Edna does not feel strong enough, she will be like a "bruised, exhausted weakling, fluttering back to earth" (533). This conversation foreshadows Edna's lack of strength and her death. As Edna takes her final swim, she sees the bird "with a broken wing," falling "into the water" (558). Edna feels weak; she "falls" into the waters of Grand Isle. When Edna meets Robert Lebrun in Grand Isle, she experiences an awakening from her "lifelong foolish dream" as she remembers her life (553). She is ready to give her heart to Robert, but he runs away from Grand Isle and Edna before ruining her reputation as a "good Creole". Robert knows that “the Creole husband is never jealous” of harmless flirtations, and as a “good Creole,” Robert cannot go beyond these social boundaries (475). Robert follows the rules of his society; his departure foreshadows his future actions towards Edna. She returns to her "pigeon loft" and finds that Robert is "not waiting for her" and the house is "empty" (556). Robert is gone again. Edna remembers Mademoiselle Reisz's warning about society's cruelty. Edna is afraid of facing cruelty alone. Edna feels that without Robert by her side she is helpless. Edna wants no one "near her except Robert" (557) but he cannot be a "good creole" and be with Edna. Even if Robert was with Edna, society will never allow them to be together and Edna's husband will never "release her" (552). Edna also fails to find her purpose because "she is not a woman-mother" (473) and cannot "give herself for her children", like her friend Adele Ratignolle (505). Without Robert and a purpose in life, Edna chooses not to live. Edna's decision to end it, 1998.