Creating a social sensation when it was introduced in 1899, The Awakening has been called one of the first feminist novels because it fell in step with the growing group of young women who demanded political and social equality. The reader witnesses Edna Pontellier's transformation from a beautiful, caged parrot to a disabled, free-flying bird. The avian symbolism in the novel is evident as readers note her tribulations from bird to bird as she carves an untold path in her upper-class world, but ultimately discovers that she is unable to survive in this new environment of feminist individualism. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The novel is introduced with the image of a colorful parrot shouting words of rage. Two translations of his dialogue are "Go away! Go away! For the love of God!" and "Get out! Get out! Damn it!" Either expression conveys an unpleasant environment, because a parrot traditionally repeats words heard by humans. To set the tone for the story, the parrot, although beautiful and well cared for, is not free and is unhappy. Her position resembles that of all women in the male-dominated world at the turn of the 20th century. More specifically, however, the bird represents Edna and the lack of real attention she receives from her husband Léonce (Bookwolf 1). She is unhappy in her marriage, although no external activity could imply this, because her husband provides her with a lot of money and sends her many gifts. Although he is very devoted, he harbors no passion in the marriage because he expects her to take on the typical role of the wife of a wealthy New Orleans businessman. Edna's spirit is too wild and free to succumb to a life of servitude, and she soon learns that she would rather give up the many social benefits she enjoys for a life of freedom. The parrot is accompanied in a separate cage by a hearty mockingbird whose song is much more beautiful but whose appearance is dull and plain in comparison to that of the parrot. This mockingbird represents Edna's friend and advisor, Miss Reisz, an old-fashioned spinster whose awkward social skills and gruff manner leave her virtually friendless. However, his extraordinary music, like that of the mockingbird, impresses everyone, and Edna is mysteriously drawn to his piano playing as they form an understanding kinship. Although Edna is rounded up by friends, Miss. Reisz is the only one who recognizes Edna's desire to free the parrot "spoke a little Spanish, and also a language that no one understood, unless it was the mockingbird that hung on the other side of the door, whistling its fluty notes.” to the wind with maddening perseverance” (Chopin 468). The parrot, like Edna, is an accomplished man, although his own language can only be interpreted by the mockingbird, recognized only for his musical talent. Léonce's reaction to the birdsong drives him inside, as he is visibly upset and disgusted by their commotion. The contemporary man of that era would likely be appalled by a woman who saw herself as his equal, expressing her own opinions and neglecting a man's immediate desires. Such radical views were not only considered unchristian, but also socially unacceptable to the point of endangering the family business. Her departure from the porch also represents a man's ability to reject women whenever they stop being entertaining, implying that women had forsole purpose of being seen and not heard (Fleischman 1). A few weeks later, Edna and Miss. Reisz met at a social gathering on the beach. The atmosphere is full of typical happiness: children playing, people enjoying delicious treats and adults dancing. Even though Edna seems to be having fun, she is in the presence of everything she despises inside: the conventional society from which she longs to free herself. The parrot is present again and pushes the same disapproval expressed in the first lines of the novel. During a recital by the Farival twins, two girls who represent perfect children since they are dressed in blue and white to represent holiness, the parrot "was the only being present who possessed enough candor to admit that he wasn't listening to these graceful performances for the first time that summer (Chopin 485) Her "venom of nature" was released by interrupting the twins' supposedly charming act. Even if she hasn't admitted it yet. , Edna also despises their duo, because it represents everything in her life that rejects her character. These sentiments are later echoed by Miss. Reisz who, when asked about her summer, responds that it was "rather pleasant, if not. "There hadn't been the mosquitoes and the Farival twins" (Chopin 506). Later that evening, Miss. Reisz performs for the audience, and during her performance, Edna finds herself dazed as she is transported to another location on the wings of Miss. Reisz Notes A certain piece, entitled "Solitude", evokes another image of a bird in which we can assume that Edna's position represents. "It was a short, plaintive, minor sound. When she heard it, the silhouette of a man standing next to a desolate rock by the sea appeared to her. He was naked. His attitude was that of 'a desperate resignation as he looked towards a distant bird flying away from him' (Chopin 487). She is one of the few women of her time to believe in her own rights, hence the title of the play and the solo flight of the bird. However, she eventually realized that she could not survive her current lifestyle as a devoted wife and mother. Like the bird, she must fly away from the tensions of society and her family, represented by the man standing on the shore looking desperately toward his flight. The bird is strong and does not look back: Edna has taken her first step towards freedom. It was that night that she admitted to herself for the first time her passions for her friend Robert and for the first time that she denied her husband's demands. Upon her return to New Orleans, Edna is once again entrenched by the tensions of society and motherhood, and she gradually denies them all. First, she is unavailable to receive calls because she is away, prompting a lot of scolding from her husband. The final straw is drawn when she leaves her elaborate mansion for a more modest dwelling. She has not forgotten her understanding companion, Miss Reisz, who supports her lover for Robert, and she frequently visits the elderly lady. It was during one of these visits that Miss. Reisz felt Edna's shoulder blades to "see if her wings were strong", saying: "The bird that would like to rise above the plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weak, bruised, exhausted, beating back. to the ground" (Chopin 533) Miss. Reisz seems to be the only one who really knows Edna, realizing that she will try to escape by leaving the norms of society. Although Miss. Reisz warns her against failure, she continues to provide him with advice, encouragement, and an ideal role model as someone who can survive without being a successful wife and devoted mother (Smollett 2) While she.>