Freedom means being able to do what one desires to do without being prevented from doing that action. In Kate Chopin's book, The Awakening, she shows how the protagonist, Edna, escapes from her relationship and society. She feels cornered by society and is unhappy with her relationship. Mr. Pontellier Edna's husband does not treat her with respect, but as if she were a child. Edna tries to get out of this relationship because she wants to be treated as an equal (Chopin). During the 1800s, oppression of women began to occur more frequently, with women no longer benefiting from unfair rights and actions against women. Edna uses other people's distractions or hobbies to feel free from everything else in her life. Throughout The Awakening, Edna's obsession with water, playing music, and leaving her family altogether despite having children are her actions toward freedom. She finds these activities calming and comfortable, she feels that by doing these things she cannot be judged or told what to do. With his obsession with water, it is a His transcendalist obsession with water and nature soothes him and releases the toxins from his life. Since she is interested in music, she also plays it a lot throughout the book, which is a symbol of something she does to escape society. But all of Edna's actions lead to her suicide, a way of freeing herself from everything that hinders her in her life. Edna's desire for freedom inspires many of her actions throughout The Awakening. Edna's first action that begins her path to freedom from her relationship is when she fell in love with Robert. Edna had already married a man she had not loved but he did not treat her like a...... middle of paper...... American history and Edna, even though she is not that a fictional character, had stopped sitting around a just took the mental abuse of his relationship. The movement finally felt its impact when the Nineteenth Amendment was finally ratified. The Nineteenth Amendment states that everyone has the right to vote provided they are of legal age and registered. Edna shows that she wants to be treated normally and with respect, just like Robert treats her, Robert not literally but in a way could be symbolized as the Nineteenth Amendment allowing Edna to get out of her marriage to Mr. Pontellier . /departments.knox.edu/engdept/commonroom/Volume_Three/number_one/mbird/print.html http://islamicvoice.com/islamicvoice/treat-your-spouse-the-way-you-would-like-to-be- treatise/ “The Awakening” http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/additionalresources.html