The Awakening :: essays research papers fc

Suicide in The Awakening&9What is suicide? "(Suicide is) the act of felo-de-se by a person sound in mind and capable of measuring his (or her) moral responsibility" (Webster 1705). "No oneness really knows why human beings commit suicide. Indeed, the truly person who takes his (or her) own life may be least aware at the moment of decision of the essence of his (or her) reasons and emotions for doing so. At the outset, it plenty be said that a dozen individuals can kill themselves and "do" (or commit) 12 psychologically different deeds" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 385). Suicide is written about in a variety of novels, short stories, and movies. Suicide moves like an undercurrent in the sea of themes of The Awakening. The possibility of suicide and even the idea of oddment darkens the story, making Ednas worked up ups and downs dangerous - her occasional misery leads her to subconsciously think of suicide. She holds the hopelessness at bay by moving out and getting her own apartment, while nerve-wracking to find a man who will accept her, but in the end she succumbs. &9Ednas closest physical brush with death occurs one night at the beach, when the summer residents decide to take a midnight swim. Despite having had a hard time learning to swim, she realizes her ability and swims farther out than she of all time had before. She overestimates her power and almost doesnt make it back. She has a "quick vision of death". The experience scares her, but she has tested her limits and survived the sea for a while. Metaphorically, she has come close to death but resisted it. &9Falling asleep can be associated with the idea of death as well. Whenever Edna falls asleep, it is noted in the story across the bay at church and the first night once her husband has leave are examples. Each time there is a suggestion of float off to sleep and never waking up. When she is across the bay, once she wakes up, she likens her nap to a hu ndred years sleep. However, each time Edna does awaken it is only at the very end when she finally drifts away. She could have chosen sleeping pills as her method of death, but she returns to the beach because of its memories of the summer, and the men in her life. Her near-death experience in the summer left an impression on her that influences her choice of escape from life.