At the beginning of the book Edna Pontellier feels stuck in a role that she beleives was imposed on her by society but that doesn’t reflect herself. It is hard for her to deal with this as she first realises what has come to be her reality. “She began to cry a little, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her peignoir”. “The tears came so fast… that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them”. It is clear that Mrs. Pontellier feels miserable in herself and at this point makes that exact realisation.
In the middle of the novel we witness a different Edna. One that is now more assured of herself. She has had her “awakening” and is now challenging social norms but deliberately going against them, physically or verbally. “Ravishing” said Victor, one of the characters. “Some way she doesn’t seem like the same woman”. This shows that even those around her have noticed her growth and increased sense of self. Despite the duties she must still attend to, she now feels liberated!
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