Edna Pontellier's The Awakening

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Women from the Victorian Era, such as Edna Pontellier, do not have numerous opportunities to acquire their independence. In Chapter 10, Edna gains confidence and decides to go swimming for the first time. As a female figure from the Creole Society who is controlled in life, Edna discovers her own strength as she gets in the water and feels a sense of control over her body. Subsequently, in Chapter 26, Mrs. Pontellier confesses to Mademoiselle Reisz that she wants to leave the house and that she is not loyal to her husband, therefore, she does not want his money. Edna is tired of living the Creole society mother-woman life, thus, she decides to be an independent woman. An important key note in the novella is when it says, “In short, Mrs. Pontellier
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