She begins to let her own creativity flow and through her art takes a closer view of her own father, who has controlled her since she was a young child. With her pen in hand, Edna realizes that she need not be caged in and just copy what she sees. Instead, she can draw freehand with her own interpretations. She starts to recognize the power that she has as an artist and creator of her own life.
Likewise, Edna begins to understand her sexual power. She is not only free to feel with her artwork, but also with her sensuality and sexual awareness. Now she recognizes the power with both her art and body and is ready to attempt things that once were impossible. For example, she fully experiences her physical power when learning how to swim. At first, she feels "a certain ungovernable dread hung about her when in the water, unless there was a hand nearby that might right out to reassure her." This, of course, forecasts what is to come. Later, this fear disappears, and she bravely wades to the gulf "alone, boldly and with over-confidence" and "shouts for joy" as "a feeling of exultation overtakes her, as if some power of significant import had been given her soul. Her self-esteem, her self-awareness and confidence is growing as she goes farther and farther from her gilded cage.
Edna begins to ignore her wifely responsibilities. Instead of receiving callers, she takes long walks. She is bothered by her husband's complaining and stops having relations with him. "We meet in the morning at the breakfast table," Mr. Pontellier tells Dr. Mandelet, the old Creole physician he recruits to talk with Edna, to no particular avail. Listening to her own inner needs, Edna starts expressing her own opinions. She visits her friends and continues more seriously with her artwork. When Edna refuses to attend her sister's wedding in New York, her husband goes by himself.
Edna's makes her major flight from the cage when Robert Lebrun, the...
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