s. When Robert returnsbecause business does not go as he plans, Robert and Edna are together. However, Edna does not feel the closeness at first that she expects and insome way he had seemed nearer to her off there in Mexico (Chopin 572). Although they do finally confess their mutual love, they know they can neverbe together in reality because of Leonce (Spangler 154). Robert knows he cannot return the love to Edna which she gives him because he only feels free tolove Edna when there is no risk involved (Bogarad 160). Robert does love andwants Edna, but he can not bring himself to join in Ednas rebellion to break upthe sacraments of marriage (Bogarad 161). In reality the men of her life splither. Robert sees her as a angel, and Alcee sees her as a whore (Bogarad160). Edna does awaken to her true love for Robert, but uses Alcee as aconvenience (Arms 149). This type of behavior of a women during this time isunheard of.The last way Chopin is able to explore Ednas independence andawakening is by her tragic death. At the end of the novel Edna is very upset Harmon 5that she loses Robert. There is no human being whom she wanted near herexcept Robert, but she also realizes that there will be a day where the thought of him would melt out of her existence, leaving her alone (Chopin581). Edna goes to the sea and for the first time in her life stands naked inthe open air. She felt like some new-born creature, opening its eyes in afamiliar world that is had never known (Chopin 582). Edna feels that she cannot sacrifice herself to the consequences of sexual activity, and she also isnot willing to live without these experiences. Therefore, Edna drowns herself(Allen 72). She realizes nature and man dictate the life of a woman, and to beindependent is much harder to obtain for woman than a man (Seyersted 62). Inthe development of a male novel the reader expects the man to make the stoicchoice and in a female novel a women the reader expec...
