ntilier herself. In the beginning of the novel, Edna is the "green and yellow parrot" caged "outside the door", saying, "Go away! Go away! For God?s sake!"(467). Edna feels trapped in her marriage just like a bird in a cage and after she meets Robert she wants to "go away". Edna, the bird, decides to flee her marriage and moves into the "pigeon-house", where she feels "risen in the spiritual"(541). To change her life and escape the "tradition and prejudice" of her circle, Edna "must have strong wings"(533). Mademoiselle Reisz tells Edna that people are cruel and if Edna doesn?t feel strong enough, she will be like a "weakling bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth"(533). This conversation foreshadows Edna?s lack of strength and her death. As Edna takes her last swim, she sees the bird "with a broken wing", falling "down to the water"(558). Edna feels weak; she "falls down" into the waters of Grand Isle. When Edna meets Robert Lebrun at Grand Isle, she experiences an awakening from her "life-long, stupid dream", as she recalls her life (553). She is ready to give her heart to Robert, but he flees Grand Isle and Edna before he ruins his reputation as a "good Creole". Robert knows that "the Creole husband is never jealous" about the harmless flirting and as a "good Creole", Robert cannot go beyond these social boundaries (475). Robert follows the rules of his society; his departure foreshadows his future actions towards Edna. She returns to her "pigeon-house" and finds that Robert is "not waiting for her" and the house is "empty"(556). Robert is gone again. Edna remembers the warning of Mademoiselle Reisz about the cruelty of society. Edna is scared to face the cruelty alone. Edna feels that without Robert by her side she is helpless. Edna doesn?t want anyone "near her except Robert"(557) but he cannot be a "good Creole" and be with Edna. Even if Robert would be with Edna, society will never allow them to be together and Edna?s husba...
