Even though death intervenes, Edna and Janie triumph and proceed through their final phase of evolution in male dominance. Edna returns to the comfort of the ocean, the environment in which she experienced her initial awakening. Again, she swims far out, but this time does not return. Going out into the sea, she feels like some new-born creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world it had never known (Chopin 189). Her soul is awakened and she drowns as a liberation from the cage of marriage, societies rules, and family (Wyatt 3). Janies liberation is sadly achieved with the death of Tea Cake, but it teaches her a salient lesson. Returning to the town where Janie established a foundation for her identity, she brings back to her community, that self-fulfillment rather than security and status is the gift of life (Christian 59). She accepts her fate and is now content to be on her own as she continues with her life. Edna and Janie harbor a strong desire to be independent and thought of as individuals without regard to gender. They both possessed the self-determination that was necessary to overcome the male dominance that they experienced on a personal level and in society as well. Because of their persistent drive, each woman finally attained the freedom they so sincerely sought....
