The Awakening by Kate Chopin

In the novel “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin birds are used as a symbol to represent the lifestyle of the women living in Edna’s society. They also represent Edna and her progress towards her independence. A few different kinds of birds are mentioned throughout the novel representing different meanings. Caged birds are used in the beginning to symbolize Edna’s entrapment and free birds are used later on to signify her independence.

In the beginning of the novel there are two birds, a green and yellow parrot and a mocking bird. Both birds are in cages hung above the front door, the birds are outside which show freedom is close but prevented, the birds are held back, this symbolizes how close Edna is to being free and independent but how she is held back by society. At the end of the novel there is a bird free from its cage but has a broken wing. This is a symbol of Edna's weakness following her recently found free position.

Edna is a 28-year-old woman married to a wealthy businessman, Leonce Pontillier and has 2 children. Edna goes under a change after giving up on being what her society believes all women are meant to do; she was tired of acting like a “trophy wife”. The birds shown throughout the novel symbolize Edna’s entrapment and her later on gained freedom and the independence that women in her society are deprived of.

Madame Lebrun’s caged parrot represents Edna and her limited freedom. Edna is comparable to this parrot because they both want to be free but they are both trapped. The bird lives behind bars and does what he is told and only knows what he is taught and Edna lives in a society where women are expected to care for their children, homes and husbands, and do what they are told and what they were taught was right. Edna doesn’t want to be held back, she wants to be free and independent. She doesn’t want to be like the other women in her society, but to fit in she had to act like the bird and do what she was taught was right in her society, care for her children, husband and home.

Mocking birds were found trapped indoors through out the novel, they are known for their beautiful singing and repeating songs of other birds. This bird was used to represent the woman of Edna’s society.