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Essay On Symbolism In Kate Chopin's The Awakening

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Throughout the novel, a desire to escape the grasp of society is shown, as Edna attempts to gain her independence and her individuality in light of social conventions that restrict women to ensure that they do not have such independence. This restriction of women to conform to society is shown through the green parrot, which is shown to scream “Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That's all right!" (Chopin 1) while being trapped in a cage. As this phrase means “Get out! Get out! Damn it! That's all right!”, this highlights how the parrot is not pleased with its position and is frustrated with its inability to be free. Chopin uses this parrot as a symbol for the desire of women to break free from the social constructs that hinder their …show more content…
This noise was shown with the parrot again at the dinner party in the quote, “‘Allez vous-en! Sapristi!’ shrieked the parrot outside the door. He was the only being present who possessed sufficient candor to admit that he was not listening to these gracious performances for the first time that summer. Old Monsieur Farival, the grandfather of the twins, grew indignant over the interruption and insisted upon having the bird removed and consigned to regions of darkness. Victor Lebrun objected; and his decrees were as immutable as those of Fate. The parrot, fortunately, offered no further interruption to the entertainment, the whole venom of his nature apparently having been cherished up and hurled against the twins in that one impetuous outburst.”(Chopin 9) With the men becoming mad at the parrot for disturbing the music, this reflects the desire of men to remove women from the more sophisticated parts of society, which was thought to further push women to cry out against their restricted position because of a greater knowledge of what they were missing out

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