“’In some way you seem to me like a child, Edna. You seem to act without a certain amount of reflection which is necessary in this life. That is the reason I want to say that you mustn’t mind if I advise you to be a little careful while you are living here alone. Why don’t you have some one come and stay with you? Wouldn’t Mademoiselle Reisz come?’” Stated by Madame Ratignolle. Page 153.
Evaluate Madame Ratignolle's assessment of Edna. Give evidence (quotes and page numbers) to support your evaluation.
In addition, were you surprised by the ending of this book? Explain.
Madame Ratignolle was one of Edna's closest friends, but Edna has begun to pull away from her just as she did her other friends. Madame Ratignolle describes her as a child and implores her to “think of the children.” She says this multiple times. I think that Madame Ratignolle considers Edna to be neglectful to her children. I agree. When her children and husband leave, she “breathed a big, genuine sigh of relief. (126)” She seem to be very selfish and childish, becoming standoff-ish and refusing to do things just because she IS asked to. I feel that Edna doesn’t think before she acts, or at least doesn’t think of the consequences. “She thought of...the children. They were part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul. (176)” Edna says that she is not willing to give up herself for her children, and in this sentence she seems to brush them aside. She says that they do not have a hold on her, and this is also saddening. This is a mother who does not feel much for her children. Even though she seems to love them, cherishing affection from them: “How glad she was to see the children. (150)” She still lets them go.
ReplyDeleteThe ending of this book is sad and surprising. I’m pretty sure that she committed suicide, even if she didn’t think she was at first. She swims out and the “exhaustion was pressing upon and overpowering her (176)” when I believe she drowns. I was surprised by this. Even though Edna is unhappy and seemingly never satisfied by what she does, I didn’t think she would be driven to kill herself. When she swims out, it seems very sudden. There was no forethought or premeditation, or any thought to the consequences. She just swam out into the water. In the last moments, I think she almost regrets having swum out so far: “but it was too late; the shore was to far behind her, and her strength was gone. (176)” She says that maybe Doctor Mandelet would have understood. Maybe if she had had someone to talk to, really discuss how she was feeling, then she wouldn’t have felt the need to stop. I think Edna was in a situation that she didn’t like, but also one she handled badly. She could have tried to talk to her husband about her problems or talked to Dr. Mandelet. There were many places where she could have stopped and realized that while she was trying to become more independent, she was hurting everyone around her. But trying to end it by killing herself, she ends up leaving behind a mess that will have no good solution.
I wonder what Dr. Mandelet would have said to Edna had she reached out to him. Would Edna have been able to convince Mandelet that she really was lost? Would he have diagnosed her as having a "nervous condition"? Would he have shared her ailments with Edna's husband? He definitely seemed to try reaching out to Edna.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in your idea that Edna's suicide does not seem to be premeditated. I think she knew that she was going to die before she entered the water but certainly not days or even hours before she made her choice. I always find it frustrating that she couldn't reach out but for this time period I'm sure she felt there were so few options for love.
Great job posting, Nick! I hope you enjoyed the book.