It all seemed to start after the party, when everyone went for a "bath." Edna was really filled with "a feeling of exultation, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and soul." pg. 41. So somehow, maybe because of the spirit that haunts the Gulf on August 28, she is filled with this power that allows her to swim a long distance after being unable to swim all summer. Afterwards, she is really tired, so she goes back to her house with Robert.
And that is where the switch from Lion to Heart-Robber Robert happens: "No multitude of words could have been more significant than those moments of silence, or more pregnant with the first-felt throbbings of desire." pg. 46.
When Lion gets home, Edna no longer feels his control. She makes that crystal clear to him when she insists on lying in the hammock: "Léonce, go to bed," she said. "I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again, I shall not answer you." pg. 47.
Then the next day, she boldly invites Robert to come with her to Chêniére Caminada without a second thought. Robert is obviously all for it, and suggests further excursions: "Let us go to Grande Terre to-morrow?. . . And the next day or the next we can sail to the Bayou Brulow. . . . We'll go wherever you like. . . . I'll take you some night in the pirogue when the moon shines." pg. 52. And Edna is thinking: "she would like to be alone there with Robert." pg. 52. So they have a great day together, even though they just go to church and then she ends up napping for the rest of it. However, at the end, the author suggests there may be a flaw in their relationship: "It did not occur to her to think he might have grown tired of being with her the livelong day."pg. 61.
Overall, Edna has gained a great amount of control in a short amount of time.
I def agree! I find this super interesting... Do you all think that it's good for Edna or not? I mean I think it's great that she's breaking free from Lion, but HB could really end up hurting her. Plain and simple, he's a player, for lack of a better word. Edna's desperate for love right now so will this help or hurt her?
ReplyDeleteI'm super proud of her for standing up to her husband, though. That's awesomeee!!! Overall, I'm really curious to see how this whole love-triangle type situation will sort itself out!
I think that Edna's new relationship will probably end up hurting her in the end. Robert, or HB is definitely not a devoted kind of person. But it's not like her relationship with her husband is much better. At least with this new relationship, I think she will be happy for a while before HB gets bored of her.
ReplyDeleteI think the swimming kind of has a metaphorical meaning. She is metaphorically swimming away from the lion, and towards the heart robber. Is this what the author intended? I think it might because at the back in the discussion question section, it asks you to think about the metaphorical meaning of the sea. I am curious as to what the rat will think of this...
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