Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a deeply symbolist novel. Indeed, the ending seems to make more sense in terms of symbolism than it does in terms of plot or character. Chopin employs symbols to explore

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a deeply symbolist novel. Indeed, the ending seems to make more sense in terms of symbolism than it does in terms of plot or character. Chopin employs symbols to explore the protagonist’s quest to plumb the depths of her own unconscious. The sea is the most developed symbol, but there are a few more. Say a few words about the other symbols, then, paying close attention to the text, explain what the passages about the sea tell us about Edna, the human condition, and the nature of desire.