Edna was determined to terminate her life. In the previous pages we see how she "walked on down to the beach rather mechanically," (Chopin 212) since "there was no one thing in the world that she desired." (Chopin 212) Edna diminishes her family as she says they are not important enough in order for her to stay alive. Chopin uses a metaphor of a bird to compare how Edna was struggling to stay alive. She says, "a bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water," (Chopin 212) to describe Mrs. Pontellier's situation. Edna tried to 'fly' and keep on living, but since there was no longer a reason for her to fight for her life, she fell into the water just like the bird. Her end was the ocean, where she would finally die.
Shortly, Edna describes the moment when she began to get naked to get in the water. Various techniques such al imagery, metaphor, and allusions are used by Chopin to depict Edna's finale. One of her most remarkable teqhniques is repetition. This repetition doesnt't consist of repeating words, but of repeating life. Edna terminates her life the same way she started it, naked and innocent.
Edna says, "[Leonce and the children are part of my life] but they need not have thought that they could possess [my] body and soul." (Chopin 213) As she thinks this, there is a clear relation with her childhood, that she had just remembered. However, by saying this she makes a comparison to her birth since she is not owed by anyone at this point, just like she wasn't owed by society when she was young.
Edna is obviously ready to commit suicide, since her actions and thoughts indicate it. Although her ending in not clear, I believe she never changed her mind since every step, showed a step forward to her death. "Her arms and legs were growing tired" (Chopin 213), says Chopin. This doesn't only mean her literal body exhaustion, but she giving up on her life. Once again, she repeats that thought by saying, "Exhaustion was pressing upon and overpowering her." (Chopin 214) These last feelings show her female vulnerability and her decision of giving up.
However, when the moment of death approaches, Edna changes her mind for a brief moment. I allow myself to make this accusation since Robert's words repeat in Edna's head, reminding her of the reason why she is commiting suicide and doubting if Doctor Mandelet would have undestood her. "Perhaps Doctor Mandelet would have understood if she had seen him - but it was too late; the shore was far behind her, and her strength was gone." (Chopin 214) The use of the long dash in this quote, makes a pause to her thoughts, allowing the reader to think what would have been of her if Doctor Mandelet had understood. Would she be in a different situation? Anyways, she thinks of going back, but this if just for a second since she instantly says "it was too late". She doesn't even fight for her life after thinking about this because she is too far from the shore, really meaning that she has come too far to change her mind at this point.
Once again the same theme is brought up. "She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again." (Chopin 214) Edna once again doubts about her decision, but she quickly goes back to her goal of terminating her life. She believes killing herself would be the end, but "the barking of an old dog that was chained to the sycamore tree," (Chopin 214) proves to her that suicide wasn't the soulution. Maybe her body could escape, but her soul would always be encarcelated and chained to her tragic life.
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