At first glance the parrot introduced in the first sentence of The Awakening may seem insignificant and simply a way of grabbing the reader’s attention. Although it is true that it accomplishes this, further examination of the parrot can lead the reader to realize that not only is the parrot significant, it is one of the most important elements in the novel. There is a reason Chopin did not begin the novel with a bird flapping its wings through the air or landing freely on a tree branch, chirping a beautiful song; she chose to begin the novel with a parrot that is trapped by the people surrounding it, and no matter how often it repeats itself, it is still struggling to be heard. The same can be said of Edna Pontellier, that she is a caged bird amongst a male dominated society that…show more content… Every hardship she experiences in her quest to become an independent women is also experienced by the parrot. Although it is only mentioned twice throughout the entire novel, the parrot is in fact Edna herself and her struggle against society for independence.
Perhaps one of the most direct comparisons that can be made between the parrot and Edna’s quest for independence is the cage in which the bird lives. Surrounded by the many visitors to Grand Isle, the parrot is trapped inside its cage, unable to spread its wings and experience life beyond the bars. Edna, surrounded by people who only view her as having the capability of being a wife and mother feels caged by her husband, caged by her children, and caged by the role society expects her to assume. Léonce expects her to be a charming, loving wife, always