论《觉醒》中的意象与女性意识的“觉醒”

ContentsChineseAbstract 1TOC\o"1-3"\h\uEnglishAbstract 21.Introduction 31.1KateChopinandHerWritings 31.2TheAwakening 论《觉醒》中的意象与女性意识的“觉醒”摘要19世纪的美国著名女作家凯特 肖邦的《觉醒》，讲述了勇敢并且具有女性意识的女主人公埃德娜的自我意识的觉醒的故事。肖邦在此篇小说中巧妙地运用了各种意象来突出小说女性意识逐渐觉醒的过程，觉醒后的一系列遭遇，以及女主人公埃德娜因觉醒所带来的凄惨结局。通过意象的衬托，她让主人公把自己的情感意识寄托于广阔无垠的大海，自由翱翔的鸟儿，愉悦的音乐，埃德娜憧憬着如鸟儿一般，拥有觉醒的翅膀，在浩瀚的大海以及美妙的音乐找寻自我，自由飞翔。关键词:肖邦；意象；女性意识；《觉醒》Imagesandthe“Awakening”oftheFeministConsciousnessinTheAwakeningAbstractTheAwakeningisoneoftherepresentativenovelsofKateChopin,anotedAmericanfemalewriterinthe19thcentury.Ittellsthestoryoftheself-consciousawakeningofthebraveandfeminineheroine—Edna.VariousimagesareusedskillfullybyChopintohighlighttheprocessoffemaleconsciousnessofindependenceandfreedomgraduallyawakening,aseriesofencountersafterawakening,andthetragicendingofEdnainthenovel.Throughthedescriptionoftheseimages,Chopinlettheheroinegiveheremotionalconsciousnesstothevastsea,thefree-flyingbirds,thebeautifulmusic.Ednalookedforwardtobeingabird,withwingsofawakeningandlookingforherselfinthevastseaandwonderfulmusic,flyingfreely. Keywords:Chopin;image;theconsciousnessoffeminism;TheAwakeningIntroductionKateChopinandHerWritingsKateChopin’sTheAwakening,afeministnovelundertherealmofnaturalismandrealism,wasaheadoftimebyusingimageryofmultiplevisions,naturalelementsassymbols.Bymeansofimagerywriting,allsymbolscanbereadaskindsofmetaphor.Therefore,imageryhasaspecificandspecialrelationtosymbolism.KateChopinwasoneoftheimagismmovementin19thcentury,sheadmiredthosestrong-minded,talentedandindependentwomenwhotranslatedmanyGuydeMaupassant’snovelsintoEnglish.Besidesthemelancholic,pessimisticundertoneofhumanlivesanddestiniesinhiswritings,whatimpressedChopinmostwasMaupassant’swritingskillsandtheindividualconsciousnesshealwaysemphasized:Chopinclaimedtohavefeltthathespoketoherdirectlyandintimately(Toth,1985).Sheadmiredhimmostforthethingsthatmadehimthewriterthathewas.Shewasintriguedbyhisescapefromtraditionandauthorityandforhavingenteredintohimselfandlookedoutuponlifethroughhisownbeingandwithhisowneyes(Skaggs,1974).EventuallyMaupassantreplacedotherwritersasherprimaryinfluenceandliterarymodel(Toth,1985).ChopinhadsuchaninterestinMaupassantthatsheherselfalsotranslatedmanyofhisstoriesfromFrenchtoEnglish(Toth,1985).Becauseofthecontenttheirstories,thesestorieswereneverpublished.Maupassant’sideaswerelookedasimmoralandimmature,dealingwithideassuchassex,loneliness,anddepression.Hewasregardedbymanypeopleasanimmoralperson,becausehequestionedthestandardsoftheday.Ofcourse,KateChopinwasinfluencedverymuchbytheliterarytrendofthisperiod.HernovelTheAwakeningwaswrittenattheendofthenineteenthcentury,whichisstillamale-dominatedVictorianera.Atthattime,societyadvocatedsexualinhibition,especiallyamongmiddleandupper-classwomen.Asaresult,criticslashedoutatTheAwakening,causingagreatdisturbanceatthetime.KateChopin’s1899masterpiece,TheAwakening,facedthesamefateasMaupassantandwasconsideredscandalousatthetimeofitsinitialpublication,withitsthemesoffemaleindividualityandliberationvirtuallyendingChopin’swritingcareer.Now,morethan100yearsafteritsfirstappearance,Chopin’snoveliswidelyesteemedasoneofthefirstfeministliterature.“Itwasn’tuntilthe1950sand1960sthatwiththevigorousdevelopmentoftheAmericanfeministmovement,thebookTheAwakeningreceivedafairevaluationfromcritics,believingittobeagoodbookwithexcellentideologicalskillsandartisticmethods.Araremasterpieceinliterature”(金莉，秦亚青,1998：100).ThebookisalsoknownasapioneeringworkofAmericanliteraryclassicsandfeministmovements,aswellasafirst-ratenovel(梁亚平，2004).1.2The

AwakeningInTheAwakening,Chopincritiquedthesocietyinwhichwomen,whostrayfromtheirdutyasmothersortheexpectedmarriedfemalebehavior,aresubjecttoharshjudgmentandfurtherdisapprovalfromtheirhusbands.Inthenovel,Edna,herhusband,andherfamilywentonavacationtothebeautifulislandbythesea.Attheseaside,withthehelpofRobert,Ednalearnedtoswim,whichshealwayswantedtolearneversinceshewasachildandshealsoswamtoaplacethatshehasnevervisitedbefore.Robertcouldn’tbearthepressureofsocialjudgement;hechosetoflee.So,therelationshipbetweenRobertandEdnawasinconclusive.However,thedepartureofRobertdidnotstoptheconsciousnessoffeministawakeninginEdna’smind.ShewouldneverbethesameEdnawhousedtoobeyherhusband.Shestartedtolovelifeandexpressherfeelingsboldly.Throughlearningtoswimduringtheholidays,Ednabegantosearchfortheirindependenceandfreedom,whichisthebeginningofthetransformationofEdnainTheAwakening.TheheroineEdnainTheAwakening,amotheroftwochildren,hasverylittlepersonalfreespaceinherlifeaswellasothertraditionalAmericanwomenofherage.However,Ednahasabandonedherresponsibilitiesasawifeandmotherinpursuitofextramaritalsensorysatisfaction.OnceTheAwakeningpublished,thenovelcouldn’tavoidharshcriticismfromsociety,aspeoplecouldn’thandlesuchradicalandsubversivefeministwriting.1.3CommentsonThe

AwakeningTheAwakening,publishedin1899,isthesecondnovelbyAmericanfemalewriterKateChopinandisafeministnovelundertherealmofnaturalismandrealism,wasaheadoftimebyusingimageryofmultiplevisions,naturalelementsassymbols.Bymeansofimagerywriting,allsymbolscanbereadasakindofmetaphor.Therefore,imageryhasaspecificandspecialrelationtosymbolism.Thenoveldescribestheself-consciousawakeningprocessofmarriedwomanEdna.Thework’santi-traditionalconceptalsobroughtnegativecommentstoitsauthor.EventhepostofSt.LouiswrotethatitwasnotsuitableforwomenwhoabidebyMoralityandstronglysuggestedthatthenovelshouldbelabeledasapoison(Killeen,2003).Chopinalsolosthisoriginalreputation.Itwasn’tuntilmorethanhalfacenturylaterthatthevictoryofthesecondwaveofwomen’sliberationmovementmadeTheAwakeninganewfavoriteofliterarycriticsandaclassicfeministworkinthenationalliteraryworld.Today,TheAwakeninghasbeenrecognizedasaclassicofAmericanliterature.Frombannedbookstoclassics,ithastakenalongandtortuousroad.Thiscomplexexperiencealsoillustrateshowsocialchangesandtheimpactofsocialthoughtshaveaffectedpeople’sacceptanceandjudgmentofaliterarywork.TheAwakening,astheauthoress’lastmasterpiece,alsosharingonefatewithHardy’slastone,wasfinallyrecognizedandevenpraisedas“beautifullywritten”byEdmundWilson,and“exquisite”and“sensitive”byWillaCather.However,thepraiseddidn’tliveaslongasHardy,whofinallyoutlivedthethrustsandcuts.ImagesinTheAwakeningTheDefinitionofImageTheso-calledimageryisanartisticimagecreatedbytheuniqueemotionalactivitiesofthecreativesubject.Thewordimageryiscommonlyusedinliterarycriticism,andthemeaningofimageisroughlyasfollows:oftenreferstoindividualimage,ratherthanthewholepicture.Artorliteratureworksuseimagestoexpressmeaning,whoseprimarygoalistoformaconcreteandperceptibleimage,sothatreaderscanproduceaestheticassociationbyvirtueofthepicturesdepictedinwords,andlettheaestheticexperienceorimpressivethingsreappearitsimagelusterinourmind.TheFunctionofImageImagewasapoeticvoguethatflourishedinEngland,andevenmorevigorouslyinAmerica,betweentheyears1912and1917.Asapartofthemodernistmovement,awayfromthesentimentalityandmoralizingtoneof19th-centuryVictorianpoetry,imagistpoetslookedtomanysourcestohelpthemcreateanewpoeticexpression.Atypicalimagistpoemiswritteninfreeverse,aformthatuseacadencethatmimicnaturalspeechratherthantheaccustomedrhythmofmetricalfeetorlines.Rulesofrhymingwerealsoconsiderednonessential.Butrather,ithighlightstheimpressionofavisualobjectorsceneandtheterm“image”shouldnotbetakentoimplyonlyavisualreproductionoftheobjectwhichisreferredto:“Imageryinliteratureusageincludenotonlyvisualsensequalities,butalsoqualitiesthatareauditory,technic(touch),thermal(heatandcold),olfactory(smell),gustatory(taste),andkinesthetic(sensationsofmovement)”(Abrams,1999:121).Asthefirstleaderoftheimagismmovement,AmericanwriterEzraPondismostfamousforhistwo-linepoemInaStationoftheMetro:“Theapparitionofthesefacesinthecrowd:Petalsonawet,blackbough”(Pound,1913(2):12).Itisoftencitedasoneofthepurestofhisimagistpoems.Pounddescribeswatchingfacesappearinametrostationasa“crowd”,meaningthestationisquitebusy.Hecomparesthesefacesto“petalsonawet,blackbough”,suggestingthatonthedarksubwayplatform,peoplelooklikeflowerpetalsstuckonatreebranchafterarainynight.Thoughshort,thispoemisverysensoryinnature;itallowsthereadertoimagineascenewhilereadingthelines.ThroughPound’seconomicaldescriptionofthesefacesas“petalsonawet,blackbough”,heisabletoinvokeatransienttone.KateChopin’sTheAwakening,afeministnovelundertherealmofnaturalismandrealism,wasaheadoftimebyusingimageryofmultiplevisions,naturalelementsassymbols.Bymeansofimagerywriting,allsymbolscanbereadasakindofmetaphor.Therefore,imageryhasaspecificandspecialrelationtosymbolism.2.3ImagesinThe

AwakeningThisarticlefocusesontheprocessinwhichChopinusedimagestoreflecttheawakeningoftheheroine’sfemaleconsciousness.InTheAwakening,wecanseethediversityofimages,forinstancevariousimagesareusedskillfullytorepresentseveralkindofourprotagonistEdnaindifferentperiodandtheprocessoftheconsciousnessoffeminismfromawakentobrokeninthenovel.Alltheusesofimageryportrayedareasfollows.Thefirstkindistheimageoftheprotagonistoftheme.ThebookdescribedEdnafromatraditionalhousewifetoaself-conscious,modernwomen.Inthenovel,Chopinboldlycreatedabrand-newfemaleimage,Edna,whorefusedtoperformtraditionalfemaleduties.Itrepresentedwomen’slongingforandpursuitoffanaticallife,longingfortheirownliberation,andtherealizationoflifevalue(Skaggs,1974).Chopin’sfeministpropositionismanifestedbythecontinuousdevelopmentandmaturationoffeministconsciousnessintheimageoftheheroineEdna(李公昭,2000).Ednaisaperfectincarnationofthebraveandfemininewomen,whograduallyawakesthefemaleconsciousnessofindependenceandfreedom,throughthedescriptionoftheimagesofbeingabird,lookingforherselfinthevastseaandwonderfulmusic,flyingfreely.Thesecondkindaretheimageofplaces.Therearethreeplacesinthenovel:GrandIsle,CheniereCaminadaandNewOrleans.TheyrepresentthedifferentprocessesofEdna’spsychologicalactivity.Thethirdkindistheimageoftheobjects.ThethreehousesthatEdnaoncelivedinandtheclothesthatEdnaworeeachhavetheirownspecificsymbolicmeanings.Inaddition,thereareotherimages,suchascolorsandbirdcagesetc.Thefourthkindistheimageofthecharacters.BesidesprotagonistEdna,theauthoralsoportraysfiveothermaincharacters.Theyrepresentthedifferentpartsofpersonality,thatis:materialandmoneyidealandlove,desireandsexuality,responsibilityandmoral,selfandpassion.AstoEdna,sheisacombinationofthemall.Thefifthkindistheimageofbehaviors.SleepingisawayforEdnatoescapesociety.Learningtoswimsymbolizesherrebirth,andthepowertopursuefreedom.Paintinginjectsnewvitalityintoherlife,andsuicidesymbolizesthecompletefreedomandliberationofhersoul.ThelastarethemostimportantimagesinTheAwakening.Thefirst,thesea.Edna’sawakeningstartedattheseasideandendedeastattheseaside.Theseasymbolizesfreedomandelusionatthesametime.TheseacanawakenEdna’sinnerpursuitanddesireforfreedom.ZhouXinaalsopointedoutclearly,“learningtoswimintheseaisherwayandmeanstothefreeocean”(周熙娜,1988(1):86).Beyondliteraryterms,waterandtheoceanareoftensymbolsofpurification.Edna’sawakeningwasherrealizationofnotbeingabletolivealifethatwasnotconfinedbysocietalboundariesandexpectations.Itcanbeinferredthatherchoicetocommitsuicidebydrowningintheseawasherwayofcleansingherselfoftheboundaries,expectationsandresponsibilitiesthatconsumedher.Theoceangaveherachancetochoose,andshewasthrownintotheembraceoftheocean.Beingintheoceanisaworldcompletelydevotedtoherself,becausedeathisthecompleterelief(曾晓覃,2004).Inthefinalsceneofthenovel,bydescribingthevoiceoftheseaas“seductive;neverceasing,whispering,clamoring,murmuring,invitingthesoultowanderforaspellinabyssesofsolitude,toloseitselfinmazesofinwardcontemplation”(Chopin,2003:175),sheisreadytotaketheinvitationasherverylastdive.Thesecond,thebirdandthewingedbird.ThebirdisanotherkeyimagethatrepresentthefreeandcomfortlessEdnasimultaneously.OnGrandIsland,shelearnedtoswimandstartedherawakening,andonChenierecaminada,sheateandsleptlikeababy.ComingbacktoNewOrleans,shebeginstopaintagainandmovesintothepigeonhouse.Intheend,shefoundakindoffreedomandliberationinthesea.InTheAwakening,themostrepresentativeimagewasthe“thewingedbird”,whichmeanstheawakeningfailed.Thethird,themusic.ThemostrepresentativeimageofthisdifficultperiodforEdnais“music”,whichmeanssexandfreedomandhasgainedaplaceinEdna’sspiritualworld,receivedastrongemotionalresonanceoftheheroine,andaccompaniedherfrombeginningtoend.Thelast,thenakedbody.Thenakedbodyisalsoaspecialimage.Attheendofthenovel,Edna’snakedbodyblendsintotheocean,endingherlifeintheseathatshehadpreviouslyfearedbutslowlyfamiliarwith.Herdeathwastheultimatechoiceofunwillingnesstocompromisewithreality;herdeathwasnotdeathinthetruesense,butanotherwayofsurvival.Theoceangaveherachancetochoose,andshewasfascinatedbytheocean.Mergingintotheoceanisaworldcompletelydevotedtoherself,becausedeathisthecompleterelief.“Theprotagonist’srebirthandgainingthepowertopursuefreedom,whensheandtheseaareunited,herbodyandsoulareunified.Shegainscourageandasenseoffreedomandindependence”(Wandy,2007:53).Almostineveryprocessofherwakening,thereisaimagethatisincorrespondencewithit.ThroughthedescriptionoftheseimagesbyChopin,wecanfollowwithEdnatogointothebook,thinkingandmakingdecisionstogether.Ireallygotinvolved.Ithinkthisisthecharmofliterature.FeminismConsciousnessinTheAwakening

3.1TheDefinitionofFeminismSince1969therehasbeenanexplosionoffeministwritings,withoutparallelinpreviouscriticalinnovationsinamovement,thatasElaineShowalterhasremarked,displayingtheurgencyandexcitementofareligiousawakening.Thatcurrentcriticism,inAmerica,England,France,andothercountries,isnotaunitarytheoryorprocedure.Itmanifests,amongthosewhopracticeit,agreatvarietyofcriticalvantagepointsandprocedures,includingadaptationsofpsychoanalysis,Marxismandvariouspost-structuralisttheories,anditsvitalityissignalizedbythevigor(sometimesevenrancor)ofthedebateswithintheranksofprofessedfeministsthemselves.Thevariousfeminism,however,sharecertainassumptionsandconceptsthatunderliethediversewaysthatindividualcriticsexplorethefactorofsexualdifferenceandprivilegeintheproduction,theformandcontent,thereception,andthecriticalanalysisandevaluationofworksofliterature.Asadistinctiveandconcertedapproachtoliterature,feministcriticismwasnotinaugurateduntillateinthe1960s.Behindit,however,lietwocenturiesofstrugglefortherecognitionofwomen’sculturalrolesandachievements,andforwomen’ssocialandpoliticalrights,markedbysuchbooksasMaryWollstonecraft’sAVindicationoftheRightsofWoman(1792),JohnStuartMill’sTheSubjectionofWomen(1869),andtheAmericanMargaretFuller’sWomanintheNineteenthCentury(1845).Muchoffeministliterarycriticismcontinuesinourtimetobeinterrelatedwiththemovementbypoliticalfeministsforsocial,legal,andculturalfreedomandequality.3.2TheHistoryofFeminisminAmericaWiththedevelopmentofthefeministmovement,anewgenerationoffemalewritershaveenteredthehistoryarena.Theyurgedwomentobeindependentandfightfortheirinterests.Theconceptof“homeasthecore”infemaleculturegraduallydisintegratedwhenwomenfoughtforhighereducationrightsandpolitical,economic,andemotionalindependenceforthemselves.Atthattime,allwritersfavoredthethemeofchallengingtraditionalmoralityandfightingforfreedomandindependence.Thisgenerationofwomencriticalwritersspontaneouslyexertedtheirartistictalentsandconfidentlyrankedtheirliteraryidealsbeforefamilyresponsibilities.ThebestamongthemwereLouisaMayOlcottandElizabethStuartPhelps.Fromtheirpointofview,motherhoodisastumblingblockforwomen’screativityandartisticachievement.Theyalsoqueriedthetraditionalroleofwomen,andtheyaremorewillingtodescribewhathappenedinmarriageandsociety.However,althoughfeministshaveproposednewconceptsofhumanrightsandwereallowedbythelawtovote,womenarestilltosomeextentrestrictedbytraditionalconventions.Generally,a“decent”womanshouldbesexlessandnotbeabletoexperiencethejoyofsex.Theywerenotallowedtoexpresssexualdesireslikemen.Womenandmenwereexpectedtofillseparatespheresofsociety.Duetosuchtraditionalexpectationsforwomenpriortothe19thcentury,veryfewwomenhadthesameopportunitiesforeducationasmen.Indeed,educatingwomenwasoftenseenassubversive,apossibleperversionofthecorrectsocialorder.Therefore,womenwritersinthecenturyshouldalsoforcetheirheroinestoobeythesamestandardsoffemaleetiquettethattheyshouldbesuretochecktheirbehaviorandlanguageappropriately.Otherwise,theywouldbeconsideredasnotenoughfemininity.Againstsuchrestrictedgenderroles,twogenerationsoffemalewritershaverisenduringthisperiodoftime:ThefirstgenerationmainlyreferstofemalewritersbeforetheCivilWar,suchas,SusanWarner,HarrietBeecherStowe,andE.D.E.N.Southworth.Theirnovelswerepublishedthroughoutmid-19thand20thcentury,reflectingfeministexpressionintheUnitedStatesfeminismculture,whichmainlyfocusontheworshipofmotherhood,thebondageofmother-daughterrelationshipsandtheintimatefemalefriendships.3.3TheConsciousnessofFeminisminThe

AwakeningInTheAwakening,Chopinexpressedherownfeminine

consciousnessbydescribingthebehaviorsoftheheroineEdnainthenovel.Herownlifestyleandattitudetowardlifegaveherapointofviewthatwasdifferentfrommen.Chopinrealizedthatwomen’slivesweredifferentfrommen’s,andshehadtopersonallyinvestigatethesedifferences.Atthesametime,withthisview,shedescribedtheirexperiencesfromtheinnerworldofwomen.Thisexperienceisalmostlimitedtowomen’sknowledge,butneglectedbymen.SoinTheAwakening,Chopincalledonwomentostriveforpersonalliberationandtohavetheirownindependentpersonality,independentpersonalityandlifevalue.KateChopincreatedtheliteraryimageofEdna,theheroineofTheAwakening,torevealthearduousprocessofwomenlosingthemselvesunderthepatriarchalsociety,andfinallyseekingself-liberationandself-independence(陈丽华,2016).Edna’sawakeningjourneyisfullofhardship,hesitation,hesitationandpain.Sherealizedthatherself-deficiencywokeup,andshedidnotwanttogotosleepagain.Shehasthecourageandabilitytoexperiencelifeandbuildherinnerself.Swimminginthevastoceanisademonstrationofthiscourageandability.TheAwakeningisatragedyoffeministconsciousness.Inthecurrentsociety,themainthemeoffeminismisnolongerthetraditionaleliminationofgenderdiscriminationinsocialreallifesothatwomencanachievefullfreedomandcomprehensivedevelopment.Ithastransitedtoanewheight:therealizationofgenderequality,constructwomen’sconsciousness,anderadicateallinequalityphenomenaandsystemsontheearth(杨凤,2009).4.ImagesandHeroine’sFeminismAwakening4.1BirdinCage:BeforeAwakeningInTheAwakening,themostrepresentativeimagewasthe“birdinthecage”.KateChopinusedtheimageofthe“birdinthecage”tosymbolizewomenwhowereimprisonedbothinahusband-dominatedfamilyandalsoinapatriarchalsociety.Edna’shusband,Mr.Pontellier,wasdisgustedbythecallsofparrotsandthrushesinbirdcageshangingoutsidethedoor.Attheendofthenovel,theimageofbirdcomesbackinthereader’svision,representingasimilarfatetoourprotagonistEdna.Atthebeginningofthenovel,ChopinlikensEdnatoabirdinagildedcage.Althoughtheylivecomfortably,likethebirdinthecage,theycanonlystayathome,obeyingmen’sordersanddiscriminatedbythemale,whichmaketheylosttheselfandfreedom.Inthenovel,Chopindescribesthreewomen’shousesinthecity.ThehouseofthePontellieristwo-storyluxuriousandchicvilla.Thefurnituredecorationwasmadebyherhusband,whichishisproudcapital.Hefeelsthat“thesepropertiesbelongtohim”.ForMr.Pontellier,notonlythepropertybutalsothewifeandchildreninthehousearehispersonalbelongings.ToEdna,Mrs.Lebron’straditionalhomelookslikea“prison”,makingherreluctanttogothere.However,whenshevisitedMissRice,althoughherhomewassmallanddirty,thereweremanywindows,sunlightandairenteringthroughtheopenwindows,whichletheryearntovisitagain.BecauseRice’shomeissimplebutfulloffreedomandhope.Returningtothecity,Ednadidn’twanttocontinuetobeabirdinacageagain.She’snolongersatisfiedwiththemonotonouslife,soshedeterminedtogetridofherhusband’sshackles,andbegantopursuedowhateveryouwant,thinkwhateveryouwant.Shebecomesaddictedtomusic,whichimpliesshewantstoachievefinancialindependenceandself-worth,forwhichsheevenmovestoa“pigeonhouse”.DoveHouseunlike“cage”,thedoveimagesymbolizesdeterminationandtheabilitytoovercomealldifficultiesintheWest.Dovenestisalsooftenusedasasynonymforhome.TheDoveHouseisaplacewhereEdnacanbreathefreelywithoutfeelingbeingcontrolled.Edna’shusbanddecidedtoleaveEdnaandtookherchildren,givingEdnasometimetoconsider.Afterthat,Edna’sfathercametovisitEdna.Thefather’sarrivalrepresentsthelastsalvationofEdnabythepatriarchalsociety.Edna’sfatherfinallyrealizedthathisdaughterwouldnotchangebacktohislittleobedientbird,likemostwomenofthatera,sacrificingallherpersonalspaceforthefamily.Atthistime,thepatriarchalsocietygaveupcompletelytorestorethedissidentsofthesociety.Ednaenjoyedherlifeafterherfamilyleft.SheevenstartedaromanticrelationshipwithRobinwhoisplayboy.Ifatthebeginningofthenovel,Robert’sappearancerepresentsEdna’spursuitofloveandromance’sfantasy,thenAnnRobin’sappearancerepresentsEdna’ssatisfactionasamaturewomantoherphysicalneeds.TheexperiencehegaveEdnawassomethingsheneverhadfromRobert.Hiseyesmadeherheartbeatfaster,andshecouldn’thelpkissingRobin.Shecouldn’thelpthankingRobinforherpresence,whichgaveheradifferentexperienceinherlife.Edna’sloveanddemandforlifeimpliedthatshefullyrealizedthatherbodyandspiritwerenolongerjustherhusband’sappendages.Herlifebelongedonlytoherself,andonlysheherselfhadthecontroloverherdestiny(熊珈仪,2015).WheneverEdnafounditdifficulttobearthepressureofsociety,shewouldgotoMissHertz’shouseandlistedquietlytoMissHertzplayingthepiano.Sometimes,Ednaweptwhilelistening.Atthenightbeforemovingoutofthevilla,Ednawassuddenlyfrustratedanddisappointedasshesatinthecrowdforameal.Infact,Ednahadbeenlivingindepressionforalongtime,andthefamilylifeattheexpenseofselfhadmadeheryearnforpeacefulandfreedaysmore.DeepinsideEdna,shebelievedthatRobertwouldnotturnherintoanaccessorylikeherhusbanddid.Therefore,shewasalsoeagertostartanewlifewithRobert.Deepinherheart,sheunderstoodthatRobertrespectsandcaresforher,shealsobelievedthatRoberthasthesamelifeasshelongedfor.ItwasthiskindofhopethatmadeEdnaveryexcitedafterreceivingaletterfromRobert.Atthesametime,Ednawaswillingtowaitforhimtoreturn.Tosumup,beforeEdna’sideaawakenedshelivedlikeabirdinCageofthepatriarchalsociety.4.2PianoStringVibration:AwakeningInTheAwakening,thepianoisusedasanabstractimagetogivespecificnotestothemoresubtleandetherealmeaning.ThemusicalmovementsconveyedbythenotesconveyarichassociativerelationshiptotheheroineEdna,reflectingthespecialityinheremotionalfield.Ednaisamusicenthusiast,andherrelianceonmusicisnolessthanthatofhergoodfriendRacewhomakesmusicasaspiritualdependency.Becausemusiccannaturallyhasaspecialfunctionofinspiringandconveyinghumanemotions,peoplehaveneverhesitatedtodescribetheuniquenessandbeautyofmusic.Andthecharacteristicofmusicisthatitusesmusicmovementasamediumtoconveyrichassociativeandlinguisticconnections.Throughtheseconnections,inthefieldofhumanemotions,ithasprojectedthousandsofemotionalcolors,directlyorindirectlytouchingmanyaspectsofhumanfeelings(刘鸿瑜,1995).EdnaalsocommunicatedwithRobertthroughmusic.Robert,waswellawareofEdna’shobby.