Kate Chopin, the author of The Awakening, uses Edna Pontellier to reveal that solitude and simplicity are needed in order to for her to identify her true self. At Edna's party one of her guests, Gouvernail, makes reference to desire as "a graven image" (Chopin 119), as a thing in itself to be worshipped. Desire is an ancient and sometimes brutal urge, as "a graven image" (Chopin 119), which evokes images of harsh primal gods. The strength of desire is evident when Edna feels Victor's kiss on her palm pleasing-she is not immune to the charms of her beloved's brother, as harsh a truth as that may be. Victor appeals to her great sensuality just as Arobin does. Chopin communicates to the reader that in order for Edna to learn about her inner self she must give in to her desires. As Edna has become more independent, taking streetcars and walking alone through the city, she has learned that "women learn so little of life on the whole" (Chopin 140). By striking out on her own, she has learned not only much about what is new to her, but also how much she never knew about herself. She begins to act in accordance with her own desires rather than with society's expectations. Instead of conforming to society's traditional behaviors she decides to blossom on her own; she becomes her own identity. The novel's ending is provocative because Chopin does not indicate outright that Edna dies. By "[melting] out of her existence" (Chopin 151), Edna reveals that she has lost touch of reality. She can no longer be content with solitude and simplicity. She is powerless; she cannot comply with the rules that society is based upon. Edna is taking command of her situation as best as she can, sparing herself the trauma of her socially unacceptable and deplorable behavior. Edna's own story ends with the reade
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