2) There are two major themes to Kate Chopin's The Awakening. The first of these themes is the freedom from social expectations, the second is suicide which seems to be the solution to the problems caused by the first theme. These themes are present throughout the entire book although suicide doesn't become apparent until later in the story. In the very first lines of the story the theme of social freedom begins to form. The author depicts a caged parrot which is expected to speak and contrasts it with the free mocking bird that does what it likes with "maddening persistence." In this…
