Societal expectations can lead to an individual wrestling with his/her personal identity.
"In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The mother-women seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle. It was easy to know them," (Chapter 4, page 16)
"It was openly criticized and freely discussed at table. Mrs. Pontellier gave over being astonished, and concluded that wonders would never cease." (Chapter 4, page 19)
"Even as a child she had lived her own small life within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life-that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." (Chapter 7, page 26) "The street, the children, the fruit vender, were all part and parcel of an alien world which had suddenly become antagonistic." (Chapter 18, page 89-90)
"I feel like painting,' answered Edna. 'Perhaps I shan't always feel like it." (Chapter 19, page 95)
"By all the codes which I am acquainted with, I am a devilishly wicked specimen of the sex. But some way I can't convince myself that I am. I must think about it." (Chapter 27, page 137)
"Every step she took toward relieving herself of obligations added to her strength and expansion as an individual....No longer was she content to 'feed upon opinion' when her own soul had invited her." (Chapter 32, page 156)
!!!!!!CLICK THE PICTURE TO VIEW AN EMAZE EXPLAINING EACH QUOTE'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE THEME!!!!!