So far from what we have read we have learned that Edna Pontellier appears to be a quiet individual that may be too polite for her own good. She doesn’t talk about herself that much and allows her feelings to stay bottled up inside rather than complain about them.  Mrs. Pontellier likes to play it safe and stay reasonable. If she has the option to do anything that may appear risky then she will most likely not do it because she will only do things that make sense to do. Mrs. Pontellier is not a mother-woman which means that her “oh so perfect” family is not her top priority. She does not really feel like she belongs to that family. She just feels like she is supposed to live that lifestyle, married to a safe man with his children. Mrs. Pontellier has put herself in a protective shell that is shielding her true identity from the world and slowly but surely she is chipping away at that shell.

• ” Mrs. Pontellier talked little about herself..” (Chopin, page 10).
• “She could not have told you why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life.” (Chopin, page 14).
• “Mrs. Pontellier, though she had married a Creole, was not thoroughly at home in the society of Creoles…” (Chopin, page 18).
• ” Edna Pontellier could not have told why, wishing to go to the beach with Robert, she should in the first place have declined, and in the second place have followed in obedience to one of the two contradictory impulses which impelled her.” (Chopin, page 25).

Have you ever been so confused and stressed because of your emotions that you just feel like your head is going to explode into a million tiny bloody pieces? Me too. I am having sort of a dilemma that has been evading my mind for awhile now and I just do not know what I should do. I am a married woman to a very successful man that all of the other women rave about and we have two beautiful young sons. They are four and five. Our marriage is based on safety. It lacks passion and lust and mystery. We are together because I feel like it is the smart thing to do for my life. Marriage is a big reality check. I’m sorry but marriage isn’t how it is in the movies! It just isn’t! Leonce Pontellier is a thriving business man that provides for his family. He can be considered attractive and often times he will send back to his house gifts for his family while he is away at work. Many women jealously overpraise about how Leonce Pontellier must be the best husband in the entire world. I can’t deny that I have not heard of or have seen any greater husband.  So he, Mr. Pontellier, my husband, is the safe and obvious choice I am given.

I want to give a warning and also a little fact about me. I am a faithful wife that would never break the marriage contract that I signed when I said,” I do,” with my husband. I have never and do not plan to ever cheat on my husband. No matter what. That is just not my forte……But….there is this one guy. His name is Robert Leburn. Robert is a younger man that visits the same vacation spot, the Grande Isle, as me and my husband and throughout the years we have been able to get to know each other and become friends. Robert makes me feel special and happy every time that I am with him. He makes me feel like he actually wants to spend time with me rather than has to spend time with me. I just can’t help but fall for him even if it’s just a little bit…or maybe a lot a bit. I don’t know! My brain is telling me to do one thing while my heart is telling me to do the other thing and I just don’t know which is the right thing to do. If anyone has any advice for me please let me know because I am drawing blanks here.

Sincerely~

Edna Pontellier