Anxiety and depression are some of the common health problems that often lead to mental illness. Anxiety, from a psychological perspective, is the state of feeling worried, nervous or uneasy about some event. On the other hand, depression is associated with despair and grief. These two mental health issues are well reflected in one of the characters in the awakening, Edna Pontellier.
In one instance, Edna Pontellier struggles to fit in and become cheerful, amongst her husband’s friends (Chopin, 2003). Such behaviors, as research indicates, are usually associated with depression and some mental disorders referred to as Bipolar disorder. Furthermore, as research suggests, Bipolar disorder comes along after long periods of depression. Struggling to become cheerful is unusual in society, on most occasions. One strives to become cheerful because he or she is sad and depressed. Also, such a feeling indicates that one has lost interest in activities once enjoyed.
Secondly, Edna Pontellier expresses some form of anxiety and depression when her husband Leonce Pontellier comes back home from Klein’s hotel. Upon checking on the sleeping children, he is convinced that one of the children has a fever and decides to alert her wife, Edna Pontellier. Edna, on the other hand, assured him that all children, before going to bed were of sound health. Later on, as Chopin (2003) explains, Edna decided to move to the children’s room so that she can check it for herself. Upon returning, she returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed, and began crying (Pg. 7). Such is an expression of depression, as researchers argue. The surprising aspect of this event is that after the incident, Edna moved out of the bedroom and sat on the porch. At this point, she even cried more. The author notes that tears came at a faster frequency to the extent that the sleeve of her cloth could not dry them all. She continued crying, without caring to wipe her face. This is a form of hopelessness and despair, associated with depression and anxiety.
Conclusion
As one reads the novel, there are signs of growing depression, which eventually lead to Edna Pontellier’s death. The nature of her death, concludes that she had been depressed for a long, as she died of suicide.
References
Chopin, K. (2003). The awakening. Bantam Classics.
