A Study Of The Growth In Edna And Connie: From The Perspective Of The Actantial Model

The Awakening and Lady Chatterley’s Lover are two novels with a good deal ofsimilarities. Both of them suffered the hostile criticisms right after the publication andthen were banned for many decades. But the dust for a while cannot conceal the value.Nowadays the two novels both become masterpieces of world literature. The novels’protagonists are Edna and Connie, who are also described most frequently. Both ofthem are from the same leisured class. They both suffer the bondages of loveless andlifeless marriage life; both want change and pursue freedom; and both change theirlife bravely. They courageously get rid of the shackles of the old life to find new lifeand love. Though their understandings to freedom are not the same, their origin anddestination are similar. However, the consequences of their growth are different. Ednawalks into the sea with depression, while Connie is waiting for the happy life in thefuture with hope.There are six actants in the actantial model which are “subject”,“object”,“sender”(“power”),“receiver”,“helper”, and “opponent”.“Sender” meansintervening and in some occasions it is inappropriate, so “power” is a better term. Thethesis analyzes the growth of Edna and Connie in the above six elements andconcludes the causes why the two protagonists, who share the same origin anddestination, have different endings. Their growth journey is pretty the same. First theyare tired of the society, and then go to the nature, and last return to the society. Thefreedom of the nature reminds them to seek for freedom for themselves. Edna is alonely and brave solider. She knows clearly her needs as an independent human beingand pursues it insistently. However, she pays no attention to how to fulfill her dreamand just does whatever she thinks is right, without considering the consequences. Shedoes not know how to ask people’s help. She desires for love, but fails to know howto love others. There are many opponents and just a few helpers in her growth. Bycontrast, Connie does not realize her pathetic condition until her father and sister warnher. Then she gradually starts to change herself. And later she gradually gets rid of theinfluences of her father and sister and grows into a woman who has her own idea and can think over problems thoroughly. She yearns for love and knows how to loveothers. She breaks the social conventions boldly, and knows how to shelter the risksof breaking the rule. There are many helpers and just a few opponents around her.Edna refuses to face the “power” directly. She is brave, yet she is also adventurous.Most of her actions are beyond the understanding of the public. Connie is a littleafraid and timid when facing the “power”. However, she is courageous to face the“power” directly. In fact, Edna becomes a child after she awakens, insisting her ideallife and pursuing the freedom in her childhood blindly, without any consideration onthe methods of achieving them. Besides, the Creole community where Edna lives isan enclosed community which denies any change. The conventions are not allowed tochallenge. In the end, Edna loses hope under the pressure of “power” and totalsolitude. The British society where Connie lives is evolving and many new ideas startto appear. At the very beginning Connie lives her life under the care of her husband,father and sister. But gradually she realizes her individual existence and makes a plandeliberately to return to the society. Thus she brings her life with hope.