February Monthly Connection

Discovering one's self is a concept that many run after for most of their lives. On the other hand, some are born with a strong sense-of-self and never have to search for their true identity. Throughout the course of this year, we have read many books where there has been individuals that are searching for their identity, as well as those that already have captured their "true self." In "The Awakening," Edna is a woman that never discovered who she really is. I saw her as a weak character because she never seemed to make a decision based on her true desires and feelings and instead made her choices based on others. As a result, she choose a life that was not her own and felt like she was stuck as someone that she really wasn't.
I believe that that's the issue with those that are searching for their "true self." People like Edna may become wrapped up in pleasing others that they choose a life that isn't their own. They then allow their circumstances to change who they are as a person which results in unhappiness.
Personally, I can kind of relate to Edna. When I first moved to the area and started going to Oxford last year, I hated it more than anything. When I look back on last year I realize that I allowed my circumstances to determine my overall level of happiness. Instead of being the individual that I was before I moved, I changed into someone that I didn't even recognize. It wasn't until this year that I realized this and now that I think about it, I wish that I wouldn't of allowed my circumstances to control who I was.
I believe that there are a lot of people like Edna. People that allow their jobs and such to determine who they are and when they lose these, their entire self crashes down. I find it sad that people don't know who they are and are in "search" to find their sense-of-self, because in the end, not everyone discovers what they have been in quest for their entire lives.