THE HAPPENCHANCE OF AWAKENED TRUTH

"THE HAPPENCHANCE OF AWAKENED TRUTH "

 By: Alma A. Erana

It was hot Sunday afternoon, at one thirty five (1:35) pm when Edna walked along the way of going home; she got startled when she saw the two lovers kissed in front of her. In that particular moment she never mined it, and she hurriedly went home. As she arrived home she saw her husband was in a hurry preparing his things going for work in other place as expected. She then helped her husband in preparing his things because she knew that the things that her husband did was for their own good for the sake of his family.

As time goes by, Leonce, Edna’s husband was very busy in his works. He was frequent business man and preoccupied with it .And because of his being busy, he has no time for his family, he even has no contact with his wife and his two sons, Raoul and Etienne, it seems he abandoned them. As a human being, Edna has a desire for a biological needs but it is impossible to happen because her husband was so far from her. Edna was so aggressive she wanted her husband’s great intimacy with her everytime. But sad to say, that her husband was far away with her. Because of that being solitude, Edna was engrossed how to live socially together with her friends. She even engaged in  night life activities .She learned to get along with so many friends both men and women.

In so doing, Edna met a guy named Robert Lebrun, the elder single son of Madame Lebrun. Robert was known among the Grand Isle vacationers as a man who chose one woman each year often a married woman to whom he then played “attendant” all summer long. In summer he devoted himself to Edna, and the two spent their days together sprawling and talking by the shore. At first, the relationship between Robert and Edna was innocent. They mostly bathe in the sea or engaged in idle talk. As the summer progresses however, Edna and Robert grew closer with their relationship.  Edna on the other hand came to know more about this man, until she felt in love onto him. She even forgot her love for her husband. Robert also felt the same special feeling with Edna. Robert’s affections and attentions inspired in Edna several internal revelations. Owed to persistent presence with Robert, Edna started involve being developed within herself. She then felt more alive even before, she learned to swim and became more independent and flush sexuality. She even abandoned her two sons, without having protection, love and care with them.  She left her two sons in their grandparents. 

Suddenly, it came to Edna’s mind that she has to be independent, and being away from her husband’s presence she wanted to have her own house and having many friends and played games with other men.

Robert then admirably removed himself From Grand Isle to circumvent effectuating his outlawed love with Edna. It is because he knew that society will be against their love affair since Edna was a married woman and have two sons. When Robert realized that he, and Edna were became too intimate, he suddenly leave the Island and continue to Vera Cruz for some business traits. Edna was worried when Robert departed without giving straight notice with her, and she became crestfallen because of the happening. Being an aggressive woman Edna right away having an affair with another man by the named of Alcee Arobin a town seducer who is able to satisfy her sexual needs. Never emotionally attached to Arobin, Edna maintained controlled their affair, satisfying her animalistic urges but retaining her freedom from male dominion.

At this point in time, the self-sufficient and unconventional old pianist Mademoiselle Reisz adopted Edna as a sort of protégé, warning Edna of the sacrificed required of an artist.  Edna is moved by Mademoiselle Reisz‘s piano playing and visits her often.  She is also eager to read the letters from abroad that Robert sent the woman. A woman who devoted her entirely life to her art, Mademoiselle served as an inspiration and model to Edna, who continued her process of awakening and independence. Mademoiselle Reisz is the only person who knew Edna and Robert’s secret love affair for one another and she encouraged Edna to admit to, and act upon her feelings.

Leonce Pontellier directly seek a guidance and advice with their doctor friend, Mandelet, whom their family physician. Doctor Mandelet was a fairly enlightened man, who silently recognized Edna’s dissatisfaction with their restrictions placed on her by social conventions. When Leonce consulted with him about Edna’s unconventional behaviour, the doctor suspected that Edna was in love with another man, although he kept his suspicions to himself because he recognized that there is little Leonce can do if Edna was indeed in love with someone else and that any further constraints imposed on her will only intensify her revolt against her husband. Doctor Mandelet then offered Edna his help and understanding and is worried about the possible consequences of her defiance and independence towards her husband.

 Edna still have hope that the love between Robert and her will lasted forever as she continued to think about Robert. She did not care of what the society and people may think with regard her relationships to Robert, because she loved Robert very much. She even forgot the love for her husband onto her.

One moment in time, Edna’s husband called her, for having a family vacation together with their sons in New Orleans but sad to say, Edna did not mind it. Edna continued having an affair with other men she even not mind the happiness of her two sons.

A week after that, Robert returned to New Orleans, ultimately expressed his love for Edna. He confessed his love for her but reminded her that they cannot possibly be together for the rest of their lives because Edna was a married woman and has sons. But Edna explained to him her newly established independence, denying the rights of her husband over her and explained how she and Robert can live together happily, ignoring everything extraneous to their relationships. But despite his love for Edna, Robert felt unable to enter into the adulterous affair, but Edna always go together with him wherever he go.

A day later, Edna received a telephone call with her friend Adele. When Edna knew that Adele was undergoing a difficult childbirth, she leaved Robert’s arm to go to her friend. She beseeched with him to wait for her return. From that time she spent with Edna, Adele sensed that Edna was becoming increasingly distant and she understood that Edna’s relationship with Robert was intensified. She then reminded Edna to think of her children and advocated the socially acceptable lifestyle, Edna abandoned so long ago.

Edna’s friends gave advice to her that she must not abandon her sons and husband because it’s against God’s will. As a good wife and a mother, she must love her husband and also her sons because that’s the role of a good mother. And she needs not to go with somebody else because she has already a husband, and for being an adulterous wife is really against the will of God. She must love her husband as she love herself, also to his two sons. Because of that friendly advice, Edna awakened herself the reality that she was not a good wife to her husband and not a good mother to her sons. She then realized how sinful she was. By that moment she repented to God of what she did to her family.  She realized maybe how painful to her husband of what she did to him for being an adulterous wife and for being irresponsible mother. Her husband was so loving, caring and responsible; he worked hard for the sake of his family. He loved his wife and his sons very much, but his wife never mind it.

For being awakened of her bad doings, Edna called her husband immediately and asked for forgiveness of him. Leonce then, got startled of what was happening to his wife, why she’s changed.  And so, Leonce, for being away of his wife he hurriedly went onto her. As they met each other again, Leonce hug tightly to his wife and kissed her lips because he missed his wife very much. “Hi honey, how are you?  I miss you so much…, long time no see…” Leonce said. I’m fine honey, I miss you too. I’m so sorry that I betrayed you.  For this time it will not happen again, because I realized that it’s so bad for a wife to become an adulterous. I’m so sorry again.”  Edna said. Leonce understood his wife; he accepted immediately the apology of his wife, because he loved her very much.

In that moment of time, the couple were so happy, and realized how happy it is if they were always together and understand with each other maybe they were not previously suffered for being a broken family. And despite for those trials that they encountered in their lives, they thanked God for it, and they realized that maybe it was given to God by them because God loved them very much, and enable them to grow their relationships with Him.

Few days later, the couple then returned to New Orleans together with their sons. When they arrived to their home, Leonce did not mind anymore that he will again depart to his family. He realized how important his family is. And also Edna, she did not mind anymore to go to other places and having so many friends, and the worst was that she became an adulterous wife and abandoned her family.

For being together in their house, the family were so happy and thanked God for it. In that moment, nobody can separate them with each other, and they live happily ever after.

---THE END---!