"The Awakening"- The meaning of the Sea

In The Awakening, the sea symbolizes freedom and escape since it is a vast expanse that Edna can brave only when she is solitary. When in the water, Edna is reminded of the depth of the universe. In its subliminal entirety the sea represents the strength, glory, and the lonely horror of independence. As a reasonable prediction, Edna can be expected to eventually succumb to the temptation of the sea and lead a life of complete emotional and sexual freedom or die trying.
Through the juxtaposition of light and forbidden knowledge, Chopin illustrates to the reader Edna’s apparent awareness of some mysterious and almost undetectable perception of the world. She begins to feel a strange light within her that shows her the way to "dreams," to "thoughtfulness," and to the "shadowy anguish" that brought her to tears the evening Léonce returned from the club. This light which elucidates can be looked upon as leading to the sea but is prohibited by the traditional social system. ...