"Exhaustion was pressing upon and overpowering her." There is never any concrete assertion about the outcome of the story, but Chopin gives hints to the reader. This one, about the water overpowering Edna, suggests that she will drown. However, this doesn't worry Edna, as she continues swimming despite her tiredness. Edna continues thinking all the way, remembering Robert's final goodbye "because [he] loves her." Even though Edna loved him back, she thought "he did not understand," saying that he never knew what she was feeling. Here Chopin is saying that even though Robert loved Edna, he didn't really see what Edna had been trying to become, and he could never step in her shoes and understand what she was going through.
The possibility is open that "Doctor Mandelet would have understood," but it is too late. This also implies that there is no future ahead of Edna; she has given up, and there is nothing that will bring her back to shore. "Her strength was gone." All that had kept Edna living, her strength, her fight against the injustice that overpowered her, her love for Robert, the children, it was all gone. Having nothing else to look forward to, Edna decided to let go of her life.
Before being able to leave completely, though, Edna felt the "old terror" coming back to haunt her. However, she is strong enough to disregard it. Chopin knows that it is hard to let go of the only life you have ever know; she knows that all good things come with the fear of making a mistake. She also knows, though, that it's worth it. The fear can be temporary, and it should be ignored to prevent losing opportunities. Edna knows what she wants and what she needs, so the terror she feels is not enough to stop her.
"Edna heard her father's voice and her sister Margaret's." Edna is still tied down to her past, remembering her father and her oldest sister. These are the people who formed her, who led her way into the world and taught her all she knew. Now, in moments of worry and uncertainty, it is these same people who lead her way out of the world. They provide a security in her that gives her the strength to continue onto the unknown, the deepest waters. She remembered the world she was leaving behind, noticing the "barking of an old dog chained to a sycamore tree." Edna understood that, like all she had ever known, the dog was chained to the world, thinking it was living in freedom but not having enough power to decide its own future. It was the tree that kept the dog from running away; it was the barking that showed an eagerness to be free.
The final images before the abrupt ending of the book are ones of peace and beauty, with the "hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks." The world doesn't sound like a bad place; in fact, it seems pretty appealing. Why, then, does Edna choose to leave it behind? Following from past events, there are a number of reasons why Edna may have finally decided to commit suicide. It could be a symbol of success; as Edna realized her mission was complete and she had become awakened, there was nothing left for her to do in the world. It could also be proof of failure; Edna understood that nothing she did would ever make people like Mr. Pontellier and Robert understand, so she gave up and in a silent attempt at cowardice she ended her life. I personally think this last option is the case, because there was no proof of success in any of the characters who watched her change. However, the reader should not be sad with how things turned out, because Edna left with pacific acceptance and the world behind her had the sweet smell of roses.
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