The key development in this chapter is the distinction Chopin makes between Edna and the mother-women, those women who, nun-like, "esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels." Such winged angels are quite different from the birds described in Chapter 1 — the anti-social parrot and the obnoxious mockingbird that represent Edna and Madame Reisz. The mother-women idolize their children and husbands, feeling it appropriate and necessary to sacrifice their own personal needs and expression.
Madame Ratignolle is described as "the embodiment of every womanly grace and charm," the ultimate mother-woman. Despite their philosophical differences, Madame Ratignolle greatly enjoys Edna's company, possibly because Edna is the only non-Creole among the Grand Isle vacationers and so provides more diversion. At this point, Edna is still following social conventions faithfully: Although she thinks it excessive of Madame Ratignolle to make winter clothes for her children during the summer, Edna dutifully copies the sewing pattern for later use so that she will not appear "unamiable and uninterested."
Chopin's description of the all-enclosing winter pajamas lends a hysterical tone to their construction: The pajamas are meant to protect the child from "insidious currents of deadly cold" that may find "their way through keyholes." Edna feels her children's summer needs are being met and isn't interested in anticipating their winter needs, a pragmatic approach that probably underlies Léonce's doubts about Edna's devotion to her children — she is not inclined to become hysterical about their welfare. Her children seem to have benefited from her calmness: When they take a spill during playtime, each boy is likely to "pick himself up . . . and go on playing" rather than rush to his mother. In fact, in playground conflicts, Edna's boys "usually prevailed against the other mother-tots" who are more dependent upon their mothers as external sources of comfort and strength.
