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Nina is the first character in The Seagull to mention a seagull. She compares herself to a seagull that is drawn to the lake, which borders Sorin's estate and her parents' house next door. When Nina returns to Treplev she still loves Trigorin, not Treplev. She is wiser and stronger than when she is first introduced in Act One as an idealistic and fawning dreamer who longs to be a professional actress. But as Nina repeatedly says, "I am the seagull," in a confused and worn state, she reminds us of how much she has changed and how much the different characters handled the disappointments in their lives in the play. Nina, unlike Treplev, is able to continue living through her pain and disappointment. She can go on and live her life while he kills himself for witnessing her ability to do so without needing him.

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