The Storm is a story Written by Kate Chopin. The time at which the story was set is in the 19th century. The story was set in Louisiana and in real sense; Louisiana is a place that is best known for violent storms. The story is about is a confrontation of the theme of femininity and complexities of the married people in the storm. The storm is used throughout the story, and it only ends after the characters, Alcee and Calixta’s sexual encounter, which brings out the theme of femininity, and sexual desires.
Kate Chopin opens her story with the storm brewing, which keeps Calixta’s husband away from her stormy passions. She makes the storm so natural that one can never foreshadow what the storm symbolizes. The storm is always depicted as something dangerous, and destructive, but Chopin depicts the storm in her story as something that is good, and fulfilling. The characters were happy, and fulfilled after the storm ended instead of it causing destructions.
Chopin introduces of theme of femininity, and its complexities in marriage, a theme which she later develops throughout the story using the image of the storm. She presents the image of the Storm in its natural life when she says, the storm kept Bobinot away from his wife Calixta, because he had to stay in the general store, until it ends. However, one has to search for the real meaning of the story as it extends.
Chopin uses the image of the storm in the story. There is an underneath meaning of the storm in this story other than the mature part of it. The storm in the story is used to represent the conflicts, turmoil and uneasiness the people encounter in the story. It also means the sexual tension that builds out between the characters who are Alcee, and Calixta. In real sense, the storm refers to nature, and Chopin uses it throughout the story, to show the sexual desires, and restraints of the people in the nineteenth century. In addition, she uses it to symbolize feminine sexuality and passion.
In the Beginning, Chopin used the storm in its natural form, but shifts the focus when she introduces Calixta doing her housework, and Alcee arrives at the house. In this depiction, she presents the image of the storm as a different way. The author says, as the storm proceeded, they were all alone in the house, and Calixta keeps herself busy to avoid the storm of passion inside her. Afterwards, she had nothing to distract her and she was forced to concentrate of Alcee because, she could not stop the storm inside her. Chopin writes that, as the storm continued to intensify, their sexual desires continued to intensify too. In the end, after their sexual encounter, the storm begins to end, and they feel renewed. This symbolizes that their passion, which is the storm, could only be ended by a sexual encounter. Chopin notes, "So the storm passed and everyone was happy" (309). Calixta and Alcee’s passions ended with the storm, because they were happy, and fulfilled after their sexual encounter. Calixta was able to satisfy her sexual desires depicted as the storm inside her, despite the fact that she was suppressed by marriage constraints. She fulfilled her sexual desires without straining her marital life with Bobinot.
The storm reflects Calixta’s relationship with Alcee. When the storm was approaching, Calixta gathers everything to go to the house and she notices Alcee and Chopin writes, “the big rain drops began to fall” (532). It is not a coincidence that the storm and Alcee arrive at the same time. This is to symbolize the storm as the relationship between the two characters. While in the house, the author writes that humidity clouds the windows and Calixta stands up to wipe them, and Alcee joins her. While they are at the window, “incessant lightning strikes a tree in the field filling “all visible space with a blinding glare” (532). This made Calixta run into Alcee’s arms because the storm could not be avoided, meaning their passion and crashing emotion and desire between them could not be avoided too. Chopin writes, “They did not heed the crashing torrents, and the roar of the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms,” and the storm builds to its climax. As the storm got stronger, their passion grew stronger too as they reflected on their past encounters of passion. Their memories escalated into a sexual encounter that helped stop the storm inside them.
The storm benefits both marriages in the story as Chopin notes, "So the storm passed and everyone was happy" (309). After the act, Alcee is seen leaving while smiling whilst Calixta is heard laughing loudly because she did not feel guilty of what she had done. The sexual encounter had benefitted her because, she received something that she had not received from her husband and she uses it to put her marriage together. Her encounter with Alcee made her to be able to release her true feminine sexuality in a different manner in her marriage, which re-unites her with Bobinot. On the other hand, after the encounter Alcee is able to write a nice letter to his wife and appreciating her. They both felt renewed after the sexual encounter, and even in their marriages. After the storm is over Chopin writes, "the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems” (Chopin 390). The end of the storm and the appearance of the sun was the beginning of a re-union in their marriages because instead of what they had done destroying their marriages, it helped strengthen, and improve their marriages because afterwards, they were both kind and sweet to their spouses. When Bobinot arrived, Chopin notes that, Calixta was happy than usual, she "gave (Bobinot) a smacking kiss on the cheek that resounded" (540). In addition, she could be heard laughing throughout the time of diner. She wanted the happiness she felt while with Alcee to be in her marriage. Calixta wanted to make an effort to maintain a happy family life with her husband and child.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Storm: The Literature of the American South. Ed. William L. Andrews. New York: Norton, 1996. Print.
