Characterization in The Storm: Calixta and Alcee Essay

People often say that there are no identical human beings in the world. But this is what people say, while the practice proves the opposite – people might differ in appearance but the basic ideas they have stay the same. Kate Chopin is a genius of psychological prose and her novels and short stories describe people as they are, in all details and with all sins and hidden wishes. Her short story The Storm reflects all the peculiarities of family life and shows that people are similar in their attitudes to past passions and present lives. Although, the characters of Calixta and Alcee seem to have nothing in common at the first sight, Kate Chopin manages to show their integral connection and similarity in her story.

The very short story describes a day in the life of the family of Bobinot and Calixta. The action takes place in two locations at the same time. Bobinot and his four-year old son Bibi wait until the storm stops at the Friedheimer’s store, while Calixta waits for them at home. While Bobinot and Bibi are bothered by the fact that Calixta will be nervous and worried about their absence, Alcee Laballière, the past passion of Calixta, comes to their house. While waiting for the storm ending, an affair takes place between the two, after which the storm actually stops, Alcee goes home and Bobinot comes back from the store with Bibi. Nobody guesses about what happened during the storm, Calixta is happy to see her husband and son again, while Alcee writes to his wife about how happy he is to have her.

Obviously, the characters of Calixta and Alcee are central to the short story under consideration. The very affair between them is the climax of the story, as both Alcee and Calixta are married to other people but their past passion reminds itself to them from time to time. The image of storm is used by Kate Chopin as a metaphor to describe the romantic feelings that explode in the hearts of the two people, Alcee and Calixta. Thus, considering the character of Calixta first, it is necessary to say that she is a rather controversial person. Her character combines the features of a committed and faithful wife with the traits of a lustful person. Her appearance does not let Alcee forget his tender feelings towards her: “Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, disheveled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples” (Chopin, 2002). Since the time Alcee and Calixta last met, she has not changed, and this makes Alcee think about their affair in Assumption.

However, the most controversial point in Calixta’s character is her attitude towards the affair with Alcee. She does not think it to be necessary to tell about it to her husband to remain faithful and true to him. On the contrary, when Bobinot comes home, Calixta meets him happily: “Oh, Bobinôt! You back! My! but I was uneasy. W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? he ain’t wet? he ain’t hurt?” (Chopin, 2002). From one hand, such actions of Calixta might be considered positive as they allowed her to preserve her family, but the fact that she lied to her husband does not add to her positive image as one of the story’s protagonists.

As for Alcee, he is similar to Calixta in his controversial nature. In other words, he is also a married person who comes to the house of his past passion and has to lie to his wife after this visit. In the latter to his wife, Alcee writes that “he was getting on nicely; and though he missed them, he was willing to bear the separation a while longer – realizing that their health and pleasure were the first things to be considered” (Chopin, 2002). On the one hand, he is a rationally thinking person who understands that truth will not do anything good to his marriage. But on the other hand, Alcee lies to his wife, and this fact cannot be affirmed by any good intentions or attempts to save the family. Thus, Alcee is also a controversial character whose actions are however supported by the silent consent of Calixta.

Thus, although the characters of Calixta and Alcee seem to have nothing in common at the first sight, Kate Chopin manages to show their integral connection and similarity in her story. Lie is one of the greatest sins, and it is obvious that in the story by Kaye Chopin the characters of Calixta and Alcee are similar to the great extent because they both lie to the people they are married to. Despite the fact that the lie is directed at the best purposes or saving their families, this lie cannot be considered positive action, and therefore the characters of Calixta and Alcee are rather antagonists than protagonists of the story.

Works Cited

Chopin, Kate. Kate Chopin: Complete Novels and Stories. Library of America, 2002.