The short story, “Storm” portrays romantic relations and unique feelings between two characters. The title of the story has a hidden meaning and symbolizes trye love and passion between Calixta and her lover. In the short story, the tension is created by settings and natural disaster which reflects inner psychological state of the main characters. This tension between the individual and the nature can be destructive to originality, imagination and love. The title draws readers’ attention to further conflict in personal relations between Calixta and her lover.
The title helps to attract readers and draws their attention to some details such as: “the door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious” (Chopin). The characters are suppressed by the norms and circumstances, their own narrow worldview and personal low spirits which make them dependant upon life situations. The opposition hopes and reality proves the idea of two different frames: destiny and depression (Berkove). From the very beginning, storm foreshadows something dangerous and unexpected. The experiences of interpersonal bonding, tension, and separation are recurrent story-subjects regardless of time and place. Using unique title, Chopin persuades readers to think, to analyze and to come to conclusion themselves; she just plays with the differences adding tension to the novel development. Chopin depicts love through minor themes forcing readers to decide the price for love paid by each hero (Stein).
The title reflects evolution from romantic fantasies of fusion to self-definition and self-reliance of the characters. Only for a short period of time both heroes feel love and happiness. Chopin depicts a happy woman even if she cannot be with a man she loves.
Works Cited
Berkove, L. I. ‘Acting Like Fools’: The Ill-Fated Romances of ‘At the ‘Cadian Ball’ and ‘The Storm’ Critical Essays on Kate Chopin. New York: G. K. Hall & Co., 1996. pp. 184-196.
Chopin, K. The Storm. N.d. Web.
Stein, A. The Kaleidoscope of Truth: A New Look at Chopin’s ‘The Storm.’ American Literary Realism, 1870-1910 36.1 (2003): pp. 51-64.