Introduction
In Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” it is the woman who has an affair with and then continues on with her normal routine as if nothing happened. In most aspects women are usually thought of to be more submissive but at the same time they are often more tactful than males. Within the field of science females are less often seen at the higher levels of research. There are many possible reasons as to why this occurs but in general females seem to be more interested in helping people directly rather than conducting research. Another difference in behavior between the sexes is that men tend to actively seek ways to establish their dominance more than women do. The condition is still in vogue even in 21st century despite so much advancement in social behaviors. The storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century.
Analysis
In the “Storm” the writer Kate Chopin in order to intensify the character and the mood, uses a great deal of symbolism at various places. As far as the literal storm is concerned Chopin from the very first sentence gives us a clue to the approaching of the storm. The storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century. The basic reservations and core ideas never change in any society because these are always inbuilt and innate. “The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain”. (Chopin, I) It is generally accepted as an axiom that whenever there is calmness and serenity, it is an indication of something disastrous. The writer has led the reader into thinking of storm in different views. This shows that the storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century.
On the contrary Storm could be a symbol of passion which will eventually return with the intent to destroy her martial life. Later on the writer symbolically expressed the sexuality of Calixtia being restrained by her marriage institution and society’ concept of women outbreak of passion. Chopin represented this by the housework and her husband’s Sunday clothes which he alluded to society in the form of church as he me “She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine” “Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobbinet’s Sunday clothes”.
When she closes the window as said “she got up hurriedly and went about closing the windows and doors”, she illustrated the significance of her married life and that she was not willing to have anyone in her life except her husband. As we proceed on further Chopin says “it was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep the water out” “and Alccee helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.” (Chopin, II) This clearly suggests that the cloth on the door was a shutter to the society. This prevented anyone to discover the secret and Calixtia’s forbidden passion would be buried deeply in the depth of her house.
Today’s society has strong views against adultery, no matter under what circumstances, and back in the days when Kate Chopin wrote “The Storm,” society’s views on adultery were even more negative. But, Kate Chopin gives us a very different view of adultery, which we don’t get to see or read very often. She does not portray adultery as a negative act like most of the media often do, but she shows us adultery in a way where it’s not so negative at all.
When Bobinot and Bibi got home safely, she was very happy for their safe return. She checked them to see if they were dry, and kissed Bibi after finding out that he wasn’t harmed from the storm. Then Bobinot gave Calixta the shrimps that he had bought her, and she was very happy and gave Bobinot a kiss, and said that they were going to have a feast tonight. This is another proof that determines that the storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century.
In the storm, Calixta’s action advocates that the affair can be understood because she does not have a sex life as she desire. Even though she married years ago, the moment when she is with Alcee, she feels like her first time. Her flesh is firm and elastic as if the first time experiencing “its birthright.” We recognize that she is not satisfied with her husband though he loves her very much. We surely know they have a normal sex life because Bobinot buys his wife a can of shrimp, which is food to obtain her attention.
The attitude and behavior of her cannot be accepted with any reason because she has to have responsibility to keep her family as wife well as mother. Obviously, her attitude was against moral life. Today, besides blaming all trouble is in the family as cause of affair. Some people advocate their immoral behavior by saying that it is their right to seek another relationship whenever they do not have a sex life as desired in marriage.
Most writers wouldn’t even dare to talk, yet alone, write about these topics, due to the church, and the values most people hold on marriage. She went out on a limb to write these stories and show us her views. Even today some people will think negatively towards Kate Chopin, and she knew that a lot of people would be offended by her stories, yet she still published her stories for those who wanted to see her views and reveals that the storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century.
In the midst of symbolism, Chopin has also achieved character conflict basically of Calixtia vs. the society in the entire course of the narrative. This essay argues about Calixtia’s feminine sexuality and how she ultimately evokes her heightened eroticism despite going through constant battle with the society in her mind. This was not one concise paragraph but in fact ever since the storm started Chopin expressed Calixtia’s emerging passion.
At different intervals she managed to suppress it by thinking of the constraints of society until finally the commotion and argument with the society yielded to her desperate need for love. Chopin has adroitly used passion as a yoke between Calixtia and the society. From the first instant, Calixtia showed no emotion and affection for her family who were at the mercy of the elements of nature as said ” Calixtia at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety” (pg 96). Then her experiences warmness discloses that she had no fear of the gradual leap of passion with in her body.
On the other hand, the narrator said ” and suddenly realizing the situation she got up hurriedly and went about closing windows and doors”. (Chopin, II) It is marvelous and astounding the way Chopin leads the start. Firstly she undergoes the surge of passion and is not tantalized by the fear of her family in the storm but then narrator mentioned that she is a house wife sewing the clothes and when she closes the window, indicates her rejection to the rising emotion.
Well, she thinks that such a physical lust is inappropriate in the eyes of society and the marriage institution. The second phase of motion is indeed dominating aspect of Calixtia’s conflict with the society. The key word here is the Sunday’s clothes, an indirect reference to church and society’s belief. Apparently Chopin once again creates the thrill, by asserting that Calixtia hurries out to collect her husband’s Sunday clothes. “Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobinot’s Sunday clothes to air and she hastens out to gather them before the rain fell”. (Chopin, II) It certifies her regression to the outflow of passion with in her souls.
As she underwent the turmoil with the society, she realized that before her emotions go astray and wild she needed to suppress and that is when she picks up the Sunday’s clothes before it drowns in the whistling rain. In the fourth paragraph Chopin is accustoming the reader to Calixtia’s constant struggle to the society’s norms and values. She follows the society’s view of a very devoted and respected wife as narrator mentions ” She had not seen him very often since her marriage and never alone.” (Chopin, II) It is an indication of how significantly she thinks being alone with Alcee would mean to society and especially her husband. Adhering to this concept of traditional wife, she indulges in very formal and eloquent talks with Alcee, showing no attraction as she pronounces his complete name.
“Come’ long in, M’sieur Alcee”. (Chopin, II) Further Alcee also dictates the restraining attitude as he grabs Bobinot’s pant, symbolically subverting the social and marital constraints that control Calixtia. Once again Chopin constructs the tug of war with the society as the narrator describes the appearance of the room. ” The door stood open, and room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious”. (Chopin, II) In the entire sentence Chopin has launched two rivalries, the society’s perception of marriage institution and Calixtia’s contradiction to the traditional roles including her discontentment towards her marriage. Society regarded marriage as a sacred, pure and monumental structure, which was an exact representation of Calixtia’s elegant room and its massive bed.
Calixtia is baffled in the dilemma of either to pursue her desire or explore her passion outrageously or be a society’s hypothetical model of a wife. The enormous rises and ebbs of the sentiments finally triumphed the victory over the Calixtia’s consistent struggle with the society and she felt defenseless to her lustful urges as said ” They did not heed the crashing torrents”. Calixtia was unable to fulfill the society’s standard of virtue and she breaks free from the repressive constraints of the marriage and their ideals to explore the joys of life. Chopin escorts the reader to the utter state of bewilderment when Bobinot and Bibi trudge their way towards the house.
Chopin has done a splendid job by choosing “Storm” as sole plot of the story. Elaborating further, we can also ascertain that wherever there is a rise and a downfall of passion, the existence of suspense creates the thrill and brings the reader to a heightened ambiguity. It can be affirmed that the storm is still an indictment of society in the 21st century.
Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. “The Storm” Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 3rd. ed. New York: Longman, 2002. 114-118.