The Storm By Kate Chopin Emotions in The Storm essays

The Storm By Kate Chopin Emotions in The Storm essays "The Storm" by Kate Chopin, is a tempestuous short story about a fling' between Calixta and Alcee. The two characters had been involved in a flirtation years before, but were now both married to other people. The storm concerns the sexual tensions and restraints experienced in the Victorian era, while also "making a statement about human's natural tendency towards sexual passion" (Bartee, unknown). The title itself gives the reader the first impression that something turbulent is being suggested. In literature a storm is symbolic of conflicts and high energies usually associated with passions and turmoil. Robert Wilson suggests that the title is symbolically feminine, and as the storm is attributed to nature, can be seen as a direct symbol of female passions and sexuality. This image is a recurring theme throughout the Calixta is introduced to us as a housewife, busy doing chores. Her husband, Bobinot has gone to the local store with their son, Bibi, and when the storm starts, they decide to shelter there. There are some critics that suggest that Bobinot is actually staying out of the way of his wife as he is aware of the sexual tension and repression she feels within her marriage (Wilson, 2) but I found that difficult to see in the text of the story. But Wilson's comments on Calixta, that her sexuality is repressed by the constraints of her marriage and society's view of women, represented in this passage by the housework", (2) is indicative of the feminine viewpoint of the era, where women did suppress their sexualities and passions in good works, housework or some other time consuming activity, which prevented them from thinking about their repression. Calixta is hot, and we do not know if this is because of the storm or her own torment of emotions and sexual frustrations. She loosens her white sacque' at her throat, which suggests a form of offer...