The Storm

What is the definition of a Storm? The word storm is defined as an atmospheric disturbance characterized by a strong wind, usually accompanied by rain, snow, sleet, or hail, and often, thunder and lightning ("Storm"). I feel that Kate Chopin made an excellent choice when she entitled her short story, "The Storm". I do not think the reason Chopin decided to call her short story "The Storm" was because of the actual storm in the story, but instead her story is about the "atmospheric disturbances" going on between the characters.

First of all, let me start off by saying that "The Storm" is a short story about five characters whose lives are altered during a summer storm. In life, a person makes choices everyday and their actions have certain consequences to them as well as to others. Life is an ever changing series of events that continues to shape a person throughout their entire life. Just like life, atmospheric conditions are constantly changing the landscape of the Earth. Some days are calm and tranquil where very little is affecting the Earth, while other days are stormy and forever change the look of the Earth. Therefore, I feel that Chopin uses the title to let the reader know right away that a disturbance is about to change the lives of the characters.

Then as I began to question the story some more, I started to explore Chopin's meaning of the storm even farther by looking at the stormy relationships of Chopin's two main characters Calixta and AlcÐ"©e. Looking at the main character's relationship, it reminded me of the summer afternoons when I lived down south. Where the air was so moist and the temperature was so hot that you could actually see the moisture in the air rising. Starting early in the morning and continuing to build throughout the day, the heat and the humidity would form those powerful summer afternoon thunderstorms the south is notorious for. Chopin writes, "As she [Calixta] stepped outside, AlcÐ"©e rode in at the gate. She had not seen him very often since her marriage, and never alone." Chopin also writes about a previous encounter the two characters had, "Do you rememberÐ'--in Assumption Ð'... he [AlcÐ"©e] had kissed her [Calixta] and kissed her; until his senses would well nigh fail, and to save her he would resort to desperate flight." Notice that in the first passage Chopin wrote that the two characters rarely saw each other "and never alone." Plus in the second passage, Chopin goes on to say that before things went too far AlcÐ"©e would leave in order to preserve Calixta's innocence. I feel Chopin used these two passages to represent the sexual tensions that have built up between the characters. When the characters acted upon these sexual tensions, it led up to a climax thus, releasing a downpour of emotions and passion.

To further illustrate my point, I could remember when I would wake up in the morning and the temperature outside would already be very warm and the air seemed very thick; not a single breeze would be found to add any comfort. As the day would progress, it just got hotter and hotter. It seemed like there was no relief in sight. Soon I would start to hear the thunder, and the wind would pick up. The sky would look like a dark ocean of clouds crashing on the beach. Right then and there, I knew it was going to be a bad storm. Then in a climatic instance, the heavens opened and rain fell. Lightning flashing all around, wind tossing any object not tied down, a classic southern thunderstorm. After about thirty minutes of hard rain, the storm would start to fizzle out and become just a light drizzle. The evening sun would break through the clouds and the temperature would drop about fifteen degrees adding a cool gentle breeze. After the culmination of the day's events I knew it was going to be a pleasant evening.

In fact my remembrance of those thunderstorms and my many relationships throughout my life helped me understand Chopin's metaphorical use of the storm as it pertains to the sexual encounter between the two characters. Chopin continues to build the tension between the characters after a lightning bolt frightens Calixta and AlcÐ"©e grabs her close to him and then Chopin writes, "AlcÐ"©e clasped her shoulders and looked into her face. The contact of her warm, palpitating body when he unthinkably drawn her into his arms, had arouse all the old-time infatuations and desire for the flesh." Next Chopin reaches the height of the tension by writing, "He [AlcÐ"©e] looked down into her eyes and there was nothing for him to do but to gather her lips in a kiss. It reminded him of Assumption." From that point on, the downpour of passion begins. Chopin goes on to write, "He stayed cushioned