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Mirror Calixta's Sexuality In The Storm By Kate Chopin

499 Words2 Pages

In Kate Chopin’s 1898 short story, “The Storm,” the author uses a storm as a metaphor to mirror Calixta’s sexuality. In the 19th century creole culture, women were sexually oppressed under male dominion. During a climactic storm, Calixta has an emotional storm of sexual passion with Alcee. In the Creole culture, wives are expected to remain faithful and be submissive to their husbands, but their husbands could have affairs. In this short story, Calixta goes against the Creole culture and has an affair with her past lover, Alcee. They had a strong passion for each other, but they could not marry because of their cultural differences. Alcee and his wife Clarisse are Creoles,and Bobinôt and his wife Calixta are Acadians. The Creoles are comparatively wealthy, usually as landowners or merchants. The Acadians are usually much poorer, living off the land and working for the Creoles. Calixta and Bobinôt talk like the Acadians who lived in Louisiana during the 1890s, and language is a rich combination of French and English. Alcée uses less dialect, though he understands Calixta's French. …show more content…

The nature storm serves as a metaphor for Calixta’s sexual storm that is beginning to manifest. Calixta became very warm and started to perspire realizing that a raging storm was brewing outside. She went out to close up the house and gather up the clothes when appeared Alcee, a former lover. The storm has forced Alcee to take shelter at Calixta’s house. Calixta and Alcee have an adulterous affair. Calixta tears down her restraint and reveals the desire within. Just as this climactic storm dies down so does the passion. As the storm begins to pass as the story nears its end, taking with it Alcee and the affair. Calixta’s marriage to Bobinot may have lacked the passion that she needed and she is able to explore her sexuality. Calixta feels liberated after having the affair with

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