Use of Setting: Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” The interaction of the characters and the settings in Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” brings out two former lovers and various emotions and desires that have been absent between the two. Chopin will show how crucial the setting is to the characters and serves as a place of action for them as it creates an impeccable environment for an adulterous affair. Through the use of setting, Chopin creates not only a physical storm but a societal storm as well. Chopin uses the situation of the actual storm, the house itself, and the use of colors in order to reveal repressed feelings. The storm separates the family of three by isolating them in different locations leaving them to do their own bidding. Calixta, around whom the story circles, stays homebound while the husband Bobinot and …show more content…
Women and their sexuality were considered insignificant in their life. According to a critical analysis, “It is a reflection of sexually oppressed women of the 19th century under male dominion, woman rediscovering their feminine urge, the right over their bodies and relations they choose to have” (M). By allowing this affair to take place, it is suggested that Calixta sexual needs are not being met in her marriage. It is also seen that her marriage lacks passion which is why she allows herself to express these repressed feelings to Alcee. As tension grew between the two, the reader can see the use of colors to represent many of her feelings such as purity, passion, sexuality and freedom. According to Jonathan Smith, “White symbolizes innocence and purity and in the story it is used to describe Calixta’s breast and neck, and also the white monument bed” (Smith). Calixta’s red lips are also described as red pomegranate seeds, red symbolizing passion and risk. The use of color exemplified the reasons why Calixta engaged in these