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The Storm Symbolism

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Written in 1898 by Kate Chopin, “The Storm” is a short story full of symbolism, themes (marriage, adultery, sexuality), conflict (moral, emotional, intellectual), and criticism of the role of the women in that period. Because of the explicitly and advanced and liberal thinking presented in “The Storm”, the short story was published in 1969. It is important to mention that “The Storm” it’s the sequel to Chopin’s “At the Cadian Ball”. Although there’s no need to read the sequel to understand better “The Storm”, it’s in the sequel were the characters of the stories first met. The important symbols in this short story are: the storm itself, the symbols of the Catholic era, and the use of whiteness. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the noun “storm” as a disturbance of the atmosphere marked by wind and usually by rain, snow, hail, sleet, or thunder and lightning. This definition alludes to the meteorological and literal meaning of the storm. Although this is not the only meaning that the storm has in the story, we can notice that it is also important. Because of the weather the entire story was enabled to progress. Bobinôt and Bibi were caught in the store (unable to return home) while Calixta and Alcee were “trapped” in Calixta’s house. These all happened because of the weather or storm, and as we can see …show more content…

This story its quite controversial for the time it was written because it not only presents the topic of sexuality and pleasure but it also presents adultery. Adultery, an action perceived as immoral by society, it appears to be accepted by the author. At the end no one finds out about the affair between Calixta and Alcee, and everyone is happy: Calixta with her husband and son and Alcee and his wife Clarissa enjoying being apart. Chopin shows the conflicts that can occur in marriage and perhaps presents the freedom or liberty as the solution to marital

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Throughout her short story, “The Storm,” Kate Chopin’s description of her character Calixta is extremely detailed. She describes Calixta as slightly fuller figured than she had been five year ago, probably due to having her son Bibi, but still vivacious. She is also said blue eyes that had a melting guilty that they had retained over time. Her yellow hair is described as disheveled and kinked around her ears and temples due to her sweat, as well as the wind and the rain. Calixta's lips are described as red, moist and round pomegranate seeds.

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743 Words | 3 Pages

PBS Frontline Documentary, ‘The Storm In spite of decades of planning for disasters, federal, state, and local authorities still failed to cope with Hurricane Katrina. PBS Frontline’s documentary The Storm was produced following the destruction of human life and property by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and its environs. Co-produced by Martin Smith, the 60-minute documentary essentially conducts an investigation into the decisions and actions that resulted in poor and uncoordinated federal and state response to the catastrophe. Unlike common films that people like watching, The Storm is a remarkable film that helps people understand the role of state and federal authorities in crises.

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616 Words | 3 Pages

Kate Chopin’s stories, "The Storm" and "The Cadian Ball," are two literary works that have often been compared due to their similarities in theme and setting. Both stories are set in Louisiana and are centered around the theme of sexual desire and passion. While "The Storm" tells the story of a brief sexual encounter between two former lovers during a storm, "The Cadian Ball" follows the events of a ball where a young woman must decide between two potential suitors. Through the use of similar settings, characters, and themes, Chopin creates two distinct but complementary stories that offer a unique insight into the complexities of human desire.

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859 Words | 4 Pages

Calixta and Bobinot seem to experience a complicated marriage. Calixta worries for Bobinot as if he is her second child. While trapped in the store, Bibi is more concerned with the safety and well being of his mother more than Bobinot. Bibi acknowledges that his mother may be afraid but to his dismay his father claimed that she would be okay that Sylvie would is with her. “No she ent got Sylvie.

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916 Words | 4 Pages

Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life. (Chopin III)” Chopin uses the super detailed description of Edna crying to appeal to the audience and demonstrate how Edna’s current situation is exceedingly unpleasant. In both situations the authors use pathos to appeal to the audience and show the characters in dark and unpleasant situations to display how horrendous their situations

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499 Words | 2 Pages

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.

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921 Words | 4 Pages

Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” was written in 1898, but it was published until 1969. “Bibi laid his little hand on his father’s knee and was not afraid”(88), shows that whatever is to come will not cause problems. Kate Chopin uses a lot of symbolism throughout her stories to represent her feelings about things. A character or an object could represent a bigger idea throughout the story, which gives more meaning to the story. An analysis of the symbolism in Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” will show the meaning of the storm, the house, and the relationships.

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726 Words | 3 Pages

"When Thunder Rolls" Temptation is a powerful and unrelenting force that everyone struggles with sooner or later. From being tempted to eat the last slice of pizza to cheating on an exam, temptation appears in various forms and more importantly, when you least expect or want it. In today's society, it is inevitable that one should go a day without being tempted and while some temptations are easily resisted, there are those meant to force someone into battling their darker inner desires. In Kate Chopin's "The Storm," Calixta and Alcée both succumb to their sexual desire for one another that has tempted them for the past years. The characters could not resist this temptation despite seeming to be happily married to their spouses, so when Chopin states "So the storm passed and everyone was happy" at the end of the story, it seems to be saying that the storm itself was a manifestation of this temptation and because it was gone, so was their temptation.

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157 Words | 1 Pages

In the story Chopin implies adultery is natural and does not always have negative consequences. In fact Chopin tell us how both Alcee and Calixta’s marriages benefits from this adulterous act. Given the freedom to satisfy their needs, they are more content toward their spouse. Both their physical needs are satisfied, so they are emotionally generous in their marriage. Calixta, who would normally be upset with her husband and child for bringing dirt into the house, welcomes them with nothing but satisfaction at their safe return.

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85 Words | 1 Pages

Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” centers around a woman called Calixta; who has a sexual encounter with a former lover in midst of a storm. The storm centers on lost love and being in unwanted marriages. The raging storm outside the house unfolds simultaneously with the emotional and sexual passion between Calixta and Alcée. Throughout the story, Chopin inverts gender roles, specifically in terms of sexuality. Chopin presents that women should experience desire and act on it, just as men have been allowed to do

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529 Words | 3 Pages

Kate Chopin’s short story “The Storm” reflects on marriage as an institution and the ways in which it may intersect with – or be disconnected from – romance and sex in one’s life. By sympathizing equally with both her male and female characters, Chopin is able to make compelling commentary on the role of marriage in society vs. the role of marriage in one’s bed and one’s heart, while also crafting an ironic, and yet wholly satisfying story for her audience. Originally written in 1898, but not published until 1969 for its explicit material, “The Storm” tells the story of a woman named Calixta embarking on a single night affair with her past lover Alcée, while her husband and son wait out a particularly violent storm at a nearby

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513 Words | 3 Pages

The mere presence of sexual desire in Calixta is a feminist statement itself, as sex was considered out of a woman’s metaknowledge, which is shown as the storm passes by. The thunderstorm is used to illustrate the time span of the sexual encounter between Calixta and Alcee. For example, Calixta’s hesitant behavior ends as the first lightning strikes, her sexual desire grows as the storms roars while progressing and the two depart as the storm ends. Chopin paints sensual images in our minds as she describes the experience along with Calixta’s honesty of enjoying it, making a feminist statement again. Chopin boldly reveals the truths about sexual relationships, targeting those not in a sacred marriage and empowers women to appreciate their bodies and

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725 Words | 3 Pages

In many poems, poets use nature as a metaphor for human life. In "Storm Warnings" by Adrienne Rich, she uses an approaching storm as a metaphor for an emotional storm inside herself. Although, there is a literal meaning of the poem. There really is an incoming storm. Rich uses structure, specific detail, and imagery to convey the literal and metaphorical meanings of the poem.

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1280 Words | 6 Pages

Arnold David Arnold Hensley English 11/ Fifth Period 27 February 2018 Part 12: Rough Draft #1 In Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby” one will notice Chopin’s well known use of racism and local color in the story. With the story taking place in the deep South prior to the Civil War the reader will start to notice racism being incorporated into the story. Chopin uses this theme to show how crooked some people’s morals are in this time period.

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1043 Words | 5 Pages

Themes in “The Storm” Kate Chopin was an American author that wrote many stories that are based in Louisiana. She bases most of her work on women’s movement of the nineteenth century. One of Chopin’s prevalent stories called “The Storm”, focuses on the expectation of women’s marriage in the 1800’s. This story demonstrates numerous significant elements that give the reader a sense of what is going on throughout the story.

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