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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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