The Storm Literary Analysis

The Storm, written by Kate Chopin in 1898 is a short story depicting an extramarital affair in the South. This story is rather scandalous especially when one considers the era in which it was written but demonstrated the realities of our world today in terms of lust, sexuality, secret affairs, marriage and relations. Chopin’s five-part short story is salacious by the standards of any society or generation but through its many symbols, themes and characters made a very interesting and thought-provoking read. As I reviewed The Storm, it is clear that the main themes Sex, Marriage and Women. As mentioned, The Storm is very risqué based on the century in which it was written and even now, years later may be considered so in many societal circles.

However, in The Storm, Alcee and Calixta cheated on their spouses (Bobinot and Clarisse) demonstrating infidelity and dishonesty and pretending afterwards as if nothing had taken place. The torrential affair led to them being more considerate towards their spouses hence strengthening their existing marriages. The irony of it is that the act of infidelity brought security to their marriages rather than destroy

Storm was the most obvious symbol as it started the story as well brought it to a closure. In the middle, it brought the two main characters Calixta and Alcee together in a stormy, passionate affair. The storm, while literally a powerful symbol which is considered frightening and threatening, Chopin built on this steadily. She illustrated from the beginning the signs that it was going to rain, somber clouds, sullen roar of the thunder to the point where the rain was falling in sheets. This was evident in section 2.4 “…the water beat in upon the boards in driving sheets,….” and “ The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there.” ( 2.8).
It was during the storm that Alcee and Claxita explored their lust and passion for each other which was filled with high energies similar to that of the literal storm outside. The storm was definitely the symbol representing the sexual tension between the two as Chopin wrote, “When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very borderland of life’s mystery” (2.21). Here the lightening was equated to the