The Storm Reading Response Essay

Reading Response Three The short story, “The Storm” by Kate Chopin was written in 1898 in Louisiana. In the story the protagonist, Calixta, is at home all alone when a sudden storm blows in, bringing with it a former beau named Alcee. Although both characters are married they have a short affair while waiting out the storm. The setting of the story very much mirrors how the author could have lived in the time that she was writing the story. It also drives not only the theme of the story but it symbolizes the infidelity of two of the characters. A major theme found in the work is feminism. Women were not equal to men in this time period; their role was not to be a lover but a wife. Calixta takes on both of these roles in the eyes of her lover, Alcee, and her husband, Bobinot. Her husband is the biggest character who represents feminism.

Calixta’s emotions are mirrored in the storm brewing around her. In the beginning Calixta’s husband sees a storm brewing in the distance. This same storm will begin when Alcee shows up on Calixta’s doorstep. The storm is worst in the story when Calixta becomes aroused. The rain came in “sheets” and a bolt of lightning “filled all visible space.” At this point her passion for Alcee blocks out all other thoughts. Calixta and Alcee give themselves to each other ignoring the “crashing torrents” which can represent their actions or emotions. It is also no coincidence that when they finish their lovemaking the storm dissipates and the sun comes out, mirroring the “beaming” face of Alcee. The parallels drawn by the coming and going of the storm represent the emotions of Calixta. Overall the terrible storm, which Alcee deems a cyclone, not only helps to show the theme of the story but helps to reveal the emotions of a character. Because of the repression of women in the time period the risqué details which are enhanced or represented by the storm serve to give detail to the life of