Preview

Analysis of the Protagonist in "The Storm"

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
589 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Analysis of the Protagonist in "The Storm"
Analysis of the Protagonist “The Storm” Kate Chopin is a well known short story author from the late 1800’s who often included sexually repressed women as the protagonist in her works. One story she wrote, “The Storm”, was never submitted for publication until after her death due to the sexual nature of not only the story, but the protagonist as well. Calixta, the sexually repressed women in the short story “The Storm”, is a good wife and mother, but longs for more pleasure in her life. In the beginning of the story she is sewing some fabric without a noticeable care. She did not notice the approaching storm outside, but she could feel the intense heat and humidity which caused her to perspire excessively, and made her unbutton the top button of her blouse exposing her breast. When Calixta realized what was happening she rushed to gather clothes off the line, and was approached by a man from her past named Alcee whom made her nervous as well as ignited a fire deep inside. Here is where we get the first glimpse at how Calixta longed for passion in her life. As the storm intensified Calixta and Alcee were forced inside. As they entered the sitting room her bedroom was visible and this caused her internal fire to grow hotter, however she also showed great concern for her husband and son who were away. Calixta suddenly got startled by the storm and accidently fell into Alcee’s’ arms where she expressed mounting concern about the storm. Alcee tried to calm her fears, Calixta don’t be frightened. Nothing can happen. The house is too low to be struck, with so many tall trees standing about. (p.257)
Calixta was the type of women who quickly forgot about the storm outside, and turned her attention to her increasing sexual desires. As she glanced up at him the fear in her liquid blue eyes had given place to a drowsy gleam that unconsciously betrayed a sensuous desire. He looked down into her eyes and there was nothing for him to do but to gather



Cited: Chopin, Kate. “The Storm” Literature reading, writing, reacting. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 9th ed. Boston: Thomason Wadsworth, 2007. 255-259.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Calpurnia has to balance her own independence and curious personality. Calpurnia facing becoming a “woman”. She becomes comfortable in her own skin and in being a girl. Calpurnia basically forces a relationship with her grandfather. On the good side Calpurnia grows a nice relationship with her grandfather. At the end everything ends well.…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The short story “The Storm,” is about a woman who attempts to conform to society’s norm of marriage, but discovers a different way to satisfy her sexual needs which in the end results in happiness and fulfillment. Chopin brilliantly revolves the story around a storm, hence the title. Literally, a storm means a disturbance of the normal condition of the atmosphere, manifested by an unusual force, which is exactly what she depicts throughout the story with the affair between Calixta and Alcee.…

    • 82 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Calixta's husband Bobinot, as caring as he may be, does not have a strong sense of power or control, important for men in the 19th century. It is difficult for Calixta to feel secured by a man "who was accustomed to converse on terms of perfect equality with his little son" (119). There is no question that Bobinot may love and care for Calixta, he thinks about her during the storm and purchases "a can of shrimps, of which Calixta is very fond" (120). However, Bobinot cares more about Calixta being disappointed or angry with him in a childish way, asking Bibi, his four year old son, "what will yo mama…

    • 700 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Immoral. Sensual. Daring. These words reverberated into a woman’s world while society forcibly stamped their disapproval and rejected the Kate Chopin outright. Unconventional, intelligent, and gracious, she matched society with her quick Irish wit and charmed anyone who knew her. Not satisfied with the women’s role in society, she provocatively stirred emotions, thoughts, and ideas in her writings. Two such classic examples are “The Storm” and The Awakening. The idea for a woman to have sexual desires, human connections, and forthright adultery shocked and revolted the society she lived. This unconventional, innovative poet did not deter away her own personal thoughts and feelings from her judgmental peers. She relied on and stayed…

    • 1827 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    It’s almost as if we can see Calixta in our minds from reading this passage (17). Chopin’s main female roles in “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby” share their love for their children and their love for someone they care for, but Calixta does not seem to care for her husband while Desiree is very devoted to her spouse.…

    • 1558 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism in "The Storm"

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The storm itself is very symbolic in this story. The storm is parallel to their tryst and also to the internal battle in Calixta. The storm sets the scene for their love affair and is full of intensity…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Chopin uses descriptive color as another way to show symbolism in the story and how it affects her character’s actions. The walls of Calixta’s bedroom are white and untouched symbolizing purity, yet a tryst is soon to occur here and in most cultures would be considered as betrayal of her family, sinful, and dishonest. Alcee’s attraction to Calixta is too shown in Chopin use of color. She writes, “Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair disheveled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples.” Then again in the line “her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full,…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Storm Institution

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In The Storm, lovemaking is illustrated as free and enjoyable. For Calixta, who is unhappy with her husband Bobinôt, adultery with Alcée is more satisfying than any intercourse with her husband; it is with Alcée that “her firm, elastic flesh knew for the first time its birthright” (Chopin,559-60). Lovemaking with Alcée was “like a white flame which……

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In conclusion, Kate Chopin’s usage of the storm as a symbolizing of a love affair clearly showed their love affair. From bringing the lovers together in the beginning, to creating a passionate setting, also to showing the lover’s climax, and passing of their affair, the events in a actually storm symbolized these events.…

    • 53 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcee ask him if he can come in the house for shelter till the storm passes. While the storm is passing Alcee and Calixta begin to have having feelings for each other and had sex. After the storm passes Alcee leaves the house with a smile, and then her husband and his son Bibi came back home thinking that Calixta will be mad since they are filled with mud but she didn’t care because she was just filled with joy to see them again. There are two types of storms happening in the story, the first storm is describe as dark cloud, winds, rain, and lighting, and then there is the other storm that we can’t see which is the storm of passion, pleasure, and love.…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Storm Symbolism

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Storms is also known for its destructive effects. And lastly storms usually occurs briefly. The storm of passion that takes over Calixta and Alcee is depicted in the story as something beautiful and significant: "When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstacy, inviting his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very botherland of life's mystery" (125).The text explores the beauty of abandon within the rage of their passion Calixta and Alcee discovered. The symbolism "The Storm" in the story is intended to reflect Calixta's sub-conscious sexual longing as a result of her inadequate conjugal relationship with her husband. Just as the climatic storm takes in the characters in the story by surprise, the emotional storm of sexual fulfillment takes her by surprise. She realizes this arousal only after it passed and after the fact…

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kate Chopin's 'The Storm'

    • 597 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The part two talks about how Alcee rode in town as the storm did. Another parallel is that it had been year since the town has had a storm like that just like it had been a few years that Alcee and Calixta had seen each other. As the rain began to fall, Alcee began to ride his horse closer to Calixtra As the storm began to build on the outside with the wind and the rain the storm began to build on the inside with Alcee and Calixtra kissing and loving each other. Part three talks about how the storm had pass and the sun came out and Alcee rode away. As the weather went back to normal their lives went back to normal.…

    • 597 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Calixta is waiting at home sewing as time passed by. She doesn’t notice the storm approach; however, she does notice that she “felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face” (page 394) which implies that a storm is on the way. Calixta later realizes the importance of the situation and quickly prepares the house for the storm. As she steps outside she sees Alcee and “the big rain drops began to fall” (page 395).…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “The Storm,” Kate Chopin writes about a rekindling relationship between Calixta and Alcee. This short story is set in the late nineteenth century in Louisiana, and a large storm is developing. Calixta’s family, Bibi and Bobinot, are separated before the downpour, and Alcee’s wife, Clarisse, is in Biloxi along with their babies. Because a cascade is forming, Alcee asks if he could join Calixta until it was over. Of course, Calixta agrees being Alcee was her first love, and she did not want him harmed in the storm. While Calixta and Alcee are waiting for the storm to pass, the climax of the story occurs, which is them making love. The storm is then settled, and Alcee leaves just as Calixta’s family returns. The affair is hidden from their…

    • 221 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, Calixta is forced to stay in the house with Alcee because of the rainstorm while Babinot and Bibi are stuck at the store. Calixta was so worried and frightened by the storm that Alcee took it upon himself to comfort her. “She would not compose herself…Alcee clasped her shoulders…” (Chopin 20).They used to be old lovers and this reunion brought back memories. “The contact of her warm, palpitating body…had aroused all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh” (Chopin 20). This fascination helped them take their desires to the next level, an affair, all while the storm was hammering down on the house. Once they were through, so was the storm. “He stayed cushioned upon her, breathless, dazed, enervated…” (Chopin 27). And the “growl of thunder was distant and passing away” (Chopin 28). Everything was over, Alcee left and Babinot and Bibi returned home. Everyone’s lives went back to how they were, as if nothing had happened.…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays