Symbolism In The Storm By Iuet
The storm is a sell-evident symbol. It is related to every events or elements of the story. First, it’s the title which shows it importance. Secondly, the storm plays a role from the beginning to the end of the story: opening and closing the story. It plays also a part in the middle by gathering Alcée and Calixta together, pushing and giving them time to be together physically speaking. In literature, the storm in a horrifying scene in the natural. Alcée portrays it as “a cyclone” (II, l.58), Bobinôt tells, from the very beginning, it’s “sombre”, “sinister” and “threatening” (I, l.4-5).
The passion between Alcée and Calixta is collarated with the storm. The storm builds itself throughout the story as the characters expressed their feeling
for each other: first, “the water beat in upon the boars in driving sheets (II, l.25), next, “the rain beat upon the low, shingled roof the with a force and clatter that threatened to […] deluge” (II, l.42-43), then, “the rain was coming down in the sheets” (II, l.62), followed by “[the rain came down] in ‘crashing torrents’” (II, l.97), next, “the rain beat soflty upon the shingles” (II, l.116) and finally, “the rain was over” (II, l.118). It is when the rain came down furiously that they shared their complete feeling for one to another; this shows the link between the storm and the characters when the storm is powerful, the couple is having an intercourse and when it ends, the intercourse ends.
Kate Chopin here, used then the image of the storm to describe the sexual tension between the couple throughout the story. The lightning and thunder happening outside Calixta’s house can be interpreted as a foreshadow of the intercourse that is about to happen: “A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the field. It filled all visible space with a blinding glare and the crash seemed to invade the very boards they stood upon” (II, l.64-66). The bolt is portrayed more clearly than the “possess[ion]” between Calixta and Alcée: “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” (II, l.107-110). Nevertheless, both describe the same thing: a great, even if it is shot-lived, blast of feeling and energy between the two.
The passion between Alcée and Calixta is collarated with the storm. The storm builds itself throughout the story as the characters expressed their feeling
for each other: first, “the water beat in upon the boars in driving sheets (II, l.25), next, “the rain beat upon the low, shingled roof the with a force and clatter that threatened to […] deluge” (II, l.42-43), then, “the rain was coming down in the sheets” (II, l.62), followed by “[the rain came down] in ‘crashing torrents’” (II, l.97), next, “the rain beat soflty upon the shingles” (II, l.116) and finally, “the rain was over” (II, l.118). It is when the rain came down furiously that they shared their complete feeling for one to another; this shows the link between the storm and the characters when the storm is powerful, the couple is having an intercourse and when it ends, the intercourse ends.
Kate Chopin here, used then the image of the storm to describe the sexual tension between the couple throughout the story. The lightning and thunder happening outside Calixta’s house can be interpreted as a foreshadow of the intercourse that is about to happen: “A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the field. It filled all visible space with a blinding glare and the crash seemed to invade the very boards they stood upon” (II, l.64-66). The bolt is portrayed more clearly than the “possess[ion]” between Calixta and Alcée: “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” (II, l.107-110). Nevertheless, both describe the same thing: a great, even if it is shot-lived, blast of feeling and energy between the two.