When_Is_a_Storm_More_Than_a_Storm

When Is a Storm More Than a Storm' Abstract Storms are a mighty force of “Mother Nature”. Last week a tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri. It destroyed many homes and the total death toll is still unknown today. Storms of passion, sexuality, and whims can be just as strong and deadly. The storms known as crimes of passion prove just that statement. Katherine O’Flaherty, better known as the author Kate Chopin wrote a story The Storm in 1898. It was not published until seventy years later according to Kennedy and Gioia (2005/2010, p. 108). Could a story titled The Storm written by a woman in America during the late 1890’s be a metaphor for anything other than an actual storm' Or could it be a metaphor of a woman’s natural sexual passion and the storm that often ensued when that passion was unleashed in the constraints of the 1898 society' Let us look at these questions while we examine this story, The Storm. When Is a Storm More Than a Storm' Did Kate Chopin write a story about a weather storm or something else in her short story The Storm (Chopin, 1898/​2010)' A storm is often associated with a weather event, or turmoil, conflict, and uneasiness. Could the title The Storm be a metaphor for this form of a storm' Storms are a natural occurring event in nature. Nature is often referred to as a feminine nature in the commonly used term “Mother Nature”. Could the title of The Storm be a metaphor seen as something symbolic of female nature of passion, sexuality, and whim' Many readers wonder which metaphor the title is intended to be. This story has two main characters, Calixta and Alcee. Calixta and Alcee had a relationship in the past. The relationship ended, with both characters marrying more suitable partners. Yet, there is still a lingering passion between the two. The story opens with a storm’s approach. Calixta’s husband, Bobinot, is unaware of the approaching storm on page 108 (Chopin, 1898/2010) as he waits the storm out in a general store with their son. He tends to avoid Calixta’s stormy passions as well. Calixta is introduced in their home doing household chores and unaware of an approaching storm (Chopin, 1898/2010, p. 109). It could be interpreted that Calixta is a typical woman of the 1890’s that repressed sexuality in the constraints of societal views of a married woman’s role. Finally Alcee is introduced to the story on page 109, paragraph 2. Calixta and Alcee do not see each other often and never alone. Both have uncomfortable discourse with each other in their discomfort at being alone together. Calixta is putting away a cotton sheet as she is becoming unsettled with the increasing storm elements outside. Or, she could be symbolizing the putting away of the constraints of sexual mores of the time while putting away the reminder of her marriage. The storm draws nearer to Calixta and Alcee. Calixta now has no household chores to stand between her and Alcee. The conflict is beginning to take shape. Calixta has nothing to distract her from her lingering passion for Alcee (Chopin, 1898/2010, pp. 110-111). A lightning bolt strikes a tree frightening Calixta (p. 110, para. 1). The storm has reached a crescendo with this strike. She falls into Alcee’s arms. A passionate storm overcomes both of them, reaching a crescendo by consummation of a sexual relationship both still desired. The storm begins to dissipate and fade away. Calixta watched Alcee ride away “beaming and laughing aloud” ( p. 111, para. 1). Bobinot, the husband, returns home with the son. Calixta prepares supper, things return to normal in the household. It as if the storm had never been at the home of Calixta and Bobinot. It could be said that Calixta has a fickle affection for Bobinot. She turned at Alcee when an opportunity arose. Alcee returned home as well. Alcee writes a very loving letter to his wife, Clarisse. He stated that all is well and he missed her and their children. Alcee could be seen as fickle as well. He loves the person he is with at the moment, changing affections as storms move in and out of his life. Clarisse will return to her happy home with Alcee. Calixta and Bobinot return to their happy home routine. “The storm has passed. And everyone is happy” (Chopin, 1898/2010. P. 111). Is Kate Chopin’s short story The Storm title a metaphor for an actual storm, or is it a metaphor of a female nature of passion, sexuality, and whim' An actual storm does occur within this story. However, a physical storm is not the theme of the story. The theme is the instead the story of a storm of passion, the sexuality, and the whims of Calixta and Alcee. The title The Storm is a metaphor for that storm of passion, sexuality, and whim that the society of the 1890’s constrained. The constraints were thrown away during the storm of passion as a physical storm broke around the couple. Recalling the period of 1898 in America, such a storm would be scandalous. Kennedy and Gioia note in their introduction to the story The Storm Chopin’s first novel The Awakening first appeared in 1899 quite a “literary scandal” was made (Kennedy & Gioia, 2005/​2010, p. 108). This led to Chopin’s work not publishing in her lifetime. The Storm and other later Chopin works were not published for almost seventy years (Kennedy & Gioia, 2005/2010, p.108). References Chopin, K. (2010). The Storm. In X. J. Kennedy & D. Gioia (Eds.), Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing (6th compact ed., pp. 108-112). Boston: Pearson. (Original work published 1898) Kennedy, X. J., & Gioia, D. (2010). Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing (6th compact ed.). Boston: Pearson Education. (Original work published 2005)