The Storm by Kate Chopin - Essay Example

The author develops the story themes using metaphoric characterization to express what she thinks about sexuality and marriage. The characters in the story make it possible for the author to share her opinion on sexuality and marriage in the society. The storm brings Alcee to Calixta’s house where they engage in extramarital sex. Upon their reunion, Calixta and Alcee are nostalgic, a vivid expression of a suppressed obsession they had in their youth. Alcee gets overwhelmed with his craving for Calixta.

This personifies Chopin’s opinion. She represents an oppressed woman languishing under societal cords and the bondage of her husband. When she eventually breaks away from her bondage, she discovers her happiness. In this case, Chopin expresses the opinion that marriage is an astringent ritual that engulfs free will and contentment of many couples. Alcee’s separation from his wife makes him lonely. The loneliness fuels his craving for Calixta, which leads to infidelity. They engage in immoral sexual activity, which help Alcee to forget about his loneliness.

Chopin effectively expresses her opinion about marriage and how the society view women. Calixta’s husband, Bobinot decided to stay in town and wait for the storm to calm. It can be argued that he avoids Calixta’s storm of passion.. This is a clear indication that she suffers from sexual repression. The reader learns about the position of women in marriage and the entire society. The author succeeds in relating natural storm with the one looming inside Calixta when Alcee goes to her home to seek refuge from the storm.

“The storm “reflects the Calixta’s subdued sexual feeling, which finally erupts, making her to break away from marriage repression and community decorum. Calixta finally becomes happy when the storm ceases. The happiness reflects when the author talks about the sun “turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems” (Farca, 120). Chopin’s characters, Bobi and Bobinot are unaware of the incident in their home at the time they are caged in town by the storm. Bobi catalyzes the exposure of the nature of relationship between Bobinot and Calixta.

Every mention of Bobi by Bobinot brings Calixta into the picture shading more light into the affair between her and her husband. Bobinot is a stereotype husband, who is never there for his wife when she needs her and chains her according to his desires. However, he also portrays a figure held in bondage by marriage when he says that Calixta will get mad when she discovers the mess in Bobi’s clothes. He purchases Calixta’s favorite meal with a notion that it would appease her for his delay to arrive home from the store.

Despite the fact that Clarisse is never given enough attention, she reveals Alcee’s lonely life. The reader gets to know through her that Alcee is separated from his wife by his work. Funnily, the loneliness in Alcee’s life does not mirror in Clarisse’s life. In fact, she feels liberated by the separation. The separation gives her room to go after her interests and socialize with her