Analyzing a Fictional Story Called Storm - Essay Example

Teacher Analysis Essay on Kate Chopin’s story “The Storm” Introduction This essay is aimed at analyzing a fictional story: “The Storm”. The Storm story is a setting of Friedheimer’s store in Louisiana and neighboring house of Calixta and Bobidot of late nineteenth century. Generally five paragraph method is being used to write an argumentative essay. But here I am using my own effective method to write this fictional essay. This essay is written with a focus on the main or lead character of the story “The Storm” which was written by famous classical author Kate Chopin. The Storm is a fictional short story about the storm. The word selection of the author of this fictional short story, Kate Chopin, is amazing that is seems that this was really happened. There are many important themes in this story. The main theme of the story is the happiness. The people are coming together by virtue of the storm. Author has shown everyone happy in this story. In every scene of the story people are happy and caring toward each other. For the sake of analysis, I have chosen “The Storm” among many fictional stories. The reason why I chose this story is the fact that this story is different than other fictional stories. I the later part of this analysis essay, I would try my level best to offer my opinion about the main theme of this story. Then I would argue with evidence drawn from the story. Characters: Bibi, Bobidot, Sylvie, Louis, Calixta, Alcee, Clarisse Kate Chopin has written this story in a nice and meticulous manner. Some parts are written in a romantic fashion. Selection of words by author is amazingly good. That provides detailed information about the actions of the characters. This story is divided into parts. There are five parts of this story. All parts are focusing on some different subject and character. Every part is distinct and has separate information to provide. The analysis is transformed into argumentative style of essay writing. Following is the part wise analysis and description of the story “The Storm”. Part I: Bobinot and Bibi, his son, are out of home to buy something from nearby store. Suddenly they could see the dark clouds coming. Until storm had passed, they decided to stay at the store. There is a storm coming. It’s a very strong storm. Bobinot said to boy that her mother would become scared due to storm and may take help of someone from neighborhood. Then Bobinot went to counter and purchased a can of Shrimps. Calixta liked Shrimps very much. Then father and son waited there for storm to stop. The storm was making too much noise and making things move. The first part of the story tells us the loving and caring father and son are out of home but they are still thinking of her beloved wife and mother respectively. They are thinking that Calixta would become scared due to storm. Then Bobinot purchases Shrimps for Calixta, which she like most. It tells us that the storm is making people care more about beloved ones Part II: Part two focuses on Calixta. Calixta is mother of Bibi and wife of Bobinot. She is not worried about at first place because she is not aware that they stuck in the storm. Calixta is at home and sewing on a sewing machine. She is completely unaware of the strong storm just coming to her side. Actually Calixta is angry and is so much absorbed in her sewing work. It’s hot weather there that she is sweating. All of sudden she observed the darkness which is a symbol of a storm coming. She got up at once and closed the doors and windows. She had hanged Sunday clothes of Bobinot on the small front gallery to air them. She headed towards the clothes of Bobinot as well, to keep clothes safe from coming rain. when she went out to take clothes from outside she came across Alcee. She had never seen Alcee in five years since her marriage. Alcee asked her to let him stay in front of her house until the rain stops which she happily accepted. He wanted to wait outside but the rain and storm were too fast and both came inside. Calixta was so much worried about her husband and son. She went near window to see outside and cleaned the moisture on window. Weather was too hot. Alcee came near her and joined her to see outside. Suddenly the loud sound of light and tree that fell down made her too scared that she covered her eyes and face with her hand. She stepped back and Alcee encircled his arms around her which further scared her. He again came close to her and said that do not worry nothing would happen to her son and her house. Alcee was not able to stop himself of the beauty of Calixta. He wanted to kiss her. He reminded her of the time when they both were used to hand out together and he was used to kiss her and kiss her. Soon they got more seduced and tried touching each other. But they did not move beyond that and stopped. They did not want to make a big mistake at this stage in life. Rain ended and Alcee wanted to go back. Calixta and Alcee see off each other with great smile. Second part is longest part and very romantic. Second part seems to be the main part of the story. In fact, second part portrays the climax of the story. Like part one, second part also manifests the main theme of the story which is the coming closer of people due to the storm. In this part Calixta and Alcee flashed back into the past and remembered the time when they were lovers this led to their new romantic stint. Part III: Bobinot and Bibi reached home after a long walk in storm and rain. Bibi got a lot of mud on his feet and clothes that his father said to him that his mother must be so angry after seeing Bibi in this condition. Bobinot tried to remove some mud from the feet and clothes of Bibi and then they entered home. And then waited to face worst scene: meeting a caring housewife. When they entered home, Calixta was preparing supper and set up the table. Then Calixta turned towards Bobinot and Bibi and asked questions about what what happened to them. Calxta was happy upon their safe and sound return. And she kissed Bibi a lot. Bobinot told the Calixta that he brought her Shrimps which made Calixta very happy that she gave a loud kiss to Bobinot. Bobinot and Bibi became happy after reaching home. Bobinot, Calixta and Bibi sat on the table to eat dinner. Part three takes us to another time when the love between husband and wife, mother and son becomes so strong when Calixta sees that her husband and son are safe and sound. Her love still remains with husband in addition to her recent revival of old love. Again the storm is the reason behind the closeness. Part IV: Alcee LaBalliere wrote a letter to Clarisse, his wife, that night. The letter was full of love and care for his wife and kids. He told his wife to stay there as long as she and kids want. In fact, he asked her to stay there if the kids like it at Biloxi. He was missing wife and children but he thought if they are having fun there and happy there then he should let them live there. Part four is one of the shortest part in which Alcee still remembers his wife, Clarisse with love and solicitude. His love still remains with Clarisse. He let her wife to stay there because he knows she is happy there. May be he is still thinking to meet Calixta again and wants his wife to stay away. But these happenings also result in love and closeness due to storm. Part V: Clarisse was pleased to receive the letter of her husband. For she was happy her husband is letting her and kids to stay there where she got old friends and acquaintances. And she was really happy there not because of the absence of the husband but due to the advent of the time like she had during her bachelorhood. End of this story is also good enough. The writer of the story sustained a good happy environment throughout the story. But she also gave the story a happy ending. At the end of the story everyone is shown as happy. Clarisse is now allowed to live there where she is also want to spend time with old friends and acquaintances. Again, another closeness due to storm. Marie Flanagan (2009) writes that it is a big achievement of a writer when the writer is able to successfully empathize the readers with his or her characters. Kate Chopin has done the same remarkable job. Even the understanding of characters goes deeper than a mere connection. It’s a big accomplishment of an author if he or she makes readers feel the pain of the characters. In a length of just few pages long, Kate Chopin has shed the light on the complex emotional conflicts. She has focused on the idea that the two women Calixta and Clarisse are torn between two men. Even they both love their husbands a lot but they also have some soft corners for their old friends. Kate Chopin has use the storm as a symbol to join the old lovers. Joanna Bartee says that the story “The Storm” is more than a story. The main character, Calixta and Alcee have had a flirtation relationship before they got married. They could not get married to each other due to some reason not mentioned in the story. But they still have some romantic relationship alive between them. The story “The Storm” has defined the sexual bars and standards of the late nineteenth century. But at the same time writer has shown the sexual passion exited among the people who are not married to each other. Kate Chopin’s story “The Storm” is a combination of nice selection of words and emotions. It’s a romantic story. The word storm refers to the sexual restraints present at that time. Critic Robert Wilson says that the word storm refers to nature, and the nature is feminine. That refers to feminine sexuality and passion. The story shows that the storm made Calixta and Alcee alone and then they come closer to one other once again. In “The Storm”, Kate Chopin has focused on the following main topics, Roles of Love and Sex in Marriage Women’s Sexuality Honesty Guilt or Lack of Guilt (www.woodville.org) Works Cited “Literature (Fiction).” The Writing Center, The College of Arts and Science, University of North California, Chapel Hill, Web Accessed on 15th January 2015. http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-fiction/ “Pre-writing Activities and Drafting Your Essay”, Last Edited: 2013-10-08, Online Writing Lab, Purdue University, https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/616/03/ Kate Chopin (1898) “The Storm”, Kate Chopin International Society, Online, [Accessed, 16th January 2015], http://www.katechopin.org/the-storm/ Joanna Bartee, “The Storm”: More than Just a Story”, Virginia Weselyan Colloge, Norfork, Virginia, Online, [Accessed, 16th January 2015] http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~cbellamy/southern%20literature/SL%20Chopin.htm Marie Flanagan (2009) “Analysis of “The Storm” by Kate Chopin” College of Redwoods, Eureka, California, Online, [Accessed, 16th January 2015] http://www.redwoods.edu/Instruct/JJohnston/English1B/assignments/studentsamples/the_storm.html “The Elements of Fiction”, http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/lit-elements/overview/ www.woodville.org, Online, [Accessed, 16th January 2015]http://www.woodville.org/documentos/130818s-baby-by-k.pdf Read More