Characters in The Storm Essay

The Storm by Kate Chopin, is a story that shares emotions and passion between two characters named Calixta and Alcee. The story was written in the late nineteen hundredths where women were looked down upon and where their needs or wants were hardly considered. During this time, women were considered to be innocent, and faithful to their husbands.

Rebecca Long- Kluckner stated in Universal Journal that, Kate Chopin wrote in a time period that believed women did not even possess sexual desires, but only behaved properly and did their duties, one of which was sex, in serving their husband. In this story you will see a totally different view of a womans behavior. To fully understand this literary piece we will use the 6 Cs of Literature. The 6 Cs stand for: Character, Contrast, Conflict, Climax, Complication and Conclusion.

Characters are an important part to the story. They are responsible

for transmitting to the reader the thoughts and actions within a story. There are different types of characters in the story, which can either be or not be a significant part in the story. In a story you will always find a main character, which is sometimes called the protagonist. The main character is the one that helps develop the story and its meaning. A flat character is a minor character, which really does not affect the storyline. A round character is a major character, which shows growth during the story. In The Storm the main characters are Calixta and Alcee. Their characters developed throughout the story showing how their afternoon rendezvous transpired.

In literature, an author uses contrast to narrate the story. The author compares and contrasts the ideals or characters in a story. It can come from a decision the character or characters have to face in a specific situation. For example when Calixta sees Alcee on the porch trying to get refuge from the storm she had to decide whether to let him in knowing how she felt for him. Brenda Krupnow, in her criticism on Helium of The Storm stated, what is considered to right or wrong in so much that it is a revelation of how society frowns upon those who are different . This is why Calixta was hesitant in committing the adultery to begin with.

Conflict is what builds up the plot in the story. The protagonist is facing a challenge, the conflict between individual needs and social expectations. The conflict in the story revolves around Calixtas suppressed emotions and passion for Alcee rose again when she saw him. Constrained by her marital status she had not allowed herself to be alone with him till this day. She allows him in for refuge from the storm and her sexual desires and passion once again rise for him.

Climax is the moment in a story in which the crisis comes to its point of its greatest intensity. Per Sayersted stated in the Land of Dystopia that The Storm is a story about the tension between the male and the female, the assertive and receptive principles. As Calixta stands by the window looking at the storm and sees the strike of lightening hit she steps back into Alcees arms. Calixta and Alcees mutual attraction is unavoidable. As the storm becomes intense so does the passion between the two. When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting his lips. (Choppin 110). When the storm reaches its climax so do Calixta and Alcee. She lays in his arms and they both lay there feeling renewed.

The development of the story will always have complications. Its what keeps the story from ending. Complications are usually between two characters. Alce shows up for refuge and keeps Calixta from being alone. While it's acceptable for them to be alone together from a societal standpoint, it's clear that Calixta is worried about being alone with Alcee. Once they start remembering their attraction to one another, the storm begins to intensify. Calixta is also unable to fulfill the standards of virtue deemed by society although Alcee has pure thoughts of her.

Finally, the conclusion of a story is the final outcome, answering all or most questions that a reader may have. So the storm passed and everyone was happy now(Chopin 111). At the end everyone was feeling renewed. Bobinot and Bibi made it home to find Calixta safe and sound. Calixta was able to get away with a brief rendezvous. Alcee wrote a letter to his wife He told her not to hurry back , but if she and the babies liked it at Biloxi , to stay a month longer.( Chopin 111). Clarisse was more than happy to accept his proposition giving her the freedom of an un-married woman again. Each storm leaves the needs and desires both of nature and the individuals renewed and satisfied.

In summary, the 6 Cs helps bring the reader to a better understanding of what the author is really trying to say. It helped us find the hidden messages within the story to gain a better understanding of it.

While doing the research for this paper, I was not able to get as many resources as I would have liked due to request of a monthly or yearly subscriptions. There were several sites that requested the subscriptions such as Questia and Gale online.

Gloria V Fernandez

ID # 4487

Prof. Jon Aceto

Eng 102-0846

November 20, 2011

Research Paper : The Storm

Bibliography

Long-Kluckner, Rebecca. "Chopin's Awakening of Female Sexuality in The Storm." Chopin's Awakening of Female Sexuality in The Storm. Print.

Krupnow, Brenda. "Criticism of The Storm , by Kate Chopin." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Helium, 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. .