The Storm by Kate Chopin
"The Storm" by Kate Chopin is a short story that explores themes of desire, infidelity, and the constraints of societal norms through the experiences of its characters during a tempestuous event. Set in the late 19th century, the narrative follows Bobinôt and his son Bibi as they seek refuge in a store during a brewing storm, while Bobinôt’s wife, Calixta, remains at home. As the storm approaches, Calixta's past romantic feelings for Alcée Laballière resurface when he arrives seeking shelter. Their encounter leads to a passionate reunion that defies the expectations of their married lives. Despite the storm's chaos outside, the characters find moments of joy and fulfillment that challenge traditional roles and relationships. After the storm passes, Bobinôt and Bibi return home to a warm and welcoming Calixta, who is unfazed by the evening's events. The story ends with Alcée, who, mindful of his own wife’s pleasure, writes her a loving letter, reflecting a nuanced perspective on marital relationships and personal freedom. Chopin’s work invites readers to consider the complexities of love and the often-unspoken desires that underpin human connections.
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The Storm by Kate Chopin
First published: written 1898; published 1969
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: 1898
Locale: Louisiana
Principal Characters:
Bobinôt , an Acadian planterCalixta , his wifeBibi , his four-year-old sonAlcée Laballière , a rich Acadian planter and Calixta's former loverClarisse , Alcée's wife
The Story
While Bobinôt and his son, Bibi, are shopping at Friedheimer's store, the air becomes still. Dark clouds roll in from the west, and thunder rumbles in the distance. Father and son decide to wait inside until the storm passes instead of trying to reach home. When Bibi suggests that Calixta may be frightened to be alone, Bobinôt reassures him that she will be all right.
The approaching storm does not, in fact, worry her. She merely closes the doors and windows and then goes to gather the clothes hanging outside. As she steps onto the porch, she sees Alcée Laballière ride through the gate to seek shelter from the rain.
From "At the 'Cadian Ball," to which "The Storm" is a sequel, the reader knows that six years earlier Calixta and Alcée had gone to Assumption together in a fit of passion, and the following year they were about to have another romantic rendezvous in New Orleans when Clarisse intervened. In love with Alcée and suspecting his intentions, Clarisse had proposed marriage. He agreed, and Calixta had then yielded to Bobinôt's suit.
Despite the passage of time and their marriages, Calixta and Alcée's passion for each other has not abated. As they stand at a window, lightning strikes a chinaberry tree. Calixta, startled, staggers backward into Alcée's arms; this physical contact arouses "all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh." Alcée asks, "Do you remember—in Assumption, Calixta?" She does indeed. There they had kissed repeatedly; now, as the storm rages, they make passionate love. When the storm subsides, they know that they must separate, at least temporarily.
Bobinôt and Bibi walk home, pausing at the well outside to clean themselves as well as they can before entering the house. Calixta is a fastidious housekeeper, and they fear the reception they will receive after trudging home in the mud. Bobinôt is ready with apologies and explanations, but he needs none. Calixta is overjoyed to see her family and delighted with the can of shrimps that Bobinôt has brought her.
Alcée is as happy as Calixta. His wife has gone to Biloxi, Mississippi, for a vacation, and he writes her "a loving letter, full of tender solicitude" that night, telling her to stay as long as she wants. He says that he misses her, but he puts her pleasure above his own.
Clarisse is happy, too, when she receives the letter. She loves her husband, but the vacation is her first taste of freedom since her marriage. She intends to accept Alcée's offer to stay in Biloxi longer before returning home.
Bibliography
Beer, Janet. Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Studies in Short Fiction. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
Beer, Janet, and Elizabeth Nolan, eds. Kate Chopin's "The Awakening": A Sourcebook. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Bonner, Thomas, Jr. The Kate Chopin Companion. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988.
Boren, Lynda S., and Sara de Saussure Davis, eds. Kate Chopin Reconsidered: Beyond the Bayou. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992.
Koloski, Bernard. Kate Chopin: A Study of the Short Fiction. New York: Twayne, 1996.
Petry, Alice Hall, ed. Critical Essays on Kate Chopin. New York: G. K. Hall, 1996.
Skaggs, Peggy. Kate Chopin. Boston: Twayne, 1985.
Stein, Allen F. Women and Autonomy in Kate Chopin's Short Fiction. New York: Peter Lang, 2005.
Taylor, Helen. Gender, Race, and Religion in the Writings of Grace King, Ruth McEnery Stuart, and Kate Chopin. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1989.
Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin. New York: William Morrow, 1990.
Toth, Emily. Unveiling Kate Chopin. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1999.