Long-Term Repercussions of Alcée and Calixta’s Encounter
The storm’s escalating ferocity, peak, and resolution are comparable to Calixta and Alcée’s desire and affair. Chopin argues their relationship is powerful but fleeting and devastating, like a rainstorm (Hassan and Tayib 137). That scenario, where Calixta and Alcée made love in a mode of soothing while awaiting the storm to die down, would have harmed both Calixta and Alcée’s marriages if Bobinôt had returned while they were still in the house. Alcée departs immediately once the storm ends, admitting that that was a single, spur-of-the-moment mistake.
The Absence of Consequences in Chopin’s Narrative
Chopin could have seen the story through a conventional lens, but she adopts a very impartial attitude by avoiding mentioning the effects of extramarital affairs. She does not at all design her characters to fight against the structure of marriage; instead, she despises the limitations that come with conventional roles. Kate Chopin tries to show that it is normal for people to be passionate about sexual desires.
Factors That Likely Prevented Chopin from Publishing the Story
It is understandable why Kate Chopin would not publicize the piece of writing within her life, considering how blatant it appears in this regard. Any literary material that was erotic was not regarded as decent and admirable by society in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Chopin’s “The Storm,” which she wrote on July 19, 1898, was not produced until 1969 in “The Complete Works of Kate Chopin” (Hassan and Tayib 145).
Kate Chopin’s “The Storm,” a reprieve from such stifling standards, demonstrates that just because it was not documented does not imply that sexual attraction and anxiety did not exist in the lives of regular people during that time. It is not unexpected that Chopin did not undertake any endeavor to publish the narrative, given that the novel’s culminating event is an amorous one-night romantic affair.
Commentary on Marriage, Monogamy, Love, and Culture
Kate Chopin has mixed feelings about marriage and monogamy because of the closeness it offers, but mainly because of how boring and oppressive it can be for women. She portrays love as a beautiful thing through the character Alcée, as he shows that he prioritizes his family’s needs by writing a beautiful and sensitive letter to his wife that evening. He was prepared to put up with the layoff for a bit longer because he knew his wife and kids would prosper (Hassan and Tayib 140). The narrative demonstrates how something immoral and wicked, even if it might have caused a horrible catastrophe, can improve one’s lot in life.
Work Cited
Hassan, Hazha S., and Chinar K. Tayib. “Irony in Kate Chopin’s Selected Short Stories.” Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 3, no. 1, 2020, pp. 137–144. Web.