The Setting in “The Storm”
The storm is a tale by Kate Chopin that explores on an adultery affair brought by the storm. The adultery affair begins when Alcee requests to shelter in Calixta’s house. At the same time, Calixta’s son and husband are hiding from the storm in a shop. The setting of a tale is the place and time when the scene takes place. The setting influences the mood, invokes an emotional response, affects how characters perform, and also plays a significant role in the story. The storm is a perfect setting in Chopin’s tale as it rekindles the sexual feeling between the lovers, enables the lovers to meet, and it also signifies the end of the affair. The setting in Chopin’s the storm provides an opportunity to direct actions, acts as a driving force behind the affair and the story, and affects how characters perform.
The storm tale mainly focuses on Alcee and Calixta and their sexual affair. The story takes place in a town in Louisiana where the characters stay while it is set in the nineteenth century, a time when the married women were faithful to their spouses. Chopin uses the storm setting to signify the sequence of events. The story starts with Bibi and Bobinot inside a shop, but when they want to leave, they realize the heavy clouds and opt to stay inside the store. On the other hand, Calixta is in the house sewing when she realizes the storm was approaching. Worried about her son and husband, she approaches her house entrance. Chopin states, “As she stepped outside, Alcee Laballiere rode in at the gate” (Chopin, 2005, p. 96). Through using the storm setting, Chopin creates an opportunity for the lovers to meet, and it also creates a chance for Alcee to enter into Calixta’s house. The author’s intentions become clearer when Alcee is introduced in the story. The tale recites: “He expressed an intention to remain outside, but it was soon apparent that he might as well have been out in the open: the water beat in upon the boards in driving sheets, and he went inside, closing the door after him” (Chopin,2005,p. 96). The storm is the reason for the two lovers to meet, and Chopin effectively uses the storm to move her tale forward.
Chopin also uses the storm to direct the actions of the tale. She states, “Scared by the bolt, “Calixta put her hands to her eyes, and with a cry, staggered backward,” and “Alcee’s arms encircled her” (Chopin, 2005, p.97). It is because of the storm that the two lovers have their first embrace, and the intensity of the storm equals to the level of their passion. When the storm reaches its climax, Chopin states, “They did not heed the crashing torrents, and the roar of the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms” (Chopin, 2005, p.97). The tale continues to describe the sexual affair between Alcee and Calixta as the storm becomes intense. When Chopin states, “the rain is over,” she signifies the end of the affair between the two lovers. When the storm ends, Alcee has to leave, and the readers see the return of Bibi and Bobinot.
The setting in “The Storm” plays a significant role in how the story progresses and affects how the characters perform. The storm in the tale is not coincidental but rather a driving force behind the affair and the story. The start of the storm signifies the beginning of the romance, and the end of the storm means the finish of the affair and the end of the story. Everyone is satisfied and happy at the end of the rain, and the storm setting makes everything that happens in the tale possible.
References
Chopin, K. (2005). The storm.