Fiction and Bibi Essay

Submitted By Teachstone
Words: 618
Pages: 3

Blake Stone
Dr. Siko
English 112
17 September 2013

The Storm The short story “The Storm” is about a young woman, along with her ex-lover from a previous romance, who under the right circumstances, gives in to her natural and sexual urge to be completely satisfied. Kate Chopin does an amazing job of combining setting, character and symbolism to create a passionate and intimate story

The setting in this story sets up the perfect environment for an affair. In the story, Chopin not only created the perfect environment but also uses the setting as a symbol of the affair. Most likely this story takes place in the late 1800’s in the Deep South. The story begins with Bobinot and Bibi inside the local store. A small fraction of the story takes place at Friedheimer's store, Alcée's house, and the house where Clarisse is vacationing, but the most important setting is Calixta and Bobinot home. One thing that stands out here, of course, is the fact that the storm is taking place during the important sexualized scene, keeping Alcée and Calixta within the house, and Bobino and Bibi outside of it. The home itself isn't described that much: it has a "small front gallery" (96). “A room that is "the dining room – the sitting room – the general utility room" (97). By stating these quotes this explains that the house gives Alcée and Calixta shelter during that storm and allows them to be together. The storm almost seems to have more of a presence than the house. Meanwhile, the characters of the story are Calixta, Alcee Laballiere, Bobinot and Bibi. Calixta is as close as you can get to a protagonist or main character in the story. So in this sliver of Calixta's life, we learn many things. First off, she's a proud housekeeper. She works hard to take care of her home: sewing, doing laundry, cleaning, and making coffee and supper. She's super obsessed with keeping the house clean. During this story, Calixtais faulted and forced into difficult situations, “She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, disheveled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples’ (97). When it