The Importance of Weather in Kate Chopins The Storm :: Chopin Storm Essays

The Importance of Weather in The Storm      The Storm, by Kate Chapin, is a short story about two people that have and affair during a storm.   Basically, it’s like this.   The story involves two families, that of Bobinot, Calixta, and Bibi, and Alcee, Clarisse, and their babies.   Calixta is at her house separated from her family due to the storm.   Alcee is separated from his family because they are visiting another town.   The storm brings Calixta and Alcee together and they have an affair.   It s set in a small town in the late 1800s.   A storm can mean many things, both good and bad, and it is important to the story both symbolically and directly.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The storm acts as a catalyst in the story as it causes the events to unfold as they do.   The first real direct effect the storm has in the story is that it is what causes Bobinot and Bibi to stay at the local store to take shelter.   This of course leaves Calixta home alone.   Alcee, we are lead to believe, was out riding his horse somewhere near Calixta s house when the storm started.   This causes him to take shelter there.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Before Calixta got married five years earlier, the two had romantic feelings toward each other.   They rarely saw each other after that, and this what the first time since then that they had been alone together.   Because of the awkward feelings he had, Alcee   expressed an intention to remain outside (666).   This is where the storm, because it is a rather big storm, forces him to go inside.   Once inside it seems harmless conversation would be all that took place.   But alas, the storm once again comes into play.   While Calixta, worried about her family, it looking out the window the storm sends down a huge lightning bolt into a tree nearby.   This causes her to jump and for Alcee to instinctively grab her in his arms.   The storm now comes into play one last time.   As Calixta is nervously pacing around the house (because of the storm), Alcee grabs her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.   At this point their old feelings become too overwh elming resulting in an affair.   When the storm ends, it symbolizes the end of the affair.   We are never told what Chapin meant by the title   The Storm.