Describe a Literary Element of a Short Story, and the Story’s Major Theme

Huy Nguyen

Professor Matt Falloon

English Writing 301

September 19, 2016

Essay #1: Describe a Literary Element of a Short Story, and the Story’s Major Theme

Although Kate Chopin’s short story “The Storm” is one of her greatest pieces in today’s literature, it wasn’t taken serious and accepted by the readers back then in the nineteenth century. “The Storm” is about the affair between Calixta, the wife, and Alcee, an old friend in the past, during an unexpected storm while Bobinot, the husband, and Bibi, the four-year-old  son, are away from home. By understanding the element of setting, the readers can conclude how the setting causes the plot to happen, forces the characters to discover and reveal hidden aspects of themselves, and influences the theme of the story.

The locale of the story was at Friedheimer’s store, where Bobinot and his son stayed at during the storm, and at the house, where Calixta was visited by Alcee. It was late nineteenth century. As soon as Bobinot and Bibi were about to leave to store heading back home, they saw a storm approaching their direction; got no choice but to stay back until the storm was over. Before Chopin moved on to the next scene which was the house, she showed how much Bobinot loves his wife when he still thinks about Calixta and buys her a can of shrimp; even though the storm should be the only thing he had to concern about. How is he going to get home? When will it be over?

Because of the coming storm, Calixta, at home by herself and worried about the safety of husband and son, encountered Alcee outside who she rarely sees and never been alone with after the marriage. Chopin successfully used setting to tell the story and showed how this setting guided the whole narrative and affected all the characters in the story. It was a perfect set up. The storm was mentioned basically in every element of the story, from the title to the plot. It told the readers where the story started and where it ended. The house was given details in such a way that readers are hinted toward something; something’s going to happen. Calixta’s bedroom “with its white, monumental bed, … , looked dim and mysterious” (Chopin 121). At this point, both Calixta and Alcee were completely isolated from the outside. “The playing of the lightning was incessant” (Chopin 121). “A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree…” (Chopin 121). Calixta watching all this happening inside the house and got sacred, allowing Alcee the chance to get physical with her. Two of them were in a small house while the storm was outside, given such circumstances, Chopin created a scene that almost seemed like it happened in the right place at the right time. “‘Do you remember – in Assumption, Calixta?’ he asked in a low voice broken by passion” (Chopin 122). They only kissed back then but this time, they had sex together, filled with passion.  

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