Feminine Sexuality

3 Pages 662 Words

Kate Chopin’s, The Storm is an obvious suggestion of sexual energy and unrestrained passion. It is a story of two people who forget their wedding vows and are as uncontrollable as a storm. Chopin’s title refers to nature, which is symbolically feminine. The storm can therefore be seen as a symbol of feminine sexuality and passion.
Calixta’s actions represent her sexuality as well as foreshadowing the sexual encounter to come. “She was greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat” (113). The unbuttoning of her jacket is one of actions that foreshadows encounter between her and Alcee. She is unaware of the storm approaching, although she is married and has a child (and is somewhat knowledgeable about sexual matters) she is unaware of the sexuality and passion within her. Calixta is broken from a “trance,” the trance that Calixta is broken from is her own awareness that she is still attracted to Alcee. Even though the two are married, there is a mutual attraction between Calixta and Alcee.
As the storm increases so does their sexual passion for one another. The storm drives them inside, it has become so strong that they need to put something under
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the door, “…Calixta… rolled up a piece of bagging and Alcee helped her to thrust it beneath the crack” (113). The image is sexual as they both “thrust” the bagging into the crack. The storm increases as well as the undoubtedly a reference to the sexual tension between the two of them. As the thunder crashes “Calixta… staggered backwards. Alcee arm encircled her, and for an instant he drew her close and spasmodically to him” (114). It is not until then that Alcee has sensed her passion and his own: “The contact of her warm, palpitating body when he had unthinkingly drawn her into hi...