Kandyce Bryant

Professor J. Mignano-Brady

English 102

March 17th, 2011

What Do You Desire?

Desire is the motive for the actions of Sammy in A&P by John Updike and Calixta in The

Storm by Kate Chopin. In these short stories the character’s desire led them to act on impulse

and resulted in a life changing experience. This theme of desire is also evident in the play

“The Marriage Counselor” by Tyler Perry. The materialistic character named Judith let her

desire take over her and from that her life would never be the same. Sammy has the desire to

seek freedom for the three young girls that came in his workplace as well as freedom for him

self to do what he wanted to do. Calixta’s sexual desire sparked an event of passion that was

as powerful as a storm. Judith’s desire to have money, cars, and clothes, is the reason for her

swift downfall and the deletion of true happiness.

In A&P by John Updike, Sammy’s imagination took over him when three young ladies

walked into his workplace, the grocery store. His Manager Lengel did not approve of the two

piece bathing suits that they were wearing and wanted them to leave as soon as possible.

From the moment they walked in Sammy felt liberated. “The one that caught my eye first

was the one in the plaid green two-piece…….this one, and a tall one, with black hair that

hadn’t quite frizzed right…and then the third one, that wasn’t quite so tall. She was the

queen…She had a kind of dirty-pink-beige maybe, I don’t know-bathing suit...They were off

her shoulders looped loose around the cool tops of her arms…” (Updike)
 “If she’d been born at the right time they would have burned her over in Salem”

(Updike). Sammy had this thought just to make a point that society does not accept females

dressed in this manner and if they’d been in Salem they would have had a punishment. “We

want you dressed decently when you come in here” (Updike). Sammy’s manager Lengel sees

the girls and wants them to leave immediately. He is not pleased with the way they are

dressed and will not tolerate it. Because Sammy likes and in some way respects the girls for

their daring acts, he takes it upon himself to be their protector. “The girls, and who’d blame

them, are in a hurry to get out, so I say “I quit” to Lengel quick enough for them to hear,

hoping they’ll stop and watch me, their unsuspected hero”(Updike). The desire for freedom

led Sammy to appreciate the girls for what they did and took it a step further on their behalf

and his. A few looks at these girls, a creative mind, and a will for change, changed Sammy’s

life.

Before Sammy’s life could change a woman named Calixta was yielding to her own

understanding allowing Kate Chopin to tell the story of The Storm. Calixta’s sexual desire

started the most powerful storm within her home and body. She let the passion that she had

for Alcee Laballiere take over her just as the storm took over Louisiana.

“She had not seen him very often since her marriage, and never alone” (Chopin). When

the storm was starting to take place, Calixta decided to hang some clothes out on the line to

dry and noticed M’sieur Alcee. He asked if he could wait on the gallery until the storm was

over, but the wind and rain let Alcee know that he would have to stay inside and wait. The

words “never alone” lets the audience know that Calixta knew she couldn’t be trusted alone

with him and that that desire for him was still there.
 “Do you remember-in Assumption, Calixta?” he asked in a low voice broken by passion.

Oh! She remembered; for in Assumption he had kissed her and kissed and kissed her”

(Chopin). In Alcee’s comment to Calixta this shows that the time they had together was

zealous and that their past experiences were so compelling that they would never forget

them.“When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting

his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to

swoon together at the very borderland of life’s mystery” (Chopin). This is showing the

physical aspect of the metaphorical storm going on between Calixta and Alcee. The word

“possessed” lets the reader know that the sexual desire she had for him was so deep that it

dominated her mind, body, and soul. Using “life’s mystery” lets the audience know that the

actions were wrong but the feelings they both had inside of them could not be bottled up any

longer and the complexity of human beings can not be explained. Calixta let passion have

total control and she had no regrets.

“The rain was over; and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of

gems…So the storm passed and everyone was happy” (Chopin). Calixta’s passionate event

had the same length and effect on her as the natural storm did on the town. She would go on

and be happy with her husband Bobinot and son BiBi.

Judith Jackson, the best marriage counselor in town, much like Calixta and Sammy in

her impulse driven actions, would let her materialistic ways lead her into a path of destruction.

Roger Jackson, her husband, was paying for the mortgage on their home and on her office. He

was also taking care of his father and her mother that were victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Because he constantly worried about bills and working, didn’t pay her much attention and she

was very frustrated by that. Her ex boyfriend from college, a basketball player, Ronald Henry,
would come into her office one day and win her back because of what was on the outside. He

blinded her with cars, trips, gifts, and the affection she urged. This led her to leave her husband

and submit to Ronald Henry. Roger went to surprise Judith at the office to make up for his lost

time and would have to come to the understanding that he “was weak and beneath” her. Ronald

had brainwashed Judith to think this way. Roger would also come to find out from the cleaning

lady that Ronald was her ex husband, physically abusive, on drugs, and had AIDS. Roger, his

father, and Judith’s mother would go and rescue Judith.

“Please forgive me baby because I have forgiven you, but lets end this as friends tested

tried and true”(Perry). Roger would sing these words to Judith because he refused to take her

back after what she had done to him.

Calixta let her sexual desire dominate her, while Sammy let his longing for a voice make

his decisions, and Judith’s passion for material items would quickly let her know where

happiness truly lies. Sammy, Calixta, and Judith all wanted something out of life. Each

character’s desire led them to act quickly and their lives could now never be the same. John

Updike, Kate Chopin, and Tyler Perry have turned a mirror onto all mankind. What do you

desire?