English Prose 4B

Discussion

1. Trace the progress of the weather through the five parts of the story. Then, trace the stages
of the story's plot. How does the progress of the storm parallel the developing plot?

2. How does the storm help to create the story's atmosphere? How would you characterize this
atmosphere?

3. In Part I the "sombre clouds ... rolling with sinister intention "introduce the storm. It what
sense does the description introduce the story's action as well?

4. In what ways does the storm force the action of the story? List specific events that occur
because of the storm.

5. The weather is the most obvious element of the story's setting. What other aspects of setting
are important to the story?

6. After part II the storm is not mentioned again until the last line of the story. What signs of the
storm remain in Parts III, IV, and V?

7. Besides denoting the weather, what else might the title suggest?

8. JOURNAL ENTRY: The storm sets in motion the chain of events that leads to the characters'
adultery. Do you think the storm excuses them in any way from responsibility for their action?

Ans
1.
- Sombre clouds rolling with sinister intention from the west accompanied by sullen
threatening roar : Exposition. It shows the beginning of the story that introduces the
characters ( Bibi the young son, Bobinot the father, Calixta the mother). Bobinot and his
son Bibi were forced to wait inside the Freidheimer’s store due to the storm while the
mother Calixta was left alone in the house.

- Big raindrops, sudden gust of wind. The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a
force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance : Rising action. This is the part
where Calixta met her former lover, Alcee and they sheltered inside her house while
waiting for the storm to pass. This also the part where tension is building up between
Calixta and Alcee as they worked together to stop the water from coming inside the
house.
 - The rain was coming down in sheets obscuring the view of far-off cabins and enveloping
the distant wood in a gray mist. The playing of lightning was incessant. A bolt struck a
tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the field. It filled all visible space with blinding glare
and the crash seemed to invade the very boards they stood upon. They did not heed the
crashing torrents and the roar the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms :
Climax of the story. The tension between Calixta and Alcee reached its peak when the
storm finally broke
surprise and worry for her husband and child. Alcee tries to calm her by holding her

- The growl of the thunder was distant and passing away. The rain beat softly upon the
shingles, inviting them to drowsiness and sleep : Falling action. Both the affair and the
storm coming to an end. Calixta was happy and so was Alcee who left the house with a
beaming face.

- The rain was over; and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of
gems. : Resolution. Bobinot and Bibi was finally able to return home, they were
welcomed warmly by Calixta without knowing about the affair between Calixta and
Alcee. Likewise, Alcee’s wife, Clarisse; who was staying at the Biloxi with her babies to
restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. She ironically was charmed by the loving
letter sent by her husband without knowledge about the affair he did with another
woman. So the storm passed and everyone was happy

2. The storm inadvertently brings the two characters together. It reunited Calixta who had not
seen Alcee for a long time and as the storm grows stronger, so does the old-time infatuation
and the attraction between Calixta and Alcee

3. The line “sombre clouds…rolling with sinister intention” doesn’t only show that there would be
a strong storm but it also indicates the affair between Calixte and Alcee that would soon take
place in the story.

4. Bobinot and his son Bibi were stuck waiting in the Freidheimer’s store. They were unable to
go back home to Calixta immediately because of the storm. Calixta was left alone with the
house and because of the storm and the meeting between Alcee and Calixta occurred. They
were forced to shelter together inside the house. The storm grew stronger. It brought out intense
emotions in Calixta and Alcee which inevitably led to their affair. The affair wouldn’t have
happened if it wasn’t for the storm.

5. The other important setting is Louisiana. Louisiana, like many Southern states at the time,
had rigid social norms and expectations regarding marriage, propriety, and gender roles. By
setting the story in Louisiana, Chopin shows how these social constraints impact the characters'
lives and decisions. Calixta and Alcée's affair is particularly scandalous within this conservative
Southern setting, highlighting the tension between personal desires and societal expectations.
6. Even though the storm has passed in part II, there may still be tension. This is not only
conveyed through descriptions of the sky, the environment. The storm can be applied in the
characters. Just as the storm disrupted the natural order, the characters' affair may have
disrupted the social order, and there could be consequences to face. The storm can also
symbolize the tension between characters, it does not only describe the weather

7. The storm can also be interpreted as a symbol of the natural forces of desire and passion,
which cannot be controlled or contained. It underscores the idea that human emotions, like the
elements of nature, are powerful and sometimes uncontrollable.

8. No, I do not think that the characters can be excused. The storm may have provided the plot
of the story but it did not excuse their actions or responsibilities because adultery is still wrong.
By doing adultery, they have betrayed their spouses.