‘The
Storm’, written by Kate Chopin can be seen as a reflection of one of Toril Moi’s terms called ‘feminine’. ‘Feminine’ explained as ‘a
set of culturally defined characteristics’ is shown indirectly in this
short story. ‘The Storm’ with the theme about love, unequal distribution of
power among genders, and dishonesty had been successfully bringing the readers
into the serious problems among genders. It causes the three main evidences of
the effect of unequal distribution of power among men and women appear in the
short story ‘The Storm’.
According
to Chopin’s life situation, the writing of ‘The Storm’ was adapted with the
time and historical setting in her life. Chopin showed about culture in the
late century. Usually, woman was not as free as man. They could not do anything
they want. There were always boundaries for woman to do something.
The same way was always be valid for woman in deciding a
marriage partner. Between man and woman had to do arrange marriage. Woman might
not choose her own boyfriend at that time. Then, from this background side, the
each evidences start to be seen slowly.
The
first main evidence is Alcee’s cleverness in seducing Calixta. ‘Alcee rode his horse under the shelter of
a side projection where the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a
harrow piled up in the corner’ (‘The Storm’ part II, paragraph 2), this
part shows the reflection of Alcee’s life background. Alcee is described as a man who rides a horse. From that
description, we can see that Alcee is a noble in the late century. Of course,
he is honored by others and is also wealthy. Everyone cannot forbid him to do
anything.
Alcee’s
action is one of things that cannot be forbidden too by Calixta. Easily, he
seduces Calixta by reminding her the time when both of them felt the sweetness
of their relationship. Alcee starts his flattery with the low voice broken by
his passion, “Do you remember-in
Assumption, Calixta?”(‘The Storm’ part II, paragraph 6).
According
to the story, Assumption is the place where Alcee and Calixta ever had kissed.
Alcee seduces woman whom he knows that she is already married. And Calixta
cannot do anything except cry. This is one of the superiorities of being noble
and wealthy.
Alcee
seduces Calixta without bashful feeling. He treats Calixta like a thing which
can be worn anytime. Calixta is not considered as a woman having a husband
already by him. It is just like considering Calixta as a woman who is not
valuable. It proves that there is a patriarchal codes-male biased which
explains that woman is the second class after man. The unequal of power among
men and women starts to be seen and proven slowly.
Then,
the second evidence is Calixta’s indirect heart revolt. As a woman who lived in
the late century, Calixta was bridled to have progress in anything she did,
including the problem when she could not choose her own marriage partner. It
causes her feeling to Alcee (her ex-boyfriend) is coming back when she meets
him again for the first time after her marriage.
It
is proven by Calixta’s action and body language when this ex-couple make an introductory
conversation, “the contact of her warm,
palpitating body when he had unthingkingly drawn her into his arms, had aroused
all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh” (‘The Storm’ part II,
paragraph 9).
Calixta’s
body language shows that she accepts all of Alcee’s efforts in seducing her. It
causes Calixta is lulled into security by Alcee’s sweet talk. And she thinks
that it is the right time to reach the sweetness of her feeling to Alcee. This
is also the right time to reach something that she could not do in her youth time
freely. She had sex intercourse with Alcee, her ex-boyfriend.
“When he touched her breast 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”(‘The Storm’ part II, paragraph 14). From
that explanation, not only Alcee but also Calixta seems like they really enjoy
the sweetness they build together. It reflects Calixta’s indirect heart revolt.
She
had already restrained her heart to not do protest when she had to do arrange
marriage Bobinot, her husband. Having sex intercourse with Alcee is something
like her reprisal of unequal distribution of power among genders at that time.
It is like her feminine side which she wants it to be showed. And she is very
brave doing this, doing her reprisal.
And
the last evidence is Calixta’s cleverness in covering her heart revolt to
Bobinot. Calixta realizes that she has already done something wrong. But she
does not feel that it is worst. “He
turned and smiled at her with a beaming face; and she lifted her pretty chin in
the air and laughed aloud” (‘The Storm’ part II, paragraph 17). It proves
that Calixta seems really happy. She does not regret her act with Alcee. But,
easily she covers that by pretending Bobinot that she is okay at home without
him. Bobinot does not even know that actually his wife is lying.
“Oh, Bobinot! You back! My! but I was
uneasy. W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? He ain’t wet? He ain’t hurt?”
(‘The Storm’ part III, paragraph 4). Then, that conversation reflects that
Calixta seems like she pretends to worry about Bobinot and Bibi (Calixta’s boy)
who are out of the house during she has sex intercourse with Alcee. Her way in
lying Bobinot is belong to the evidences of the effect of unequal distribution
of power among men and women.
It
proves that Calixta really has a big problem that actually she cannot finish
it. She does not know how to go out from this problem. For many years in her
life before and after married, she restrains her desire to struggle. Her heart
rebelled. But, finally she uses this time to fight all of her feelings which
are restraint. She wins, and no body knows about it.
From
all of the evidences of unequal distribution of power among men and women in
this short story, Calixta had a big power in fighting her boundaries as woman
considering as the second class after man. She could break all of the rules
which limited her ways, especially in deciding marriage partner. But, there
were still noble and wealthy which held the power at the time. And she could
not do anything except accepting all of the rules and being ruled. ‘The Storm’
has proven to the readers that actually in the past, a woman had a big power to
struggle, just like Calixta. But, it depends on the woman it self. She wants to
fight to be free to do anything or not? Or she just wants to remain as being
ruled by the man long her life.
Sources:
Wikipedia, the free ensiklopedia
Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory:
An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. 1995.
New York: Manchester University Press.
Birkerts, Sven. P. Literary The
Evolving Canon: Second Edition. 1996. America: Allyn
and Bacon.
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