ENG 130

The Storm

Your Name (First M. Last)

School or Institution Name (University at Place or Town, State)

Introduction

The setting of any story is of great importance as it affects characters as well as plot. The setting affects more than the plot events. The setting helps in creating a specific mood and atmosphere for the story. The setting of Kate Chopin’s “The Strom” gives a path to the ideas and actions of the story. The setting of a story foretells about the events and points towards what is about to come. Setting is being used by the writer for creating a meaning in the minds of the readers likewise in this story; The Storm" setting indicates towards a terrible event that takes place at the Calixta’s home.

Discussion

In this story, the setting plays a vital role for letting the readers know about the happenings beforehand. This story starts with the setting of weather that indicates towards a storm. Thunder, lightning, the shower of rain makes Calixta worry about her husband Bobinot and her son Bibi who were at their store while the horrifying storm was approaching. The whole setting actually pointed towards the society where the encounter between a male and female was unacceptable unless they tie a knot. The setting also points towards the social views where the sexual desires of women were suppressed by marriage. Strom, the basic element of setting is also being used as a title. It reflects the sexual desires of a married woman Calixta who was having an extramarital affair with Alcee. The way all the setting (characters and locations) is being described by Kate; makes the readers realized that they are the part of the story. Chopin puts all her efforts for reflecting the sequence of events by using the setting in which a destructive storm was approaching.

There are three primary ways in which the setting has affected this story. Firstly, the setting pointed towards the destruction (storm) that greatly effected lives of Calixta and Alcee who were having a love affair but for a short interval of time. During the time, when this story was written people were not allowed to have any physical relation. The second way, the setting affected the story is, the deadly storm restricted Calixta’s husband and son to their store. This situation incorporated a corrupt feeling in her to commit a sin that was not acceptable by the society of that time. The third way in which the setting affected the story is the place where this story took place (Ruiz & Rosa, 2018). Louisiana, a small town where this story was set up, also casted an effect on the mood and atmosphere of the story. The setting of this story reflects that the storm not only traps Alcee in Bobinot and Calixta's home, but also the setting seems to force them Alcee and Calixta, for intimacy. The setting also forced Bobinot and his son to stay outside or away from the house. Even this setting revealed the class of the characters, when they open their mouth to say something the reader comes to know from where the characters belong to. Setting also points towards the class standing of the characters and how they were being fit in Louisiana society of 19th century.

Conclusion

Keeping into consideration the setting of the story, it could be promulgated that veritably, the setting of the story influences the events of the story that a reader explores. Setting depicts the mood of the story and works as a guide for the reader that gives him/her a hint, what is about to come. It has also been noticed that setting tells about the surrounding conditions and provides evidence, why certain things happen in the story.

References

Ruiz, R., & Rosa, A. (2018). The Development of the Feminist Self and the Quest for Identity in The Awakening and “The Storm.