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Calixta
Calixta’s former boyfriend (a relationship detailed in the story’s prequel, “At the ’Cadian Ball”), Clarisse’s husband, and the father of at least two children. Alcée is the catalyst for Calixta’s transformation, as the pair’s sexual encounter reconnects Calixta with her younger self and makes the stressed-out woman more lighthearted and joyful. Chopin uses Alcée’s qualities as a gentleman to frame the illicit encounter, writing that as a younger man, “[his] honor forbade” him from having sex with young Calixta. Likewise, with the thunderstorm picking up outside, Alcée hesitates to put himself alone with Calixta, and only asks to enter Calixta’s porch when the rain intensifies and he must take refuge inside for his safety. Taken together, Chopin presents Alcée as someone who’s not actively seeking an opportunity to be alone with Calixta. Alcée is likewise described as a loving, albeit distant, husband and father in regards to his own family: when he leaves Calixta, Alcée writes a tender letter to his wife. In that letter, he permits his wife to stay longer on her trip (presumably her preference), indicating that with his sexual needs meet elsewhere, he’s willing to give his wife more affection and more freedom.
Alcée Laballière Quotes in The Storm
The The Storm quotes below are all either spoken by Alcée Laballière or refer to Alcée Laballière. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 2
Quotes
“My! what a rain! It’s good two years sence it rain’ like that,” exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alcée helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.
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He pushed her hair back from her face that was warm and steaming. Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. As she glanced up at him the fear in her liquid blue eyes had given place to a drowsy gleam that unconsciously betrayed a sensuous desire.
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Part 4
Quotes
Alcée Laballiere wrote to his wife, Clarisse, that night. It was a loving letter, full of tender solicitude. He told her not to hurry back, but if she and the babies liked it at Biloxi, to stay a month longer. He was getting on nicely; and though he missed them, he was willing to bear the separation a while longer—realizing that their health and pleasure were the first things to be considered.
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Part 5
Quotes
And the first free breath since her marriage seemed to restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while. So the storm passed and every one was happy.
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Alcée Laballière Quotes in The Storm
The The Storm quotes below are all either spoken by Alcée Laballière or refer to Alcée Laballière. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 2
Quotes
“My! what a rain! It’s good two years sence it rain’ like that,” exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alcée helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
He pushed her hair back from her face that was warm and steaming. Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. As she glanced up at him the fear in her liquid blue eyes had given place to a drowsy gleam that unconsciously betrayed a sensuous desire.
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Part 4
Quotes
Alcée Laballiere wrote to his wife, Clarisse, that night. It was a loving letter, full of tender solicitude. He told her not to hurry back, but if she and the babies liked it at Biloxi, to stay a month longer. He was getting on nicely; and though he missed them, he was willing to bear the separation a while longer—realizing that their health and pleasure were the first things to be considered.
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Part 5
Quotes
And the first free breath since her marriage seemed to restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while. So the storm passed and every one was happy.
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