The Storm

by

Kate Chopin

The protagonist of the story, Calixta is Bobinôt’s wife, Bibi’s mother, and Alcée Laballière’s former girlfriend. The story details Calixta’s transformation from overworked, “over-scrupulous” housewife to a cheerful, reinvigorated woman, which is the result of a chance sexual encounter with Alcée. When Alcée spontaneously drops by the house in search of shelter from the thunderstorm while Bobinôt and Bibi are out, the two former lovers use the opportunity to briefly rekindle their love affair. Before she has sex with Alcée, Calixta is stressed out from all of her household duties. She’s introduced sewing clothes for her family, so focused on her work that she hardly realizes a storm is approaching. In contrast, Alcée remembers that, in her youth, Calixta was a passionate young woman. As they have sex, Alcée watches Calixta let go of her stress, and she rediscovers the passion of her youth. For the first time in the story, Calixta appears happy—smiling, laughing, and feeling pleasure. Through sex with Alcée, Calixta re-engages with the sensual part of her personality, which allows Calixta to act as a generous and loving person to both herself and Alcée. Furthermore, after Calixta has sex with Alcee, Calixta is far more thoughtful and pleasant towards family, highlighting the story’s overarching claim that love only breeds more love.

Calixta Quotes in The Storm

The The Storm quotes below are all either spoken by Calixta or refer to Calixta. 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:
Sex, Gender, and Liberation Theme Icon
).
Part 1 Quotes

“Mama’ll be ’fraid, yes,” he suggested with blinking eyes.

“She’ll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie helpin’ her this evenin’,” Bobinôt responded reassuringly.

“No; she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin’ her yistiday,” piped Bibi.

Related Characters: Bobinôt (speaker), Bibi (speaker), Calixta, Sylvie
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm
Page Number: 267
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Quotes

Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face, on which the perspiration gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat.

Related Characters: Calixta, Bobinôt, Bibi
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm, The Color White
Page Number: 267
Explanation and Analysis:

“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.

Related Characters: Calixta (speaker), Alcée Laballière
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 268
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.

Related Characters: Calixta, Alcée Laballière
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm, The Color White
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 268
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 3 Quotes

“Oh, Bobinôt! You back! My! but I was uneasy. W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? he ain’t wet? he ain’t hurt?” She had clasped Bibi and was kissing him effusively.

Bobinôt’s explanations and apologies which he had been composing all along the way, died on his lips as Calixta felt him to see if he were dry, and seemed to express nothing but satisfaction at their safe return.

“I brought you some shrimps, Calixta,” offered Bobinôt, hauling the can from his ample side pocket and laying it on the table.

“Shrimps! Oh, Bobinôt! you too good fo’ anything!” and she gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek that resounded. “J ’vous reponds, we’ll have a feas’ to-night! umph-umph!”

Related Characters: Calixta (speaker), Bobinôt (speaker), Bibi
Related Symbols: Shrimp
Page Number: 271
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Storm LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Storm PDF

Calixta Quotes in The Storm

The The Storm quotes below are all either spoken by Calixta or refer to Calixta. 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:
Sex, Gender, and Liberation Theme Icon
).
Part 1 Quotes

“Mama’ll be ’fraid, yes,” he suggested with blinking eyes.

“She’ll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie helpin’ her this evenin’,” Bobinôt responded reassuringly.

“No; she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin’ her yistiday,” piped Bibi.

Related Characters: Bobinôt (speaker), Bibi (speaker), Calixta, Sylvie
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm
Page Number: 267
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Quotes

Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face, on which the perspiration gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat.

Related Characters: Calixta, Bobinôt, Bibi
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm, The Color White
Page Number: 267
Explanation and Analysis:

“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.

Related Characters: Calixta (speaker), Alcée Laballière
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 268
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.

Related Characters: Calixta, Alcée Laballière
Related Symbols: The Thunderstorm, The Color White
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 268
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 3 Quotes

“Oh, Bobinôt! You back! My! but I was uneasy. W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? he ain’t wet? he ain’t hurt?” She had clasped Bibi and was kissing him effusively.

Bobinôt’s explanations and apologies which he had been composing all along the way, died on his lips as Calixta felt him to see if he were dry, and seemed to express nothing but satisfaction at their safe return.

“I brought you some shrimps, Calixta,” offered Bobinôt, hauling the can from his ample side pocket and laying it on the table.

“Shrimps! Oh, Bobinôt! you too good fo’ anything!” and she gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek that resounded. “J ’vous reponds, we’ll have a feas’ to-night! umph-umph!”

Related Characters: Calixta (speaker), Bobinôt (speaker), Bibi
Related Symbols: Shrimp
Page Number: 271
Explanation and Analysis: