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Part 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Storm, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sex, Gender, and Liberation
Sex and Nature
Marriage and Infidelity
Summary
Analysis
Meanwhile, Alcée writes a “tender” letter to his wife, Clarisse, who, along with their children, is vacationing in Biloxi, Mississippi. In the letter, Alcée tells his wife that, although he does miss her, she and “the babies” should feel free to stay longer in Biloxi so long as they’re happy. He explains that he’s “willing” to withstand the distance because his family’s “health and pleasure” are his highest priorities.
After sleeping with Calixta, Alcée is inspired to express affection towards his wife in a letter, suggesting that love only creates more love. Thus, like Clarisse, Alcée appears happy within this own family so long as he doesn’t depend solely on his spouse for physical intimacy. As indicated his offer for the family to stay longer in Biloxi, Alcée seems to realize that his family wants to spend more time away. Readers thus get the sense that Alcée is perhaps a somewhat needy husband who wants more attention than his wife wants to give. As such, readers may infer that the time with Calixta allows Alcée to meet all his needs, which may otherwise go unmet within his marriage. Moreover, Alcée might see his family's extended stay in Biloxi as more opportunities to have sex with Calixta. If this is the case, Alcée may view sex with Calixta as an act that improves the "health and pleasure" of his vacationing family.
Themes
