The Similar Women in Kate Chopin's "The Storm" and "Desiree's Baby" Essay Example
Ashley Trull
Patrick Green
English 102
February 6, 2011
Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby”:
The Similar Women Women have forever been portrayed as curious, deceitful, beautiful creatures that capture the hearts and minds of men and Kate Chopin does a fantastic job of portraying women in her amazingly talented short stories. While the stories may be short, the roundness of the characters and plots are intricate, and are nothing short of depictive. For example as she speaks of when Armand falls in love with Desiree, “the passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.” (Kate Chopin, 116) She also does just as well, if not better, of a job describing Calixta:
She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, disheveled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples.
It’s almost as if we can see Calixta in our minds from reading this passage (17). Chopin’s main female roles in “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby” share their love for their children and their love for someone they care for, but Calixta does not seem to care for her husband while Desiree is very devoted to her spouse. The mothers in “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby” both seem to care about their children deeply and love them no matter what their problems with their spouses. Surprisingly in “The Storm”, “Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety” as Chopin states referring to Bobinôt and Bibi’s being away from home during the storm (16). Calixta does not know at this point that a storm was on its way, as she was deep in her sewing. She soon realized the danger, however, when Alcee arrived and the storm made its danger known, “"Bonté!" she cried, releasing herself from
Patrick Green
English 102
February 6, 2011
Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby”:
The Similar Women Women have forever been portrayed as curious, deceitful, beautiful creatures that capture the hearts and minds of men and Kate Chopin does a fantastic job of portraying women in her amazingly talented short stories. While the stories may be short, the roundness of the characters and plots are intricate, and are nothing short of depictive. For example as she speaks of when Armand falls in love with Desiree, “the passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.” (Kate Chopin, 116) She also does just as well, if not better, of a job describing Calixta:
She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, disheveled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples.
It’s almost as if we can see Calixta in our minds from reading this passage (17). Chopin’s main female roles in “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby” share their love for their children and their love for someone they care for, but Calixta does not seem to care for her husband while Desiree is very devoted to her spouse. The mothers in “The Storm” and “Desiree’s Baby” both seem to care about their children deeply and love them no matter what their problems with their spouses. Surprisingly in “The Storm”, “Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety” as Chopin states referring to Bobinôt and Bibi’s being away from home during the storm (16). Calixta does not know at this point that a storm was on its way, as she was deep in her sewing. She soon realized the danger, however, when Alcee arrived and the storm made its danger known, “"Bonté!" she cried, releasing herself from