Comparison Of Social Norms In The Hands By Sherwood Anderson And The Storm

Social norms are acceptable until they start destroying the psychological states of individuals. When the sexualities of individuals are repressed, symptoms of psychological deterioration occur due to restrictive social norms. These are the circumstances in “The Hands” by Sherwood Anderson and “The Storm” by Kate Chopin. In “The Hands,” Wing Biddlebaum once known as a teacher named Adolph Myers at a boy’s school is chased to a new town in Ohio where he is repressed and fearful of society because he is a homosexual during a time when only heterosexuality is accepted. In “The Storm,” a woman named Calixta is in a restrictive position as a housewife. When she is alone, her past lover, Alcee, coincidentally comes by the house and they have an affair which ultimately relieves her depression. Both protagonists are put in restrictive positions
The setting of the house during the storm develops an environment of solitude without guilt normally caused by social norms. The removal of social norms and the complete isolation of the setting allow Calixta to fully express her sexuality. Since “the rain was coming down in sheets and obscuring the view of far-off cabins,” Calixta and Alcee were completely isolated from the rest of society(Chopin). The setting during the storm “is remarkable...for the freedom it asserts in the face of the suffocating conventionality of the 1890’s”(Bender 158). The momentary setting with the storm creates a world within the world where no restrictions exist and where Calixta is free to express her sexuality. The intensity of this setting does not scare Calixta. The purpose of the setting is to show a contrast between surroundings with restrictive norms versus the absence of these norms. Ultimately the house during the storm gives Calixta freedom of expression. A similar situation occurs in Wing Biddlebaum’s life as a