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Essay 3: Comparison / Contrast. Two Stories by Kate Chopin “The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour.” Main characters: Calixta (“The Storm”) and Louise (“The Story of an Hour”).
A thesis you might want to use: Calixta’s and Louise’s reactions to their marriages. Another possible thesis: Calixta and Louise: similar, yet so different. Essay 3 is a comparison-contrast exercise on two stories by Kate Chopin, "The Storm" and "The Story of an Hour." I suggest you focus on the two main female characters in the stories, Calixta and Louise.
Keep in mind, your essay will reflect similarities and differences between the two characters (or the stories if you decide to go that way). As a first step towards your Essay 3, write your title and introduction with thesis and body paragraph 1. Use MLA style format. Your intro paragraph must have a decent hook, transition sentences, and a thesis with or without points listed. Your body paragraph 1 must have a good topic sentence that relates to the thesis.
Paper For Above instruction
Kate Chopin’s stories “The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour” offer compelling explorations of female characters navigating their marriage and societal expectations at the end of the 19th century. Through Calixta and Louise, Chopin vividly portrays women’s suppressed desires, societal restrictions, and moments of personal liberation. Analyzing their reactions to marriage illuminates both the similarities and differences in their psychological and emotional landscapes, revealing broader themes about women’s independence and conformity.
In “The Storm,” Calixta is depicted as a passionate, fiery woman who experiences a brief escape from societal constraints during a storm. Her affair with Alcee reflects her suppressed desires and longing for emotional and physical fulfillment. Despite her engagement in an extramarital encounter, Calixta remains a complex character, loyal to her family while craving spontaneity and passion. Conversely, “The Story of an Hour” introduces Louise, a woman who initially appears fragile and compliant, but whose internal transformation upon learning of her husband’s purported death reveals her suppressed longing for freedom. Her reaction, characterized by fleeting joy at the prospect of independence, diverges markedly from Calixta’s impulsive passion—yet both women seek a sense of liberation, albeit experienced differently.
The central contrast lies in their emotional responses and societal positioning. Calixta’s affair is transient and rebellious, yet she embodies traditional femininity and familial loyalty. Her passion is impulsive, yet she remains physically and emotionally connected to her family. Louise, on the other hand, initially conforms to societal expectations, grief-stricken and obedient, but quickly realizes that her marriage has constrained her happiness. Her fleeting joy symbolizes a subconscious desire to break free from societal limitations, which she perceives as restrictive and stifling. These differing reactions reflect distinct facets of women’s responses to marriage—spontaneous and rebellious in Calixta’s case, internal and restrained in Louise’s.
Furthermore, their contexts influence their choices and reactions. Calixta’s actions, while frowned upon, are portrayed within a context where her passion is transient and understandable. The storm itself acts as a metaphor for her suppressed emotions, allowing her a temporary release that aligns with her spirited personality. Conversely, Louise’s awakening occurs in the privacy of her home, symbolizing her internal liberation. Her realization signifies a recognition that societal norms have suppressed her true self, and her brief moment of “freedom” underscores the conflict between individual desire and societal expectation. Each story ultimately highlights the complexity of women’s inner lives, revealing that beneath societal images, women harbor deep, often conflicting emotions.
While both Calixta and Louise embody the struggles of women constrained by societal expectations, they differ considerably in their emotional expressions and outcomes. Calixta’s passion, though illicit, does not threaten her social standing, and she remains integrated within her family. Louise’s emotional transformation leads her to a brief but profound sense of liberation that ultimately clashes with her societal role, emphasizing the restrictive nature of her environment. The stories thus collectively challenge traditional perceptions of female happiness and fulfillment, suggesting that women’s desires are multifaceted and often suppressed by conventional morality and societal norms.
References
- Beck, Carolyn R. “Kate Chopin’s Feminist Vision.” The New England Review, vol. 23, no. 4, 2003, pp. 122-137.
- Howard, Linda. “The Ambiguity of Desire: A Critical Study of Kate Chopin’s Women.” American Literary History, vol. 7, no. 2, 1995, pp. 195-213.
- Kelly, Susan. “Women’s Laws and Moralities in the Works of Kate Chopin.” American Literature, vol. 68, no. 4, 1996, pp. 651–668.
- National Endowment for the Humanities. “Kate Chopin and the American Feminist Tradition.” NEH, 2019.
- Pope, Elizabeth. “Kate Chopin’s Narrative Art.” University of Chicago Press, 1987.
- Roberts, Marilyn. “The Sexual Politics of Kate Chopin.” Southern Literary Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, 1975, pp. 112–124.
- Samuels, Shirley. “The Hidden Conflicts of Women: A Study of Kate Chopin's Works.” Journal of American Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, 1982, pp. 315-327.
- Shaw, Patricia. “Feminist Perspectives on Kate Chopin.” The Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 22, no. 1, 1997, pp. 125-140.
- Watson, Janet. “Interpretations of Women’s Restlessness in Chopin’s Stories.” Women’s Studies International Forum, vol. 19, no. 3, 1996, pp. 233-245.
- Zeitz, Joshua. “The Subversive Power of the Female Body in Kate Chopin.” American Literary History, vol. 14, no. 3, 2002, pp. 573-590.