Comparing Cadian Ball And The Storm By Kate Chopin

“’Cadian Ball” and “The Storm” Analysis

Among the several stories of star-crossed lovers that flood the history of writing over the course of many years, lies a pair of stories; “’Cadian Ball” and “The Storm” written by Kate Chopin. These two stories truly represent a common theme of a longing for freedom and the importance of class which encompasses many of Kate Chopin’s stories. The “’Cadian Ball” and ‘The Storm” tell the story of yet another duo, named Calixta and Alcee, who are completely in love with a thousand obstacles surrounding them. All the pair wants is to be free of prior commitments and logical thoughts, but, in the end, the story, of course, does not turn out the way they had hoped. Once again, Kate Chopin shows hope for the character’s freedom and possible willingness to forget the burden of social class,

but takes that freedom away before the story is concluded.
At the start of “’Cadian Ball,” Kate Chopin leads the reader to appreciate and love the character of Calixta, just as the other characters of the story, Alcee and Bobinot, do. The reader wants Calixta to end up happy with the man of her choosing, and, at first, this seems to be a possibility. This particular part in the story is the moment where the reader feels as though Calixta is a free young woman, able to choose her own destiny, but, in reality, she is just as tied down to her roots as everyone else. She still does not get to choose the man she loves because she has to marry up through the social classes and to someone more available than Alcee.
Alcee, on the other hand, is perceived by the reader early on as already tied down as opposed to Calixta’s illusion of freedom.

From the beginning of Alcee’s story, Clarisse, Alcee’s mother’s goddaughter, is a character that tells the reader that Alcee is not an option for Calixta, and as much as the reader wants Alcee and Calixta to be together, Clarisse is not going to allow that. Clarisse proves the reader right by going to Alcee and taking him away from Calixta, insuring that they cannot be together. At this point, the reader has lost all hope that Calixta and Alcee can be together, but then, “The Storm” comes.

“The Storm” starts out giving the reader a different feeling than “’Cadian Ball.” This time, instead of starting the story with a false since of freedom, the author gives the reader a since of Calixta being trapped in a boring and simple life. Although it is plain, Calixta does not have a horrible life. Her husband does not treat her poorly, she has a son that she loves dearly, and their family is not hurting for money. The only problem with Calixta’s life is that it is not the adventurous passionate life she could have had with

Alcee.
Calixta, as well as the reader, long for Calixta to have one chance to live out her wild fantasies, and for once, the hopes of the readers are fulfilled. When Alcee comes up to Calixta’s house, Bobinot and their son Bibi are away. To the delight of both Calixta and Alcee, as well as the reader, Alcee ends up with no choice other than to come into the house because of the large storm that is brewing. The reader is overjoyed at this point because Calixta is finally able to live out the life the readers had always wanted for her. As Calixta and Alcee ensue in passionate sex, the reader is given a thrilling feeling of relief for Calixta but is left anxiously wondering if Bobinot will return in the middle of it all. Overall the entire section of the story gives the reader a multitude of emotions, but, in the end, the reader is left wanting more. Alcee leaves, Bobinot returns, everything is left as it was before. The reader becomes frustrated because it is as if the most important and invigorating part of the stories had not happened at all. So, yet again, the reader if left wanting more from Alcee and wanting more freedom, just as Calixta is.