“Spunk,” by Zora Neale Hurston, is a short story about a man who appears masculine and fearless claiming another man’s wife, but the tables turn by the end of the story. The short story begins with Spunk, the main character, walking off with Lena Kanty. Joe Kanty knows about the affair, but is too timid to confront Spunk. “The Storm”, by Kate Chopin, is a short story about a woman who has intercourse with an old boyfriend, while her husband and son are at the store. While a storm is passing by Alcée happens to stop by and stays at Calixta’s during the storm. The two commit adultery, but never tell anyone. While there are many similarities between these two stories, there are also several differences. The central idea of “Spunk” is karma. Hurston demonstrates karma with the main character Spunk. When describing what happens to Spunk he says, “’Lige—the dirty hound pushed me in the back!” Spunk says “the dirty hound” in reference to Joe’s spirit whom pushes him for karma. When Elijah describes the bob cat roaming around Spunk’s house he says, “…stood right still an‘ looked him in the eye, an’ howled right at him” (2). Spunk says Joe did not look him in the face, and now Joe is back as a bobcat, whom directly looks at Spunk’s face to scare him. Hurston uses Joe’s spirit as an example of karma. …show more content…
The central idea of “The Storm” is adultery. Chopin condones the adultery between Calixta and Alcée. After Alcée leaves Calixta’s house, he writes a letter to his wife Chopin says, “It was a loving letter, full of tender solicitude. He told her not to hurry back, but if she and the babies liked it at Biloxi, to stay a month longer” (271). Alcée returns to his marrigage renewed, and he does not think about the wrong he has done. Obviously, Chopin condones the adultery as she does not present any punishment to either Calixta or Alcée. The two stories demonstrate different themes about affairs and adultery. In “Spunk” Hurston punishes Spunk for his affair with Lena Kanty. Hurston says, “Ah wuz loadin‘ a wagon wid scantlin’ right near the saw when Spunk fell on the carriage but ‘fore Ah could git to him the saw got him in the body—awful sight” (2). Spunk gets hurt as karma for what he does to the Kanty marriage. On the other hand, “The Storm” demonstrates a theme of condoning adultery. When Bobinôt and Bibi come home and ate dinner “… The three seated themselves at table they laughed much and so loud that anyone might have heard them as far away as Laballiere’s” (271). Calixta nor Alcée are punished for their actions. One of the main characters in Hurston’s short story is Lena Kanty. Lena can be seen as careless and unhappy. When Joe asks Lena if he is her husband Hurston says, “Lena looked at him real disgusted but she don’t answer and she don’t move outa her tracks” (2). Lena does not care that she is cheating on Joe in front of everyone. Also, for Lena to cheat in front of her husband she must be very unhappy with her marriage. Lena can also be described as a protagonist character. Even though Lena has an affair with Spunk, Spunk yells, “‘Doan give up whut’s yours, but when youse inside don’t forgit youse mine, an’ let no other man git outa his place wid you!’” (2). The reader cannot help but to feel sorry for Lena. She’s not happy in her marriage with Joe, but she suffers from verbal abuse from Spunk. Lena cannot win either way in her life. The main character in Chopin’s short story is Calixta. Calixta can been seen as a caring mother and wife. When Bobinôt and Bibi come home from the store Calixta says, “‘Oh, Bobinôt! You back! My! but I was uneasy. W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? he ain’t wet? he ain’t hurt?”’ (271) Calixta, like any other mother and wife, is very happy when her husband and son make it home safely. But, Calixta could also be acting this way to hide her guilt from her actions with Alcée. Calixta can also be seen as the protagonist of the story. When Alcée leaves Chopin says, “… She lifted her pretty chin in the air and laughed aloud” (270). If Calixta was truly happy in her marriage with Bobinôt she would have not commited adultery with Alcée. This can be seen as Calixta watching her true moment of happiness walk away from her. In “Spunk” and “The Storm” both female characters are seen as the protagonist. Even though Calixta and Lena are both unhappy in their own marriage, how they handle their actions are both different. Lena cheats in front of her husband without a care in the world. At the beginning of the story Elijah says, “‘Theah they go, big as life an' brassy as tacks’” (1). Everyone knows about Lena’s affair with Spunk, unlike Calixta and Alcée. At the end of “The Storm” Chopin says, “So the storm passed and everyone was happy” (271). Calixta’s family nor Alcée’s wife knows about what happens, therefore everyone is happy. Calixta, unlike Lena hides her actions form her family. Calixta tries to keep her family happy even after the adultery. In “Spunk” Hurston uses regional dialect as a language device in the story. The first language device Hurston uses is regional dialect. When a newcomer comes to the store he says, “Gimme some soda-water. Sass’prilla Ah reckon”. Hurston uses this dialogue to demonstrate the setting in the South, and a time before education is available to everyone. Hurston also uses the regional dialect to establish realism. Likewise, Chopin also uses regional dialect as a language device in her story. When speaking to Alcée Calixta says, “‘If this keeps up, Dieu sait if the levees goin’ stan’ it”’ (269). Like Hurston Chopin uses regional dialect to demonstrate the temporal setting is a time before education is available to everyone. Chopin also uses regional dialect to demonstrate that the setting takes place in Louisiana. “Dieu sait” comes from a French origin, and Louisiana was a major French settlement. Chopin allows Calixta to say “Dieu Sait” to enhance the setting in Louisiana. Also like Hursotn, Chopin uses regional dialect to establish realism in her story. By comparison, the authors of “Spunk and “The Storm” both use regional dialect to demonstrate the setting and to establish realism in their stories.
It helps the reader determine when the stories take place, but also allowing the reader to feel the characters’ emotions. When Spunk talks about Joe he says, “‘Joe come out there wid a meatax an' made me kill him’” (2). The way Hurston spells “with” and “metal ax” demonstrates how there is limited education. Likewise, when Calixta talks to her husband she says, “‘W’ere you been during the rain? An’ Bibi? he ain’t wet? he ain’t hurt?”’ (271) Chopin uses dialect to also demonstrate the limited education during the time of her
story. While both using protagonist characters and regional dialect, “Spunk” and “The Storm” are different in many ways. Calixta and Lena are both unhappy with their marriages, but how they handle their marriages are completely differently. Calixta is more discrete about her actions, while Lena does not care anymore. Each story has a different central idea. “Spunk” has a central theme about affairs, while “The Storm” has a central idea of adultery. Although the two are different, they could be seen as similar in a way. If Hurston goes more into detail about Lena and Spunk’s relationship the reader may have seen that they were committing adultery. Lastly, both authors use regional dialect to demonstrate the setting, and to establish realism.
The major conflict in Spunk is the two main male characters fighting over the love of Lena Kanty. The character Spunk is in love with Lena but she is married to Joe. Spunk still struts around town with Lena on his arm in front of the town, getting the loungers to talk. “A giant of a brown skinned man sauntered up the one street of the village…with a small pretty woman clinging lovingly to his arm” (Hurston). This displays Spunk and Lena not trying to hide their relationship from the towns people or Joe. Hurston also showed Joe’s cowardliness by stating, “Now Joe knew his wife had passed that way. He...
Tone is the attitude of the author uses in the main idea of this short story. Hurston’s tone towards "Spunk," is a mashup of irony and heavy notes of seriousness. The serious tone she uses in the story is because of women, Joe Kanty’s wife who is cheating on her human with what i think is the main antagonist Spunk."Now Joe knew his wife had passed that way. He knew that the men lounging in the general store had seen her, moreover, he know that the men knew he knew." (QUOTE1)Hurston used the hostility to forge a serious tone in the story. Moreover in the larger plot the conflict between Joe and Spunk, "Joe came out there wid a meat axe an’ made me kill him." (QUOTE2) This also sets a serious tone that Hurston used to build the conflict in order
A person’s perception of a situation, may be changed by the context of how others portray it to them. A persons feelings may be easily manipulated by the words of another if not in the right state of mind. Verbally, a person is able to bring out certain emotions that may not be of their usual nature. A persons persona, in some cases, is also able to shape the way others around them feel. For example, in the short story “spunk” written by Zora Neale Hurston, the main character, Spunk, was able to turn on the townspeople’s ability to manipulate Joe, through subtle verbal abuse. His personality is able to shape the townspeople’s better judgment on the situation. Spunks actions are able to make others act in the same manner as him. The
The destiny or fate following as effect from cause, also known as karma, overall classifies as an abstract idea. No one really knows if it is substantial or not; therefore, creating a lot of skeptics when it comes this concept. In life, when a person puts themselves aside and does a good deed for another, karma comes back in many forms for them. For example, when one does something charitable, later they may discover a ten dollar bill on the ground; some may believe karma disguised itself as the money while others deny that and claim it as no more than simply a coincidence. Skeptics deny and doubt any opinions regarding whether one’s actions, good or bad, find a way back at them; however, in the short story Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston, it seems that what goes
The short story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, deals with the subject of adultery. The story takes place in the early 1900’s. There are two main characters, Calixta (the wife) and Alcee (the former lover). Alcee must take refuge from a passing storm in Calixta’s house, while he is there the two end up making love while Calixta’s husband and son have to wait out the storm at the local store. By doing this Chopin implies the theme that is, adultery is natural and does not necessarily have negative consequences. Through out the story the constant changing of imagery plays a great role in the development of characters and their ability to demonstrate the theme.
In Kate Chopin’s “The Storm”, she offers an intoxicating account of two souls awakened by a storm. The story was composed on July 19, 1898. At this time in history women were considered objects, their sole purpose in life was to serve their husbands. In addition, social stratification was an important aspect of society that determined who they married. Calixta’s marriage could have been a product of an arrangement, making it of unnatural origin. Chopin points out singular characteristics of the storm to shed light on the uncommon strength of a marriage when it is not determined by social norms. Consequently, Chopin brings Calixta and Alceé together to embellish their passion, in which Calixta plays an active role rather than a submissive one.
One of the key components of literature is the usage of elements, these elements of literature provides readers underlying themes that authors put into their story. Without these elements of literature, the author would have no way to convey their true messages into their works. In Zora Neale Hurston’s story “Sweat”, Hurston uses many elements of literature to convey the seriousness and true relationship of couples that have a history of domestic violence. However, a specific element of literature that Hurston uses are symbols which give readers a clearer understanding of domestic abuse and most importantly, the characteristics of the victim and perpetrator of an abusive relationship. The symbols that Hurston uses in her story are what fortifies her plot and characters in “Sweat”. The symbols that Hurston uses are necessary because it destroys the typical gender role stereotypes between men and women. This is necessary because there is such a difference between the portrayal of men and women, men often being superior to women. Hurston uses through her symbol to show some equality between men and women or at points women can also be superior against men.
'The Storm' begins on a stormy spring day, with the protagonist Calixta at her sewing machine. She is alone, her husband Bobinot and son Bibi have gone to the store. Calixta seems to be a bored woman, confined to her duties as a housewife and mother. As the distant storm approaches she is unaware of what the storm brings, her former lover Alcee. Calixta allows Alcee into her home and opens her whole world to him. There is a connection between the storm that is going on outside and the storm of emotions going on in Calixta and Alcee. The weather sends Calixta into Alcee?s arms, he wraps his arms around her, and they can no longer hide their feelings for one another. They gave into their raging emotions and made love. Outside the weather was subsiding and Calixta and Alcee?s bodies felt relaxed and calmed. ?The rain was over; and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems.? (1614) His face beamed with light like the sun. The storm inside of her was satisfied and for a brief instant Calixta felt liberated from her ordinary dull life.
All in all, Kate Chopin is able to combine two very different aspects of life and involve the relationship and symbolism of the storm to physical needs, sexual desires, and new and profound joy. By bringing these two parallel subjects together, the author is able to show the deeper meaning of one simple word, “storm,” and reveal a story that shows the attitudes and beliefs towards marriage and sex. In doing so, Chopin creates a strong point of view between these two subjects and allows for the view of regulations of sex and marriage to be shown throughout her short story, “The Storm.”
Kate Chopin's "The Storm", is a short story about a brief love affair that takes place during a storm that has separated Calixta with her husband and son. The title "The Storm" is an obvious reference to the storm outside, but more importantly to the love affair that takes place. The title refers to nature, which is symbolically used again and again in the story. Chopin uses words like "somber clouds", "threatening roar", and "sinister intentions" to describe the approaching storm. Later in the story those same words in reference to the storm outside, will also be represented symbolically to the storm brewing inside with the love affair. In the beginning of the story Bobinot and his son Bibi stay at a store to let the storm pass by. Calixta, the wife , is at home by herself doing some chores around the house. As the storm starts to approach, Alcee rides in and asks Calixta if he could come in until the storm passes. It starts to rain immediately after he arrives. It's important to know that Alcee and Calixta had past together which he brings up to her later in the story. It is also stated that she has never seen him alone. The storm starts to increase outside, reflecting the sexual tension inside. The storm's sinister intention appears when "The rain beat upon the shingled roof that threatened to break an entrance...". It seems that the storm knows what is going on between the two and is threatening to break in and ruin their chances. They move through out the house and end up in the bedroom "with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious. The bed being white symbolizes purity. The two then make their way to the window to watch the storm outside when lightning strikes nearby, falling back into his arms. The storm in a sense seems to be forcing them together now. They then embrace each other in the peek of the storm where things really start to get stormy in the love affair. The two then start making out yahda, yahda, yahda. The thunder is now distant and passing away. The storm outside turns into a soft, lighter rain, being symbolic that the storm is ending.
Relationships force individuals to sacrifice some of their aspirations and ideals which leads to emotional wounds. Zora Neale Hurston uses an extended metaphor with symbolic images to expose the internal conflicts that arise from complications within relationships. Hurston constantly refers back to a vision of a blossoming tree to develop a symbol of Janie’s life, focusing on love. The author says: “The vision of Logan Killicks was desecrating the pear tree, . . .” (Hurston 83). This image is used to illustrate the power of a new relationship in Janie’s life. Her soon to be husband, Logan, will damage her tree. By including this metaphor, the author simplifies the abstract concept of love to an image that is seen in day to day life. As the reader follows Janie, he or she is able to understand her feelings through the symbol of the tree.
Throughout history writers have offered readers lessons through themes and often symbolized. In the story, “The Storm” by Kate Chopin is quite different from “The Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid; both have a different theme, symbol, throughout the stories. “The Storm” in Kate Chopin 's story can symbolize a number of different things: temporary, fleeting and quick action, and without consequences.
"Wading through waist high weeds, Alice Walker stumbled upon a sunken rectangular patch of ground", under it lay the forgotten literary genius of the South: Zora Neale Hurston (Boyd 2). Zora Neale Hurston, was an African-American novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist during the 1920s in Harlem, New York. The 1920s, also known as The Harlem Renaissance, African-Americans were able to express and represent their culture in its entirety, which until then had been pushed aside by the Whites. During this era Hurston not only embraced her culture, but provided women with a model on how to effectively contribute to it themselves. She showed them what it was like to be a woman writer and speak up for what she believed in regardless of the racial
Calixta and Alce, the two main characters in the short story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, are sexual, mature, and knowing adults. By having them discover amazing sex outside their marriages, they return to their own marriages renewed. Chopin openly condones adultery due to the fact that the characters are not punished and in the end “everyone was happy” (paragraph 40) . A common theme of fresh sexuality and desire is seen in this story though symbols and other literary elements. Kate Chopin is an American author that wrote short stories and novels in the 20th century.
Storytelling has been a common pastime for centuries. Over the years it has evolved into different styles containing different themes. Kate Chopin, a well-known author of the 20th century, wrote stories about the secrets in women’s lives that no one dared to speak of. Her work was not always appreciated and even considered scandalous, but it opened up a world that others were too afraid to touch. In Chopin’s story “The Storm,” a woman has an affair that causes an unlikely effect. The story’s two themes are portrayed greatly through an abundance of imagery and symbolism, along with the two main characters themselves.