The Storm Irony

“The Storm”

Irony can be seen in many ways, whether it be situational irony or dramatic irony. Either way, it can set the mood of the story and shows the purpose of what the author is trying to portray. Kate Chopin is famous for irony in many of her stories. It may be a personal experience, or it may be her creative way of writing. From an analytical view of “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, it shows the irony of the son and father worrying about Calixta, Calixta and Alce committing the affair, and the affair helped both of their marriages.

The first ironic event that happened before the storm hit was when Bibi and Bobinot were thinking about Calixta having no idea what was going on with her. Even though they were worried about her fearing the storm, she was more scared for their safety. “I got enough to do! An’ there’s Bobinot with Bibi out in that storm—if he only didn’ left Friedheimer’s!” (89) She didn’t

know the magnitude of the storm until it hit. “Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety.” (88) Also, seeing the storm come, Bobinot thought of his wife and bought her a can of shrimps. What’s so ironic about that is when Calixta thought of him, she did something very selfish and unthoughtful. She committed an affair, having no idea what would happen after everything was said and done between her and Alcee.
The second ironic event that happened during the storm was the unjustified affair between Alcee and Calixta. During all the sexual tension, she thought of her family. That should have pulled her back. Instead, their longing for each other was too strong. She gave in to that deep desire for him and put herself before her own family. “If she was no and immaculate dove in those days, she was still inviolate; a passionate creature whose very defenselessness had made her defense, against which his honor forbade him to prevail.” (89) The ironic thing about that is that nothing happened between Calixta and Alcee until they were both married to other people. Bobinot told Bibi he should be ashamed of himself for getting the mud all over him. He told him that mother would be angry. “Then, prepared for the worst—the meeting with an over-scrupulous housewife, they entered cautiously at the back door.” (90) What’s ironic about that is that she would get angry about mud being all over her son even though she did something that should make her feel ashamed. Instead, she was ecstatic to see her family.
The third ironic event that happened after the storm passed was that the affair didn’t affect them on their marriages negatively.

As soon as their old passion for each other, they acted as if nothing happened. “He turned and smiled at her with a beaming face; and she lifted her pretty chin in the air and laughed aloud.” (90) Instead of guilt eating away at them, they felt more obligated to put forth more effort toward their marriages. Calixta greeted her family, happy they made it home safe. Bobinot just knew she was going to be angry at them. “Bobinot’s explanations and apologies which he had been composing all along the way, died on his lips as Calixta felt him to see if he were dry, and seemed to express nothing but satisfaction at their safe return.” (90) In the five years they were together, that was out of character of her. He knew that and still didn’t think anything of it. Alcee also went off and wrote his wife, Clarisse, a love letter that night, telling her to come home whenever she was ready. He showed no sign of guilt or shame in that love

letter.
Throughout this story is a trail of irony. The setting of the storm played the whole affair out, almost as if the storm brought them together for a purpose. They didn’t know that the affair would happen, but the storm did. They never thought about the affair again and went on to improve what felt broken in their separate lives. The irony in the story is the audience knows what is happening as the storm shadows the affair from the other characters. The analysis from the story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin was the irony of the son and father worrying about Calixta, Calixta and Alcee committing the affair, and the affair helping both of their marriages.