The Storm Within the StormIn the short story “The Tempest” by Kate Chopin, the two main characters, Calixta and Alcee, had chemistry several years before the adulterous affair occurred . One day, during a storm, the two came together and lit the flame that once existed. This is the basis of the story, a storm within two marriages. Behind the subliminal words of the story lies a deeper meaning. “The Storm” helps define sexual norms in the late 19th century while making a dominant statement regarding human sexual instincts and needs. The storm evokes pent-up emotions that Calixta and Alcee eventually act on. One critic, Robert Wilson, further suggests that “Chopin's title refers to nature, which is symbolically feminine; the storm can therefore be considered as a symbol of female sexuality and passion, and the image of the storm will return again and again throughout history" (1). At the beginning of the story, Bobinot, Calixta's husband, who was presented as a caring husband and loving father, knew what his wife loved and. ...