I will really appreciate if any instructor can help me go over this paper quickly because it is due tonight. I was only given two days to write this, and it really took a lot of effort to put this together. Thanks.
Instruction: Write a critical essay on Kate Chopin's "The Storm," William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home," or Ralph Ellison's "Battle Royal," using one of the approaches below.
I used approach #2
Approach #2: Biographical Analysis
Illuminate your reading of one of the selected works by considering the author's biography. In your essay, show how biographical context of the author is relevant to your interpretation of the work.
Marriage had been known to be traditionally dominated by the man while the woman is expected to be submissive in all forms. In the late 1800's women are not expected to express their displeasure in marriage. Marriage was known to be the "happily ever after" indeed. Kate Chopin-being an independent widow after her husband's death - decided to be the voice of the woman of that time by writing stories about how the women feel suppressed and confined sexually and spiritually to their marriage. The general society at that time does not give room for women to be open-minded. In the story "The Storm," which was not published immediately until after Chopin dead, due to its sexual content This helps to set the reader's mind to the time when the women are not allowed to express their sexual desire. In "The Storm" we see a woman who tries to conform to the societal norm of marriage, but find another means to fulfill her sexual desire which gives her joy and satisfaction.
Literally, "The storm" means a disturbance of the normal condition of the atmosphere, manifesting itself by winds of unusual force or direction, often accompanied by rain, snow, hail, thunder, and lightning, or flying sand or dust. Chopin uses the storm to illustrate the sexual tension that was sustained throughout the story between the character of Calixta and Alcee. Some critic suggested that Chopin's title refers to nature, which symbolizes feminine; therefore the title illustrates the image of feminine sexually and passion. I agree with this opinion, and this can be related Chopin's background which is made up of mostly widowed woman. It concurs with the information that the discrepancies in her life, led her to become an independent writer, and an activist.
In the beginning of the story, Bobinot- Calixta's husband was introduced as a caring husband and loving father. He knew what his wife loves and decided to buy it for her. This is to show that Bobinot was happy with his marriage. He will do anything to avoid getting into trouble with his wife. Calixta was said to be sewing furiously by the window side at home, unaware of the storm. Calixta can also be described as a devoted wife who works hard to make her home better, but was unaware of the approaching storm. Chopin illustrated that before the storm everything was fine. The woman sexuality was shown to be constraint as represented by the house chores Calixta performs. It can be deduced that Chopin is trying to tell the reader that not all act of adultery was intended. From her biography by Emily Toth, it was read that she had an affair with a married man called Albert Sampite which bloom after Chopin's husband's death. Chopin is trying to show the world that woman's hidden sexual desire can be erupted uncontrollably when she finds the right person, and not every woman finds joy in the assumed happy marriage.
More so, Chopin uses the house chores Calixta focuses on to symbolize the constraints of marriage and the unperceived need for sexuality. When Alcee came into the house, Calixta tried everything possible to repress her sexual urge for Alcee by keeping Bobinot and Bibi in mind, but this was overpowered by her sexual urge. "Alcée flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which she had been sewing (P II)." Calixta knew she was sexually attracted to Alcee, but must conform to the societal norm of honesty in marriage. Chopin was said to have attend a catholic boarding school which influence her idea about the need to keep the bed undefiled. Everywoman is expected to maintain honesty in her marriage during Chopin's time no matter what the husband does.
During the storm in the story, Calixta put everything aside and finally decided to let her desire take over her. Calixta knew this will be a betrayal to her marriage but was determined to carry on with the act. The storm Alcee seeks shelter from can be addressed as the societal obstacle in their world while the storm inside is the Calixta's forbidden fervor up inside the house with them. Chopin continually uses the storm as a symbol in the story.
The joy in Calixta heart during the sexual act was immeasurable. "When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very borderland of life's mystery"(P II). The author's description of Calixta at the beginning as being frustrated and furious was changed, and expressed as being happy and fulfilled during the act. Chopin is trying to portray to the reader that when women are sexually fulfilled, their mood and attitudes change for better. Chopin further described Calixta's mood saying "the generous abundance of her passion, without guile or trickery, was like a white flame which penetrated and found response in depths of his own sensuous nature that had never yet been reached (p II)." Calixta experienced what could be described as her climax. It was shown that Calixta had longed for this, but was more committed to managing her marriage the way it is.
At the end of the story, when the rain storm was over; "and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems,"" Calixta, on the gallery, watched Alcée ride away. He turned and smiled at her with a beaming face; and she lifted her pretty chin in the air and laughed aloud (p III)." Calixta did not feel guilty for what she did, neither did Alcee. They both acted like nothing happened and decided to be nicer to their spouse and have a better home. The massage Chopin seems to be passing at the end of the story was that, so far the woman is happy with what she did; the society- the external storm- can be over looked. Chopin used the illustration of the sun turning the world into a palace of gems as a new life after the internal storm Calixta experienced was over.
In conclusion, "The Storm" is not only a story about humans' innate sexual tendencies, but this story also represents the sexual reservations of Chopin's particular time period. Chopin seemed to be more connected with her feminine sexuality due to her background. Through Chopin's writing of this story, she was able to communicate her own thoughts about sexuality, and was also able to make a concealed declaration about her mind-set on the sexual way of life of the modern time era. "The Storm" continues Chopin's argument with the theme of the difficulty of the marriage and the sexuality of women. She portrays the marital problems of the 1800's and was not afraid to talk about her opinion.
Instruction: Write a critical essay on Kate Chopin's "The Storm," William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home," or Ralph Ellison's "Battle Royal," using one of the approaches below.
I used approach #2
Approach #2: Biographical Analysis
Illuminate your reading of one of the selected works by considering the author's biography. In your essay, show how biographical context of the author is relevant to your interpretation of the work.
Critical Essay on "The Storm" by Kate Chopin
Marriage had been known to be traditionally dominated by the man while the woman is expected to be submissive in all forms. In the late 1800's women are not expected to express their displeasure in marriage. Marriage was known to be the "happily ever after" indeed. Kate Chopin-being an independent widow after her husband's death - decided to be the voice of the woman of that time by writing stories about how the women feel suppressed and confined sexually and spiritually to their marriage. The general society at that time does not give room for women to be open-minded. In the story "The Storm," which was not published immediately until after Chopin dead, due to its sexual content This helps to set the reader's mind to the time when the women are not allowed to express their sexual desire. In "The Storm" we see a woman who tries to conform to the societal norm of marriage, but find another means to fulfill her sexual desire which gives her joy and satisfaction.
Literally, "The storm" means a disturbance of the normal condition of the atmosphere, manifesting itself by winds of unusual force or direction, often accompanied by rain, snow, hail, thunder, and lightning, or flying sand or dust. Chopin uses the storm to illustrate the sexual tension that was sustained throughout the story between the character of Calixta and Alcee. Some critic suggested that Chopin's title refers to nature, which symbolizes feminine; therefore the title illustrates the image of feminine sexually and passion. I agree with this opinion, and this can be related Chopin's background which is made up of mostly widowed woman. It concurs with the information that the discrepancies in her life, led her to become an independent writer, and an activist.
In the beginning of the story, Bobinot- Calixta's husband was introduced as a caring husband and loving father. He knew what his wife loves and decided to buy it for her. This is to show that Bobinot was happy with his marriage. He will do anything to avoid getting into trouble with his wife. Calixta was said to be sewing furiously by the window side at home, unaware of the storm. Calixta can also be described as a devoted wife who works hard to make her home better, but was unaware of the approaching storm. Chopin illustrated that before the storm everything was fine. The woman sexuality was shown to be constraint as represented by the house chores Calixta performs. It can be deduced that Chopin is trying to tell the reader that not all act of adultery was intended. From her biography by Emily Toth, it was read that she had an affair with a married man called Albert Sampite which bloom after Chopin's husband's death. Chopin is trying to show the world that woman's hidden sexual desire can be erupted uncontrollably when she finds the right person, and not every woman finds joy in the assumed happy marriage.
More so, Chopin uses the house chores Calixta focuses on to symbolize the constraints of marriage and the unperceived need for sexuality. When Alcee came into the house, Calixta tried everything possible to repress her sexual urge for Alcee by keeping Bobinot and Bibi in mind, but this was overpowered by her sexual urge. "Alcée flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which she had been sewing (P II)." Calixta knew she was sexually attracted to Alcee, but must conform to the societal norm of honesty in marriage. Chopin was said to have attend a catholic boarding school which influence her idea about the need to keep the bed undefiled. Everywoman is expected to maintain honesty in her marriage during Chopin's time no matter what the husband does.
During the storm in the story, Calixta put everything aside and finally decided to let her desire take over her. Calixta knew this will be a betrayal to her marriage but was determined to carry on with the act. The storm Alcee seeks shelter from can be addressed as the societal obstacle in their world while the storm inside is the Calixta's forbidden fervor up inside the house with them. Chopin continually uses the storm as a symbol in the story.
The joy in Calixta heart during the sexual act was immeasurable. "When he touched her breasts they gave themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very borderland of life's mystery"(P II). The author's description of Calixta at the beginning as being frustrated and furious was changed, and expressed as being happy and fulfilled during the act. Chopin is trying to portray to the reader that when women are sexually fulfilled, their mood and attitudes change for better. Chopin further described Calixta's mood saying "the generous abundance of her passion, without guile or trickery, was like a white flame which penetrated and found response in depths of his own sensuous nature that had never yet been reached (p II)." Calixta experienced what could be described as her climax. It was shown that Calixta had longed for this, but was more committed to managing her marriage the way it is.
At the end of the story, when the rain storm was over; "and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems,"" Calixta, on the gallery, watched Alcée ride away. He turned and smiled at her with a beaming face; and she lifted her pretty chin in the air and laughed aloud (p III)." Calixta did not feel guilty for what she did, neither did Alcee. They both acted like nothing happened and decided to be nicer to their spouse and have a better home. The massage Chopin seems to be passing at the end of the story was that, so far the woman is happy with what she did; the society- the external storm- can be over looked. Chopin used the illustration of the sun turning the world into a palace of gems as a new life after the internal storm Calixta experienced was over.
In conclusion, "The Storm" is not only a story about humans' innate sexual tendencies, but this story also represents the sexual reservations of Chopin's particular time period. Chopin seemed to be more connected with her feminine sexuality due to her background. Through Chopin's writing of this story, she was able to communicate her own thoughts about sexuality, and was also able to make a concealed declaration about her mind-set on the sexual way of life of the modern time era. "The Storm" continues Chopin's argument with the theme of the difficulty of the marriage and the sexuality of women. She portrays the marital problems of the 1800's and was not afraid to talk about her opinion.
