Adultery in America

Often times, we see members of our society in monogamous relationships fall into adultery. Sometimes it happens unconsciously, by chance, or in other scenarios, a cheating spouse may find themselves seeking a form of fulfillment in another person. Either way, an affair entails a marital infraction that can negatively impact the relationship between a fellow spouse and interactions with family members. A work of literature in which the theme of adultery is present is "The Storm" by Kate Chopin; in this short story, wife Calixta submits to an affair with past lover Alcee. The audience can recognize the impact the act of adultery had on Calixta's feelings and mannerisms towards her husband Bobinot and Bibi. The theme of adultery evident in Kate Chopin's "The Storm" correlates with infidelity within family relations in America, where in both situations, adultery results in a negative impact.

When Kate Chopin initially gives insight of Calixta's attitude towards her husband and child, the wife was said to have "felt no uneasiness for their safety" while they were deserted at a convenience store in the middle of a storm (1). This is when the reader can conclude that Calixta is obviously preoccupied with other things, rather than being concerned with the well-being of her family which could be the cause of her indifference. This presence of disinterest set the stage for Calixta's willingness to indulge in an unprecedented meeting with former lover, Alcee.

When confronted by Alicee in front of her house, Calixta is quick and willing to allow him to take shelter in her home during the storm. Calixta did so without anticipating the possible rekindling of previous feelings and realized it when "his voice and her own startled her as if from a trance" (Chopin 2). Alcee's sudden appearance clearly evoked some emotion and sent her feelings astir. The fornicating between Calixta and Alcee increased when a random instance of body contact amongst each other aroused old cravings for intimacy (Chopin 3). As the infidelity built up, Calixta revealed a "gleam that [signified] a sensuous desire" (Chopin 4), and incautiously allowed for further unlawful physical interaction. The adulteress succumbs to infidelity to a point of no return when she gave herself up in "quivering ecstasy" (Chopin 4). Kate Chopin even illustrates how the two were aware of the adultery taking place since after having sexual intercourse, they would not allow themselves to fall asleep since they knew they couldn't get caught (4). Calixta knew that she was committing adultery and still proceeded.

Even when "the rain was over" (Chopin 5) (a symbol used by Chopin; the storm symbolized the affair), Calixta continues to betray her husband when she blatantly lies to him and claims that she was worried about their safety, when in the opening scene, she clearly wasn't concerned (Chopin 5). The author continued to emphasize how the wife "seemed to express nothing but satisfaction at their safe return" (Chopin 5) when clearly she could careless since being preoccupied with an affair while her husband was out on errand. The theme of infidelity was frank throughout the short story written by Kate Chopin as well as her clear disinterest for her family's well-being. Does this correlate with attitudes of cheating spouses toward other family members of modern American societies?

For Calixta, her opportunity at adultery, for lack of better words, came during natural disaster, but according to Laura Kipnis:

Maybe it wasn't a party, it was a conference, an airplane, your health club-or, for those who like living on the edge, office hours. The venue doesn't matter; what does is finding yourself so voluptuously hurtled into a state of possibility, a might-be-the-start-of-something kind of moment. You felt transformed: suddenly so charming, so attractive, awakened from emotional deadness, and dumbstruck with all the stabbing desire you thought you long outgrown. (291-292)

The motive for infidelity can vary but sometimes

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