The protagonists of Kate Chopin's "The Storm" and Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" are two characters that can be viewed either as incredibly different or incredibly similar. "The Storm" is a story about Calixta, a woman who has an affair with a previous lover during a storm that keeps her husband stranded at the local country store. "Girl" is a story about a young girl who is constantly criticized and insulted by her mother. One must explore the differences and similarities between the two characters in order to understand them better.
The first difference to be explored is the geographic location of the two characters and how that impacts their personalities. Calixta, from "The Storm" lives in late 19th century North America. The unnamed young lady from "Girl" lives in mid 20th century Africa. A commonality between these two settings is the similar technology that is available. Both characters have to make their own clothes, but are able to go shopping for food. Automobiles and electric lighting are not present in either …show more content…
Over the course of the plot of "The Storm", Calixta has an affair with a former romantic partner. " The contact of her warm palpitating body when he had unthinkingly drawn her into his arms, had aroused all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh." (Chopin 76). The unnamed girl, despite her lack of extra-marital affairs, can be seen as similar to Calixta. This is because she is constantly berated by her mother as to how much of a slut she is going to become when she grows older. "on Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming" (Kincaid 50). Despite how harsh this sounds coming from the girl's own mother, these statements might plant a question in the reader's mind. "What did the girl do to provoke such opinions from her own mother?" This question another way in which the characters of the girl and Calixta are
The first difference to be explored is the geographic location of the two characters and how that impacts their personalities. Calixta, from "The Storm" lives in late 19th century North America. The unnamed young lady from "Girl" lives in mid 20th century Africa. A commonality between these two settings is the similar technology that is available. Both characters have to make their own clothes, but are able to go shopping for food. Automobiles and electric lighting are not present in either …show more content…
Over the course of the plot of "The Storm", Calixta has an affair with a former romantic partner. " The contact of her warm palpitating body when he had unthinkingly drawn her into his arms, had aroused all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh." (Chopin 76). The unnamed girl, despite her lack of extra-marital affairs, can be seen as similar to Calixta. This is because she is constantly berated by her mother as to how much of a slut she is going to become when she grows older. "on Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming" (Kincaid 50). Despite how harsh this sounds coming from the girl's own mother, these statements might plant a question in the reader's mind. "What did the girl do to provoke such opinions from her own mother?" This question another way in which the characters of the girl and Calixta are