The Storm (Allegory)
The story's title refers to the central allegory of the story: a terrible storm that shakes a Louisiana town. Chopin uses the final lines "So the storm passed and everyone was happy," to lend a double meaning to the storm. On one hand, it's the tempest that drives the story and, on the other, it's the wild flare-up of passions between former lovers Calixta and Alcée, each of them married to a different person. At the storm's zenith, the two are engaged in a passionate, illicit reprisal of that former flame, yet when the storm passes—that is, when Alcée rides away on his horse after their love-making—neither Calixta's nor Alcée's family is any the wiser, and everyone lives their lives as peaceably as if it never happened.
White (Motif)
The color white is a motif that appears at mentions of Calixta's female sexuality. Alcée notes the whiteness of her neck and breasts as he beholds her, craving her flesh. Chopin uses the image of the white flame to show the high degree of Calixta's erotic passion. The bed in Calixta's house is white, as is the garment she unties around her neck during the seduction.
The Cotton Sheet (Symbol)
During an unsure moment when passions are intensifying between Calixta and Alcée, Calixta picks up the cotton sheet that she's been sewing. She does so awkwardly as this is a symbol and reminder of Calixta's domestic duties and, in turn, her obligation to her family. Chopin inserts this awkward bit of housekeeping to generate tension between Calixta's obligations and her desires.
