Authors use different literacy devices to engage the readers of a story. Metaphors, irony, symbolism, hyperbole, personification, and imagery are the literacy devices used by the authors to express their ideas and highlight the main themes in the story. An essential literary term is a climax which helps show the period in a film or short story where there is intense action or change. The climax may involve emotions and making inevitable decisions to respond to occurrences. Therefore, this essay investigates the climax in “The Storm” by Kate Chopin, “The Flowers,” and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker.
In “The Storm” by Kate Chopin is a story that bases on the sexuality of women in marriage. It was written in 1898 and published in 1969. The story was published late due to the lack of appreciation of women’s work in the past. Calixta is at home when there is a storm and leaves to get the clothes that were outside. Bibi and Bobinox are in the store when the storm occurs and take shelter. While collecting the clothes, Calixta sees Alcee Laballiere, and they have not met since Calixta got married. Alcee shelters in Calixta’s house due to the storm. “May I come and wait on your gallery till the storm is over, Calixta? he asked.” (Chopin,1) Due to the storm’s intensity, Calixta cries due to Bibi and Bobinox being out in the storm. Alcee comforts Calixta and what follows is that they kiss after that. The climax occurs after Calixta and Alcee have sexual intercourse. The climax impacts the storm arising and allows Alcee and Calixta to be together (Chopin 4). The climax occurs when Kate explains Calixta’s physical appearance in the eyes of Alcee. During the climax, both Alcee and Calixta are happy.
Additionally, in “The Flowers’ by Alice Walker has a climax. The main character is Myop, who is an African American. When Myop realizes that the world is not as good as she expected, there is conflict. This is evident when Myop finds a hung man and is due to the crime in the world. The climax in this story is used to emphasize the loss of innocence. Myop knows the world as a peaceful place, and every day is beautiful. That is seen when Myop is playing with a chicken. As Myop skipped from the hen house to the pigpen, Myop realized there were no more beautiful days than this one (Walker, 1).
Myop is eager and happy to enter the youthful stage. Myop picks flowers and walks towards the stream when everything changes. Then places the flowers near the dead man, showing the stop of happiness. Myop sees the dead body and walks on the decayed face of the dead man. The dead man’s teeth are broken, and the head is separate from the body. Near the man is a noose that Myop thinks was used to kill the dead man. The climax occurs when Myop realizes a dead man whose head was separate from the body and had been lynched. The climax shows the loss of happiness that Myop had in the beginning.
Lastly, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker also has a climax that sensitizes the story’s theme. The story was published in 1973. The story has characters such as Maggie, Dee, and Mama. Mama describes the relationship with Dee. Dee is an African-American educated young woman who goes to the Deep South to visit her childhood home. Mama and Maggie prepare for Dee’s visit. Maggie is Dee’s younger sister. Maggie changes clothes in preparation as Mama thinks of the reconciliation with Dee while on Johhny Carson’s television show (Walker, 2). This is unrealistic, and Mama stops. Dee adopts the name “Wangero,” trying to fit in the native African nature.
After Dee’s arrival, Mama realizes that Dee had a motive for the visit to take the quilts that had been in the family for many generations. After Mama realizes this, the climax happens. Mama is not happy with the idea, and when Dee asks for the quilts made by their grandmother, Mama refuses and informs Dee that Maggie was the one to have them. Mama refuses because Dee wants to use the quilts as decorations. This is unexpected since Mama shows more love and appreciation to Dee throughout the story than Maggie. Dee is in disbelief and says that Maggie cannot preserve the quilt. The climax is essential as it shows Mama’s will to preserve the tradition as the quilt is given to Maggie, who seems to have more appreciation for them than Dee, who wants them for decoration.
The Dolls House is a play that was published in 1879. The main character is Nora, who is married to Torvald. Nora and Krogstad are struggling as Krogstad wants to inform Torvald, Nora’s husband, of Nora’s past filled with crime. The climax occurs when Nora learns who Torvald truly is and when Torvald gets to read Krogstad’s letter (Libre, 1:51:21). The letter informs Torvald of all Nora’s past crimes, leading to Torvald denouncing Nora. When Torvald denounces Nora, Nora decides to leave Torvald and Norah becomes independent from the family. The film has two instances of climax that show the succession of the play’s theme: the role of women in society and marriage based on deceit. Nora gets the independence to make decisions regarding the family.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The awakening: and other stories. Oxford Paperbacks, 2000.
Libre, Kâmera. “Casa de Bonecas – Ibsen (A Doll’s House, 1992) Legendado PT-Br.” YouTube, 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDnHQT2BDk. Accessed 11 Apr. 2022.
Walker, Alice. Everyday use. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2004.
Walker, Alice. In love & trouble: stories of black women. Open Road Media, 2011.
