Definition of Mood
Key Examples in The Storm
The mood of “The Storm” is primarily erotic and joyful. While the story opens with a somewhat suspenseful mood—as Bobinôt and Calixta separately worry about the effects of the storm—it quickly shifts into an erotic register as Alcée enters Calixta’s home to shelter from the rain. The following passage captures the growing sexual tension:
The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there. They were in the dining room—the sitting room—the general utility room. Adjoining was her bed room, with Bibi’s couch along side her own. The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious.