Kate Chopin has always been known for her colorful and passionate
             characters. Many of her stories revolve around men behaving foolishly in
             the name of love and women behaving quite sensibly while in love. Such is
             the case with the characters in the short story, "At the Cadian Ball."
             While the men in this story are depicted as foolish in love and the women
             are strong and independent when it comes to love, we get the impression
             that these characteristics are not the ideal. This contrast allows Chopin
             to illustrate perceptions of men and women of her time.
             Calixta represents a sexual, independent woman in the story. For
             Bobinat, she is also symbol of passion and danger. We are told, "There had
             even been a breath of scandal whispered about her [Calixta] a year ago,
             when she went to Assumption" (Chopin). Clearly, she has a reputation that
             is, at best, questionable. In addition, the incident was well worth
             remembering because we read that "Fronie threw it up to Calixta when the
             two quarreled and fought on the church steps after mass one Sunday, about a
             lover" (Chopin). This statement tells us that Calixta's actions were worth
             fighting over, at least to Fronie. In addition, while at the ball Calixta
             laughs with the others when Bobinat arrives and we are told, "Madame
             Suzonne, sitting in a corner, whispered to her neighbor that if Ozéina were
             to conduct herself in a like manner, she should immediately be taken out to
             the mule-cart and driven home. The women did not always approve of
             Calixta" (Chopin). From these descriptions, we can see that Calixta does
             not exactly fit the definition of an ideal woman. Surprisingly, when she
             thinks that Alca©e loves Clarisse, she decides to marry a man that she does
             not love. In a sense, while she is passionate, she is also acting with a
             sense of self-preservation by choosing to marry Bobinat.
             Alca©e is a determined, strong ma...