The story is set in 19th-century Louisiana. According to the Kate Chopin website, Chopin uses the storm to move the story forward. The storm traps Calixta's husband and son at a local store. AlcÃ©e arrives, seeking shelter from the storm. As Calixta and AlcÃ©e give in to their desires and have a sexual encounter, the storm mimics their passion in its intensity.
In everyday usage, a vegetable is any part of a plant that is consumed by humans as food as part of a meal. The term vegetable is somewhat arbitrary, and largely defined through culinary and cultural tradition. It normally excludes other food derived from plants such as fruits, nuts, and cereal grains, but includes seeds such as pulses.
The term pulse, as used by the United Nations ' Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), is reserved for crops harvested solely for the dry seed. This excludes green beans and green peas, which are considered vegetable crops.