Desiree's Baby Literary Analysis

Although the ending of the story may only seem to be an ironic twist of events to some readers, I believe that it also attempts to define race as a social construct. After Armand sends Désirée and the baby away, he begins burning their belongings and finds a letter from his mother to his father that states, “night and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery” (425). Although Armand was African-American, he was not treated as such because the origin of his race was hidden from everyone. Although there are hints to Armand’s race throughout the story, such as when Désirée stated, “Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand, (424); his appearance did not affect his life because he was believed to be white. Armand’s

In “Desiree Baby” Chopin shows how one skin color defines social class, and determines the value and identity of another (Cummings).For the majority of the story, Armand is clearly looked upon as a white male of class and wealth, until the end of the story. He owns land in L’ Abri, and he has a plantation full of African Americans working for him as slaves. Armand have slaves to do his work for him. He also expresses an individual class between the races of the slaves. The lighter slaves worked inside with his

The story “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin’s involves romance that gets crumpled up and burned with racism. It all begins when Madame Valmonde went to go visit Desiree (her adopted daughter) and her baby. Realizing after taking the baby to a window that was the lightest and scanning the baby while looking at Zandrine (an African American slave), the baby shares similar features to Zandrine. It was that moment where everything began to go down hill. This story was not just about one small, happy family, but instead, it was about prejudice, love, and racism. Racism does not come from within, it is manmade or taught.

In “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin, Chopin describes a story of an older woman, Madame Valmondé, coming to see her daughter, Desiree, who is married Armand Aubigny, and her baby. Mme. Valmondé, at first, is astonished at the appearance of the baby. Later, the baby herself shocks because of its dark appearance. Desiree later asks Armand why the baby is black. Then, Armand gets very angry, because Armand, a person who perceives he is of European race, has realized that he is the father to a black baby. Armand goes on to accuse Desiree of being black and being the cause of this perceived imperfection. A very distressed Desiree asks for Mme. Valmondé for help. Mme.

‘Desiree's Baby’ is southern feminist writer Kate Chopin's emotional short story and most well-reputed piece of work. The story takes place in southern Louisiana and her writing reflects her Creole-French heritage. Chopin was a southern feminist writer who often entwined her stories with the struggles of social injustices and her writing style is deep, eloquent and rife with symbolism. She seemingly tethers each element of her stories with elements she faces every day. In this story, Chopin uses symbolism to imbibe the seemingly simple imagery of Armand’s home, the field in which Desiree and the baby departed, and the fire which consumed the evidence of their existence with deep, powerful connotations to convey her themes of the injustice of

How can racism and arrogance destroy a whole family? In the short story "Désirée 's Baby" written by Kate Chopin reflects on how racism played a huge role before the American Civil War. Désirée was abandoned by her family when she was young and was adopted by, Madame Valmonde, a rich white family. One day Armand Aubigny was passing when he saw Désirée next to a stone pillar, where he falls in love with her instantly . They get married and have a baby boy. After three months later, her husband discoveries that the baby is not white and assumes that Désirée is from a black family. Armand didn 't want to bring shame to his family lineage and decides to kick Desiree and her baby out. One day while he was trying to burn Desiree things, to destroy memories and evidence, he discoveries a letter that was from his mom to his dad stating that his real mom is a black woman. Chopin 's short story "Désirée 's Baby" shows how judging people, being arrogant and selfish, and the consequences of racism could ultimately lead to the destruction of Désirée 's family.

In the short story, Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin, there are many larger statements being made within the entirety of the story about race and racism in the 1800’s. While this short story takes place in 1892, which was twenty-seven years after slavery was originally abolished. The author places this story in the era of slavery, where racism within this story is highly evident and plays a key role within the dynamics of Desiree’s and Armand’s relationship, as well as Armand’s view of his mixed child. Kate Chopin uses Armand’s and Desiree’s relationship to tell a story about a man who has everything, a strong family name, wealth, slaves, and a very beautiful wife and first born son. However, regardless of this, once Armand finds out that his

     In Kate Chopin’s short story, “Desiree’s Baby”, she demonstrates how racism played a major part in people’s lives in the 1800’s. Kate Chopin is extremely successful in getting her readers to feel disturbed by the events in the story. Through words and images, the reader feels touched by the story, either by relating to it at some points or when confronted with things we frequently decide to ignore in the world: the evil some human beings are capable of possessing.

“Desiree baby” symbolism The story of “desiree baby” by Kate Chopin describes the act of discrimination and sexuality,consequently the story of “desiree's baby” shows the symbolism of racism,classism,and genderism from the action of Armand and Desiree. Therefore Amand is a symbol of racism,because to those of “black” skin color making it a taboo subject in his family until Armand son is born who is half “black”. Due from this Armand persona changes causing him to become morally corrupt,abusive, and having feeling of shame from his son blaming Desiree for their son skin color saying she is the source of his mixed heritage leading Armand to reject Desiree and his own child just for having “black” in them. Leading to Desiree and the child to die

Kate Chopin’s “Désirée 's Baby” was set in the days before the abolition of slavery, at a time when the ownership of another person was not only acceptable, but also economically impactful in the south. It was normal to see big plantations owned by whites and tendered by black slaves. We see all of this and more in “Désirée’s Baby”. One of the characters, Monsieur Valmonde finds an abandoned baby one day while out riding. His wife, Madam Valmonde, does not have a child of her own so she takes the baby in and names her Désirée. Madam Valmonde and her husband, Monsieur Valmonde raises the child, until she is old enough to become married. Her attractiveness and especially white skin attract Monsieur Armand Aubigny, a plantation owner, and they immediately become married and have a child. Désirée and Armand both originally associate themselves with the white class, but once the plot unveils their black heritage they are faced with uncertainty, and ultimately their lives become meaningless and not worth living. Throughout the story, Kate Chopin uses symbolism to convey her themes of racial biasness and social ladder in a society. The characters and the setting in this short story help provide the readers with more understanding of how racially charged our society was at that time.

In “Desiree’s Baby” right away Chopin drops hints to the reader about the underlining conflict of the story. When Madame Valmende says “This is not the baby!” she exclaimed in startled tone. Though out the story Chopin keeps up this kind of skeptical view that points out the fact that this is ether not Desiree and Armand’s baby or something is not quite right about it. When Desiree finally comes to the conclusion that her child is interracial which is soon shortly after confirmed by Armand when he says. “The child is not white so that means you’re not white”. At first “A quick conception of all that this accusation meant for her nerved her with unwanted courage to deny

Back in this era of time the most respectable job for a woman was to be a loving wife in her husband’s household. In the short story “Desiree’s Baby” written by Kate Chopin, we have this setting of this older woman named Madame Valmondé is on her way to visit her adopted daughter Desiree who has recently given birth to her son by her husband Armand Aubigny. Everything seems to be going well at the plantation due to master of the house being so thrilled about having his son being born. As time progresses, Armand become very angry over the few months and eventually Desiree comes to notice that her son looks very similar to a young slave boy who who is one fourth black. Armand is angered and accuses his wife of not being completely white and most likely has black in her blood. Despite her pleas of being white, Armand claims that she is mixed race and will have to leave the plantation. Madame Valmondé expressed that she still loves her daughter and begs her to come home but instead Desiree takes the child and walks off into the swamps never to be seen from again. Eventually we come to find out that Armand is the one who has black in his blood and not his wife. Chopin offers a compelling critique of the class-based and racial prejudice that permeated the attitudes of the antebellum South. In addition, through the relationship between Désirée and Armand, Chopin explores the precarious status of both those without a family and those of biracial descent. Désirée is unlucky

In the fictional story “Desiree’s Baby”, written by Kate Chopin,a baby is found by a tree and was taken in by Madame Valmonde. Desiree is grown and Armand has fallen in deep love with her and are married and have a child .One day they have noticed something is wrong with the child that makes everything change. Kate Chopin foreshadows the theme of racism being wrong and the theme of someones skins color doesn’t define who they are,to develop an engaging and thrilling plot. Early in the story the reader learns that something is wrong with the baby because of the way Madame Valmonde hints to Desiree when she is surprised to see the baby, “ Then she turned to the child.

Kate Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby is a short story about a girl named Desiree who is abandoned, then adopted into a wealthy family. Young Desiree soon grows up and falls in love with a slave owner, Armand,with whom she conceives a son with only to discover that her child's appearance consists of African descent characteristics. Chopin narrates the issues of oppression and loss of identity during a historical period of time through Desiree’s character. Derek Foster and Kris LeJeune's critique, focusing on the feminist standpoint of Desiree’s Baby, attempts to demonstrates how Desiree’s act to flee into the bayou is her first accomplishment of independence.

Until the root of hate is met with love, racial issues and discrimination against African Americans will continue to thrive for eternity. African American discrimination and racial instability is shown in “Desiree’s Baby”, a short story written by Kate Chopin set in the antebellum South. The main character, Desiree is victimized, along with her infant child, by her husband, Armand, and his racial instability towards African Americans, only later to discover he is of African descent (Chopin). “Desiree’s Baby” was published in the late 1800’s (“Desiree's Baby…”) and during this time, African Americans were frequently mistreated ("The Rights of Blacks...") due to their recent emancipation three decades earlier. In “Desiree’s Baby”, Armand’s racial issues represents widespread discrimination against African Americans.