Racism Exposed In Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

Armand begins to change as the black complexion of his son becomes more clearly recognized discloses that the color of his son was dependent of his love towards him and his wife. Particularly, “When the child darkens, Armand's feelings for Desiree change at the same pistol-shot speed with which he ostensibly fell in love... The callous treatment of his wife upon their baby’s ‘metamorphosis’ suggests he never loved her” (Bauer 142). The speed in which Armand stops loving Desiree makes known that his love for her was conditional and is solely built upon the color of Desiree's skin and blood.

In her short story named “Désirée’s Baby”, Kate Chopin gives readers an inside view of the concept of race in the pre-Civil War era of Louisiana. Chopin’s protagonist, Désirée, clashes with societal standards because of her mixed-race child and unknown racial origins. Race becomes a major conflict throughout the story and drives Désirée’s husband to blame her for the child. The ironic ending of the story not only gives a surprising twist but also makes a stand against the concept of biological race. While the racial issues of “Désirée’s Baby” were set in the past, these social concepts still occur today in the modern era.

In late 19th century Louisiana, sexism and racism are highly prevalent in society. An orphaned child, Desiree, falls in love with Armand who is the owner of a plantation. After they marry, Desiree gives birth to a boy who will carry on Armand’s name. When it shows that the boy has dark skin, Armand’s pride hinders his love for his family. Kate Chopin displays the theme of pride through the use of color, conflict and imagery in her short story “Desiree’s Baby”.

The short story Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin provides a sobering depiction of how the dark forces of prejudice and social hierarchy tore apart a plantation owning family in the state of Louisiana. Desiree’s character is that of a lady who carries the burden of being submissive to a domineering husband, a role she keeps until the very end of the narrative. Desiree is portrayed as an agent of light so to speak throughout the plotline but is seriously blinded by her doglike allegiance to her husband Armand, who is in essence her master and her livelihood. The struggle for female independence is a signature theme in a number of Chopin’s works and was a struggle for women in the South during this

Desiree?s words show that her life depends on the race, notions, and social class of her husband and consequently, she feels obligated to obey his every desire. Desiree is presented as vulnerable to whatever Armand wants and tells her to do when she says, ?Do you want me to go?? (177). Desiree displays through her actions that in many ways, her happiness only comes from pleasing her husband. Therefore, Desiree must decide whether to live completely separate from Armand, or to live with him in constant fear and unpleasantness. Desiree achieves personal freedom and independence from Armand when ?she disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thing along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; she did not come back again? (177). It is not even an option and is unheard of that Armand, being a male holding a respectable background, could possibly be black. Consequently, Desiree feels compelled to leave because she wants to please him. When Desiree decides to kill herself and her child, she shows that she is sensitive and vulnerable to her husband?s thoughts and actions.

Life is an obstacle-ridden disarray of sharp, unpredictable twists and turns. One turn may lead to love, happiness, and bliss, whereas the next turn could just as easily deliver hatred, heartbreak, and despair. To capture this jumbled reality in writing is the sole aspiration of many authors. Kate Chopin, an author from the late 1800s known for writing incredible short stories based in Louisiana, not only succeeded in encapsulating this reality but also in sharing modern, advanced ideas about sexuality, racism, and women’s rights in her work. One of Chopin’s short stories that featured life’s disparities, as well as its unexpected twists and turns, is “Desiree’s Baby.” Published in Vogue in 1893, “Desiree’s Baby” presents a story detailing

the skin color between the boy and her baby. Desiree confronted Armand and asked him to

Desiree was abandoned as a child but gains status when Monsieur Valmonde takes her from the pillar she was found sleeping at and takes her into the family. Chopin says, “For the girl grew up to be beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere— the idol of Valmonde” (1). Her family is not the only ones to idolize the beautiful Desiree. Armand is struck but her beauty one day when passing by the same pillar eighteen years later and falls in loves. He falls in love “as if struck by a pistol shot” (1). This pillar symbolizes the two biggest transitions in Desiree’s life: her transition to the Valmonde family and her transition to life with Armand. Desiree and Armand marry and are blessed with a child. That is until the race of the child becomes a concern and Desiree’s obscure background comes into

Kate Chopin's short story, Desiree's Baby, is a work that explores many themes commonly considered taboo for late 19th century discussion. Most writers of the time rarely touched on such themes; and least of all female writers. To fully appreciate the work in is entirety, one must first understand the social critique of the times and then gather an idea of just how impactful a story such as this one could be. This was an era in which the majority of creative literature focused on idealized themes.Themes of tender romance, fictional adventure, and the somewhat unrealistic glory of the south. As far as society's constructs men were still seen as far superior to women and white individuals as superior to black. Therefore it is understandable

     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.

I am very passionate about Kate Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby and I find it very interesting because in this essay Kate Chopin wrote about a subject that was very sensitive during her lifetime and we still find fractions of it in the United States today – racism, as well as the discrimination women suffered as a result of man’s domination over woman. Throughout history our society has viewed women as less important and subordinate to men. Chopin’s story also talked about “love”, although it had nothing to do with love. I will say it is a kind of love that was superficial and influenced by pride and prejudice. And

Armand treats Desiree poorly upon sighting the baby’s developing appearance as the story states, “Moreover he no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name” (Chopin 3). This shows that he is willing to purposely mistreat his so called love. That also is not love. Armand is furious and takes his anger out on Desiree by having nothing to do with her. As the story says, “When he spoke to her, it was with averted eyes, from which the old love-light seemed to have gone out” (Chopin 2).

Armand claims he fell in love when he first lay eyes on his wife named Desiree, they have a baby together then a dramatic change in Armand’s behavior towards his wife and child. Kate Chopin uses character, theme and tone in the short story Desiree’s Baby to show that a family name is not what always make us who we are, but it’s up to us to decide on whether we want to be better than that. And that pride may be more important to others than the love for their family.

In the story “Desiree’s Baby,” by Kate Chopin, the contrast of gender roles, race and wealth is used to depict the extreme differences in class. This is critical to this particular short story because of the era in which it was written. The struggle for class/race equality was a main focus for the under privileged.

Kate Chopin’s story Desiree’s baby is a short narrative in which a woman struggles with her identity. She finds herself in love and with a young child who is found to be “cursed” with “black blood”. Chopin illuminates the theme of Identity through word choice, characters’ values, as well as names.