Symbolic Elements in Desiree’s Baby by Chopin and Sweat by Hurston

“Desiree’s Baby” uses foreshadowing to illustrate the theme of prejudice. First, Madame Valomonde, in a startled tone, stated, “This is not the baby!” Madame Valomonde’s statement foreshadows that there is something wrong with the child. This statement doesn’t explain what is startling about the child. Next, the author states, “Madame Valmonde had never removed her eyes from the child. She lifted it and walked with it over to the window that was lightest. She scanned the baby narrowly, then looked as searchingly at Zandrine, whose face was turned to gaze across the fields.” This statement foreshadows that the baby’s difference has something to do with how the baby and Zandrine compare. Finally, Madame Valomonde states, “Yes, the child has grown, has changed;” Madame Valomonde’s statement foreshadows that the baby has changed in a certain way that doesn’t include growing. We can assume that Madame

Upon entering L’Abri, Madame Valmond sees Desiree is resting on a couch with her baby boy asleep on her arm. As she bends to greet her daughter with a hug and kiss, she sees how much the child has grown and exclaims, “This is not

Symbolism is often utilized in literary pieces to help express an idea and reveal a deeper meaning. In Zora Neale Hurston's short story "Sweat," the main character, Delia, is a victim that suffers from her husband Sykes' cruelty and abuse. The symbols of clothing, sweat and snakes play a major role in "Sweat" and reveal hidden meanings (the truth) about the two characters Delia and Sykes.

Blanche a female slave who is whiter than her master, Armand, is his slave because of her known African background. Armand’s action can also be classified as naturalistic. At-first he treats his family with love. After discovering his son’s background, Armand lets the society views on race to take over his actions with his family, sealing all their fates.

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

In the short story called “Desiree’s Baby” written by Kate Chopin, the author used many different literary elements to describe and build up many characters. But two of the one that stands out the most was the foreshadowing and symbolism. These elements helped to build up Desiree Valmonde, one of the main character in the short story.

‘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

In the story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston she talks about a lady that is independent. This lady’s name is Delia. She is married to Sykes who does abuse her and has a mistress named Bertha who he is trying to get her into Delia’s house. Delia is the one that does all the hard work while Sykes just sits at home. The symbols in this story help get the theme across which are domestic violence and empowerment. The three main symbols in this story each stand for a theme which is the snake portraying domestic violence, the Chinaberry tree and the title “Sweat” both portray empowerment.

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light”(Aristotle). Zora Hurston’s “Sweat” is a prime example of focusing on the light to overcome darkness. The story begins in darkness and ends at dawn. Delia suffers through and ultimately triumphs Sykes by focusing on the light, in her case religion. Being an anthropologist, Hurston’s work not only inspires one to keep looking forward, but it also represents humanity’s struggles. In her 1926 short story, “Sweat,” Hurston employs foreshadowing and Biblical allusions to symbolize a release from oppression.

Symbolism is a clever device used by authors to impart a deeper understanding to the reader concerning the story. “The Scarlet Ibis” is about a newborn baby named Doodle and his struggle through his limited life being “different”. After Doodle’s accomplishment of walking, his older brother strived to make him “normal enough” to go to school. In the end, Doodle did not complete his training and brutally died in a storm. “I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain” (Hurst 198). James Hurst used the scarlet ibis to tie the story together. In many stories, such as “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, authors use foreshadowing through object symbolism to convey what is happening to the characters.

The story Desiree’s Baby is about a young woman who is adopted by a two wealthy french creoles that live in Louisiana. Monsieur and Madame Valmonde adopted Desiree when she was found as a young infant by a pillar near the gate of their estate. The story then follows Desiree as she matures into a young woman and is married to a man named Armand whom which she loves very much. Armand and desiree soon have a child and both are extremely happy about the child but Armand soon pulls away both his compassion and happiness when he see’s something wrong with the child. Armand realises that the child is has some black in it, which happens to be the skin color of slavery. Shamed Armand blames Desiree for his child being part black seeing that Desiree’s

In the short story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston a reoccurring symbol is the snake. Its apparition is a dominating force throughout the plot. The main character Delia's husband, Sykes uses the snake as a method of tormenting. It first appears to the readers in the form of a whip. Then it manifests into a genuine rattlesnake that Sykes brings home one day. Sykes, the story's antagonist, becomes a symbolic adaption of the snake as the plot evolves. The emblematic meaning embedded into to the snake is oppression and evil. In the story “Sweat”, symbolism is used in the form of a snake to represent oppression and multiple platforms of injustice.

Zora Neale Hurston's short story, “Sweat,” portrays a conflict between the elements of good and evil. Delia, a battered wife, represents God or a God like figure. Sykes, or the evil Satan like figure, constantly inflicts physical, psychological, and verbal damage to this God like figure. He does this to attempt to overcome Delia, or defeat God. If his actions are successful, it could be perceived as Satan defeating God.

“Désirée’s Baby” is a story of love, prejudice and rejection, a story with noble beginnings that

“Desiree’s Baby” is a story about miscegeny in Creole Louisiana during the antebellum period. Desiree is adopted by a wealthy family and eventually marries the man of her dreams. Armand is a wealthy slave owner who falls in love with what he believes to be the woman of his dreams. Desiree and Armand are happy and have a perfect life until the birth of their son. The uncertainty regarding the ethnicity of Desiree and her son causes a great deal of pain for Desiree. The pain she endures leads to a devastating end. The character I identify with most is Desiree. I can identify with Desiree because of her vivid portrayal of love, betrayal, and racism.