In “Desiree’s’ Baby” Chopin illustrates slavery and racial issues in the 19th century. In the plot of the story it shows Armand being a wealthy owner of a plantation, with slaves. Through irony and foreshadowing, Chopin shows the treatment that was done by Armand to the workers because they were of color, and with his family because they are not the same. The irony used in this short story conveys the theme of race by giving the reader a think situation in which they can analyze the color of each character but not giving away their race completely. Chopin describes Armand as having “a dark, handsome face that had not often been disfigured by frowns since the day he fell in love with her.” The author is describing how Armand of a bad attitude has changed since his newborn has been in his life. This portrays the difference in his attitude towards situations that before he use to frown about, now he may not pay attention to this so much. Armand is seemed in this scene as a dark faced guy because of this attitude and grieve, but he is darker then Desiree. In the story, another reference of irony happens when Desiree sees the baby and compares it with one of the little boys that works in …show more content…
Armand has his background of a wealthy family with a great pride of the Aubignys while Desiree was the daughter of Madame Valmonde who was thought to be brought to the plantation by some Texans who abandoned her. Armand took this as an advantage to tell Desiree that she was not white because they did not know who were her parents and what was her race. This also relates to the irony when Armand told Desiree that she was not white because he could use this as an advantage to make her feel miserable and not make any situations in thinking that he may have background with people of
Constructing an environment in which the one-drop rule should theoretically thrive, Chopin places Desiree in a southern plantation where she can be made black easily, but more significantly, where blackness carries significant consequences. Despite Desiree’s ability to effortlessly assimilate into southern society, taking on the role of the “beautiful, gentle, affectionate and sincere” southern belle, the story never loses sight of her “obscure origin” (Chopin 440). As a result, Desiree is not...
Racism can simply be defined as the thinking that one race is better than another. Illustrating the theme of racism throughout “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin portrays racism through the character Armand. This is evident through the harsh treatment of Armand’s slaves and how his feelings for Desiree change after he assumes the baby is of mixed ancestry. Leading to say should a person be judged because of their race, social class, or gender? In Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin demonstrates gender bias and the theme of racism through Armand judging a person by their race or gender, his thought that women or inferior to men, and his assumption that Desiree is the one of mixed descent when the baby shows evidence of mixed ancestry.
For example, the slaves because of their identity got treated with cruelty because of the fact they were black. The narrator states “ Young Aubigny’s [Armands] rule was a strict one, too, and under it, his negroes had forgotten how to be gay, as they had been during the old master’s easy-going and indulgent lifetime.” (Chopin 1). All things considered, this is an example of how your race can be seen as different things to different people but it still impacts you. For the slaves, their race still played a factor in their life due to the fact that they were slaves but the old master (Armand's father) did not have the negative perceptions that his son had and we can see this in the way he treated his slaves. Armond most likely having a feeling or unconsciously knowing that he was somehow not fully white, put his self-hate on the slaves and his family. Equally important is the way that his racial views affected his wife and child's identity. The wife and child by merit of being white were shown a different side of how race can affect your identity than the slaves. An example of this is shown in this quote “Marriage, and later the birth of his son had softened Armand Aubigny’s imperious and exacting nature greatly. This was what made the gentle Désirée so happy, for she loved him desperately. When he frowned she trembled, but loved him. When he smiled, she asked no greater blessing of God. But Armand’s dark, handsome face had not often been disfigured by frowns since the day he fell in love with her” (Chopin 2). Of course this shows that Armand treats his wife differently than the black mistress LaBlanche because of her skin color. In this instance, her skin color is an advantage for her because it signals higher status and class. She gets to live the life of luxury with Armand because of her skin color. Later on in the story, though
“Desiree Baby” by Kate Chopin is a very thought provoking short story that deals with racism, prejudice, and love. The story takes place in southern Louisiana, where Armand, a prominent landowner, marries a girl of unknown origin named Desiree. The story has a twist when their baby is born and is discovered to be of mixed race. Armand knew all along that he was OF mixed race, and I will prove it by analyzing characterization, diction, and imagery.
In the story of “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin, there are many literary themes that can be analyzed such as love, racism, gender inequality, and miscegenation. What this analysis will focus on is primarily on the central male character, Armand Aubigny, and on his views towards racism. More specifically, what this essay will aim to prove is that Armand Aubigny looked down upon the African race to the point where he hated them. One of the biggest driving points to aid this idea is how his family name shaped his behavior and actions according to the societal normalities of his time period. Another important aspect that will be considered is his very relationship towards his slaves in how he treated them cruelly even to the point where he is described as “having the spirit of Satan” (Chopin 3). In addition to this, the reader will also see Armand’s negative reaction to being aware of the implications of his son and wife having mixed blood in where he practically disowns them. With all this culminating to Armand finding out the ugly truth that the race he had treated so horribly is actually a part of his very own blood as well.
Chopin’s story “Desiree’s Baby demonstrates many points of racism, sexism, prejudice and the perception of characters throughout the story. Throughout the story there are many examples of how Chopin relates to these topics in Desiree’s Baby. The setting plays a huge role throughout the story because it takes place during the time of the Civil War. This was a time where women weren’t allowed to speak their minds and had to follow whatever their husbands decided upon them.
Once apon a time there was a man and a woman who fell in love and lived happily ever after. Right? That’s how it ends? well no not in this case. In “ Desiree’s Baby “ written by kate chopin one could say not everybody gets a happily ever after. the one thing that draws them together ends up being their doom. in “desiree’s baby,” kate chopin points out the prejudices that interracial couples faced in the 19th century as they do today.
A case in point of a mood given from the short story of Desiree’s Baby, is to be situated disheartened.
In 1892, an author by the name of Kate Chopin 's wrote a story entitled,“Desiree’s Baby.” It was simply written about an adopted girl named Desiree, who married a man named Armand Aubigny. As time passes, they have a son together. Unbeknown to them, their son’s skin tone would reflect how both of them had black ancestors. This would not have posed a problem if the baby was born in a non racist time frame, and if his father was not a slave owner. Several would agree, that the baby of Desiree and Armand is the most sympathetic character from the story because his father chose power over him, and he did not get a chance to live.
Chopin sets the context for her argument by Placing Désirée in an environment where she can be made black easily, but with significant consequences. Despite Désirée’s ability to effortlessly assimilate into southern society, taking on the role of the “beautiful, gentle, affectionate and sincere” southern belle, the story never loses sight of her “obscure origin” (#). As a result, Désirée is not given the opportunity to prove h...
When we analyzed the story of Désirée’s Baby, we can’t find any foreshadowing of the ending. We have hints that lead us in the opposite direction. When we analyze the characters it is obvious that our first reaction is to blame Armand. He is an unpredictable, egotistical little worm. But Kate Chopin forces the reader to blame him or herself instead of Armand. Even though it is hard to catch the meaning of the story the first time around, the moral is still subconsciously implanted in our heads when we laugh at Armand. If you think about it you would not have done any better. The well-known Aesop’s fables teach the children of morals and good behavior. However adults need to be reminded as well.
In 'Desiree?s Baby,' Chopin illustrates her idea of the relationship between men and women by portraying Desiree as vulnerable and easily affected, whereas Armand is presented as superior and oppressive. Throughout ?Desiree?s Baby,? Kate Chopin investigates the concept of Armand's immense power over Desiree. At first, Desiree tries to conform to the traditional female role by striving to be an obedient wife. Later in the story, this conformity changes after Desiree gives birth to her part-black son.
"Desiree's Baby" is Kate Chopin's most well-known short story and most anthologized piece of work. The story takes place in southern Louisiana and her writing reflects her Creole-French descent. Chopin begins the story with a descriptive quote, "when she reached L'Abri she shuddered at the first sight of it, as she always did. It was a sad looking place...Big solemn oaks grew close to it and their thick leaved, far-reaching branches shadowed it like a pall" (185). The preceding quote gives the reader an eerie feeling and foreshadows an unpleasant ending to the story. Throughout "Desiree's Baby," Kate Chopin uses symbolism to convey her themes of racial prejudice, unequal gender roles, and social hierarchy in a patriarchal society.
She wrote about subjects such as adultery and racism in the nineteenth century, which was thought to be inappropriate for any woman to write or even talk about. In her piece, "Desiree's Baby," she talks about adultery, racism, gender bias, and many other social problems. The story of Desiree tells of her shortened life after having her baby, which is attributed to her being black. Chopin's portrayal of Armand and Desiree uses literary elements and devices such as different types of love, denial, and elements of surprise or deliberate misleads the reader who turns out to be black in the end. The different types of love in this story are incredibly important to the plot, like Desiree and her love for her child.
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 time period (McCullough 413). Armand’s dominance over Desiree and her overall sense of well-being is certainly a reflection of the issue of sexist prejudice that Chopin chose to write about throughout her literary career. Chopin also depicts the racial prejudice in the South by revealing how blacks on the plantation are treated and by illustrating how severe the consequences were of Desiree and Armand’s baby being African American was. His dark personality coupled with the societal norm of male superiority enabled this toxic relationship structure to occur and helped shape the events following the discovery of the child being black. Armand’s role of master over the plantation workers was based on skin color and his birthright to the plantation which was reflective of Southern culture during the time period (Toth). It is abundantly clear that Desiree’s Baby serves as a microcosm of how societal hierarchy's and traditions that are rooted in elitist prejudice have a poisoning effect on those who are ...