Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin is one of the best American female writers in modernism literature in nineteenth century. Most of her writings are on women because of her time gender discrimination is still very popular. During that period, the position of women in society is dominant over men and they do not have their own voices. Their lives seem to depend only on the men, the husbands. “Desiree’s Baby,” “The Story of an Hour,” and “The Storm,” are costly three stories of Chopin through which author wants to revealed dissatisfaction with the society in which women are despised, Chopin also gives an overview of the impact the deepening of social status for women and their concept of marriage and family.

In the story “The story of an hour”, through the image

of the heroine Kate wanted to show a strong desire to be free, to be themselves and not be subject to detention by the constraints of marriage. Through the story, the main character Mrs. Louise Mallard has a heart problem which to also symbolize how much depressed that she has in her marriage. Different from Desiree, Mallard views her marriage as the place where she has been jailed and has to face her husband as her enemy. She seems not satisfy with the limitations that she has to experience during marriage as a wife. According to Mr. Lawrence L. Berkove, he has a good point about Mrs. Mallard “Whatever her original reason had been for marrying Brently, it is clear now that feeling the way she does about him she would be better off not being married. Her love for herself--"she would live only for herself"--does not leave room for anyone else.” She seems love her self then anyone else and just want to live with herself. Her thought is to end of marriage obligation in order to free her soul and she can also follow her passion. “She saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely” the news of her husband’s death give her moments of joy, ends her jailed marriage, and brings her soul back to freedom in the remaining life. (Chopin. 756). According to Kate Chopin, “she could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life”, “the delicious breath of rain was in the air”, “there were patches of blue sky showing”, and “countless sparrows were twittering” Kate gives reader the views the visual images as the beginning of spring, patches of blue sky through clouds, the twittering of sparrows and the fresh breath of rain to express her relaxed mood of being a free human and to show what she has lost after the marriage and now have regained theirs (174). She is now free as a bird she has no worries about being a good wife within a household and she now can also follow her dream her passionate.
Chopin's story has shown that marriage as the knife cut off the alignment of the woman and their passion. Existing in social status as a woman bring great loss because they are attributed to its role as a wife and a mother in parallel to the obligation and responsibility in the family; makes them lose their freedom as inherent and made them lose their passion about what they like.
On the other hand, in “Desiree’s Baby” Kate points out three elements which make the story succeed as racism and class distinctions which are two social views, have affected the normal life of Desiree, the main character.

The reader easily recognizes that Desiree’s point of views about life are as being an obeyed wife, so she depends on her husband, Armand, for most of the time. Desiree really cares about her husband feelings and was always in sympathy with the husband. She is cheerful when Armand is happy and when Armand is sorrowful, she is just “miserable enough to die” (Chopin. 244). The setting of the story is in a society where people look very low and strict with those not of ethnicity, skin color. Desiree’s baby is the problem between her and her husband due to the baby is quadroon. According to Chopin “Moreover, he no longer loved her because of the conscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name”, Armand told Desiree he does not love her anymore because she is not white and she is being mixed blood as his assertion (245). Desiree is adopted by Valmondae family at really young age, she is very vague about her background so Desiree does not have enough grounds to prove that she is completely origin from white American. Her heart seems torn when her dear husband, Armand asks her to leave the house with her child. “She turned away like one stunned like a blow, and walked slowly towards the door, hoping he would call her back” (Chopin 245). She has never

imagined life without someone next to and especially she is very dependent on husband. In desperation, she and her child leave home and never go back.
Kate through images of characters in Desiree's Baby shows readers the dependence of women on men.

Women lost many things after they are being married such as there is no freedom, everything is depending on husband, and every decision has to be confirm by husband. Living in a society that lacks fairness and respect for women, they have very little rights and privilege to decide their future. Armand in this story is dominant over Desiree, she is such his slave whom he uses when he needs. He does not recognize how much Desiree satisfies for him, how much love that she gives to

him.
With Mallard, loving freedom and liberation of marriage are the best thing she has while Desiree thinks her husband is a strong prop, however, color prejudice and class take her family apart. And in this story, “The Storm” Kate points out the other issues that women have to face during nineteen centuries are love and desires of the women. According to Chopin “she had lost nothing of her veracity. Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality” Calixta is such a young beautiful and desirous woman even she has been married. Her household seems takes her love passion and takes away her freedom. Before marrying Calixta and Alcee was a time in love. Two people reminisce about old times and the storm makes their heart sobbing again. The special of the short story is not just a story of adultery that is how Chopin access and analysis of women's sexuality, writing about sex is a taboo with social culture during her the time, and it gets more taboo when Chopin is a female writer.
In this short story Kate Chopin cleverly describes the transformation of two people from embarrass to open, review old love that they have been, and gradually enter the erotic trance very easy and logical, only during the passing storm. The lighting signs her mixed feelings. She fears social vilification because she is not allowed to do so; but the pleasure that she will never have again urged her to ignore that social prejudice. The appearance of the storm is as a meaningful irony of Kate. The storm is not meaning the faithful romantic moments of Calixta and Alcee, but it also means to wipe out frustrations and sorrow in their marriage and refresh their marriage which will get more joyful and excitement. According to Chopin “So the storm passed and everyone was happy” Sunshine after the storm each return to everyday life return to where they belong. Alcee happily write his wife to continue her journey and rushing is not needed. Calixta gladly welcome her husband and children return home after the storm. Life resumes; nobody worried or preoccupied about any violations have occurred. Nothing must be condemned, just, funny after all. Kate Chopin through this story shows readers feudal society during her period imposed women make them forget their true nature.