Desiree's Baby Ethnicity

Why Does an Individual’s Ethnicity Create Such a Divisive Issue?

The short-story “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin took place during the first half of the 19th century and between the Revolutionary and Civil War, when the intermixing of races was taboo. The story was centered around the negative perspective on ethnicity. It also took place in Louisiana, which is where a multitude of people who are mixed with different origins are found. The theme of racism in “Desiree’s Baby” is reflected in Light and Stancle’s “Color Blind” song. “Desiree’s Baby” illustrates how an individual’s ethnicity can create such a divisive issue with an incredible combination of imagery, characterization, and irony, yet she also unveils the buried actualities about

discrimination in the world.
“Desiree’s Baby” and “Color Blind” illustrates how an individual’s ethnicity can create such a divisive issue with an incredible use of imagery. Kate Chopin uses very descriptive imagery to illustrate racism. Armand, who is a a main character, actions show that he hates the mixing of whites and blacks, especially since he blamed his wife for their son’s complexion and then turns on them. “Armand,” she panted once more clutching his arm, “look at our child. What does it mean? He coldly but gently loosened her fingers from about his arm and thrust the hand away from him. “It means,” he answered lightly, “that the child is not white; it means that you are not white”(Wilson 243).  This quote shows how ethnicity can create a division among people. “Color Blind” explains how Armand’s hatred against the intermixing of races continue to stand in today’s society Light and Stancle are painting a picture of how one’s side of the family deals with their bi-racial standing. “I got some black family that don’t even know it yet. My white family never seems to grab a hold of it.” The lyrics show how the color of your skin determines if you’re accepted in society; just as Armand decided to disown his son due to his skin complexion. Armand's actions toward blacks reflect how Celia, a slave was treated by her master (Newsome). Newsome would continuously rape Celia., and once the white soothers knew about it, it would cause a division among society. McLaurin stated that, “Newsome knew that his rape of Celia was no isolated incident, an event which, had it been immediately discovered, would have raised a storm of moral outrage among white southerners.” This explains that in the 19th century the mixture of whites and blacks was not accepted. but white southerners in this story. It was looked at as an abomination to God and his land. With great imagery and characterization, the author describes the harshness of the white southern behavior and this time period.
“Desiree’s Baby” illustrates how an individual’s ethnicity can create division by using characterization.

Armand is a multidimensional character throughout the story. At first, Armand was happy that he had a “all white” son but once he found out the child was mixed with black his whole mood changed. Armand was “the proudest father in the parish. He hasn't punished one of them (slaves) since the baby was born” (Chopin 242). Once Armand supposedly found out that Desiree was mixed with African due to his son’s skin complexion, “He absented himself from home; and when there, avoided her presence and that of her child, without excuse. And the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves” (Chopin 242). Light and Stancle’s song shines light on the treatment of blacks using characterization, with the lines, “A little boy was killed, his skin was stained. At least that’s what they thought and so he hangs.” The lyrics reflect Armand’s reaction to his son’s stained skin. Armand neglects his wife and son and reverts back to abusing his slaves. Armand’s character relates to sudden change in the Europeans, especially when enslaving Africans arose. According to Franklin and Higginbotham, “Many European colonies did not initially regard African slaves as the only solution to their labor needs in the Americas. By the late seventeenth century, English masters began to enslave Africans, as they presented fewer difficulties than white laborers”

(26-27). To sum up, Europeans were against transporting in Africans for labor, but when white indentured servants refused to follow their orders, they decided to go through with it. Chopin does a great job of showing how Armand’s thoughts on race slowly ooze out through characterization, but she decides to turn the table in the end., by using irony.
Kate Chopin illustrates situational irony and it’s place within the divisive issue of race.

“Desiree’s Baby” forms from the base of Kate Chopin’s actual life. Just as Desiree lived with her husband, where they had slaves, “Kate spent the Civil War in St. Louis, where residents supported the Confederacy and her family had slaves in the house” (Clark). Chopin was somewhat  “Desiree”. When Desiree’s ethnicity came into question, she pled and cried for her husband to accept her as white because in the eyes of the world, “White is right.” Light and Stancle song shines light on the world’s perspective when it comes to one’s origin. “Should I act white? ‘Cause what I’ve heard is only black is darkness and white is good.”(Light and Stancle). His lyrics steep deeper into how the world thinks. The color black is associated with evil, while white is associated with purity. It continues to stain each non-white person, stating that acting white will help them achieve more. Moreover, Armand associated himself with “white is right” until he couldn’t erase that he was, “cursed with the brand of slavery” (Chopin and Wilson 245). The irony is that Armand was the one who was not white and knew it. According to Jamie Davis, “Chopin's says that there was “…an air of mystery among the blacks” and “unexpected visits from far-off neighbors who could hardly account for their coming.” All levels of society were talking about his black child. He could not admit that it was he who made the child

black: he would have to blame Desiree, especially since her race was to be in question.” So, Armand decided to never tell Desiree and let her “disappear among the reeds”(Chopin and Wilson 244).
“Desiree’s Baby” illustrates how an individual’s ethnicity and other factors such as gender created such a divisive issue in society.  Being non-white was looked upon as a disgrace to Armand, and Chopin showed that in the story. She illustrated how race was portrayed in the 19th century by using imagery, irony and characterization. Also, “Desiree’s Baby” illustrates thoughts in 2017, especially sine the intermixing of races are not quite accepted by many. “Desiree’s Baby” goes to show that the many still believes that “if it’s white then it’s right.”