In the short story “A Desiree’s Baby,” a child dropped off while individuals pass on by grows up to marry Armand Aubigny, after a woman that goes by the name of Madame Valmonde takes her in as her own. The purpose of the story is based off on a child that belongs to a woman named Desiree and a man named Armand. However, as their child begins to grow something odd begins to draw attention to Armand. The author’s point in this story is to describe the understanding of racism and discrimination in Louisiana. Armand Aubigny is a plantation owner, who is married to a woman without an identity. Aubigny is a rude and a judgmental character due to his actions against the plantation workers, even against his own wife and son. For example, “a very spirit …show more content…
of satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves” (Chopin pg.
). He is also a dynamic and round character believing that he is the most flawless person. He is dynamic because he changes throughout the story. He feels one way in the beginning and another way at the end. However, this is not the real reason he is a dynamic character. The real reason is that he was racist towards the slaves, but he is not discriminatory towards his wife. One of the conflicts in the story would be Aubigny with Desiree, his wife, because of the skin color of their baby. Aubigny is upset with her putting all blame towards the happening of that outcome. He is surely confident “the child isn’t white, meaning you are not white.” From being joyous with the baby in the beginning of the story to being completely dull and ashamed proves his roundness. Armand’s appreciation towards Desiree is not there anymore, she senses it and her feelings about it are not on good terms. Desiree figures she should question her presence around Aubigny and his home. For instance, “yes go!” was his command to her. He mentioned her horrid action has put shame and disappointment to his name and background. That being said has led to other conflicts, such as decision making for Desiree’s baby and herself. Not being sure with her feelings towards the command, discomforted her …show more content…
mother. Allowing Madame to be concern about Desiree and the baby. Making sure that she is giving them the comfort and care they are in need of at the moment. She is also trying to be the one to give her the best decision to make in order to make her aching feelings disappear. Valmonde is only trying to show her daughter what her worth is and most certainly wants Desiree to be at a happy point. For instance, Desiree’s mother mentions in her letter “come home to Valmonde; back to your mother who loves you.” Basically giving Desiree a sense of acceptability into her home and around her no matter the cause or situation. Her mother is defined as unconditional love and that is something Armand isn’t giving to Desiree. Armand in this occasion is being in all ways selfish and instead of being a sacrificing person he tends to just give up on the obstacle being faced. There is no will in him what so ever to act like a grown adult about it; by the fact of him just to decide on what he did for Desiree and their baby. Many individuals may have looked at this to be an irresponsibility and a very poor choice. Not being understanding to the baby and Desiree has made all of their life flow split in many different directions. This has caused the readers to feel empathy towards Desiree and the baby and for their lives. There is foreshadowing later on towards the ending of the passage as a karma gift for Armand. He’ll only be receiving this as payback for his discrimination and cruelty. Racism has been around for quite some time. Back in the day, Louisianan was the main place they had it to be at the worst it can possibly be. There is no acceptance there for any Negros what so ever. Just imagine the treatment they received when there were a good population of them there. It is absolutely an image in your mind that makes a person just cringe and shake their heads in such disappointment. Some may believe there would be change and make race of all kind acceptable in any place. However, in Chopin’s story, set in the year 1893 a man, named Armand Aubigny was a racist to his own kind. There was completely no proof at all to prove that he was an African American, which led to no embarrassment. Obviously since he had all control he decided to be authoritative towards a kind that were put through such horrific hell. The slaves have such a difficult labor day in and day out and to receive that cruel and uncalled for punishment by a man who is just the same; very little was he was aware of that. These workers didn’t have much to lose but did have to be cautious on how they got their jobs done. It was the quality of the work that helped please their dictator and without a sense of pleasure just always built anger to them. In this case racism for Armand was stressed entirely to the point that after seeing his child’s features eventually made his ways with the slaves much more painfully. The importance for Armand was to humiliate African Americans and prove at the same that whites were on top of them, as well as presenting himself to have more rights over them.
He was also showing a white person’s presence was more dominating and valuable than an Africans presence being nonexistent unless they were showing respect to a white person. For example, all there was around the time Chopin’s had written this story were lives that were meaningless and not useful to the white ancestry. However, if they had them up for auction to be owned in only a use that would benefit them in all ways they’d gain that value and purpose; barely even then though whites would be somewhat thoughtful. Some white individuals tried showing some type of kindness and generosity but at the same time they somehow still managed to do it in a way where they stayed disgusted with the slaves. Racism was terrible especially with the very high classed white people. On the other hand, Armand wasn’t even a bit kind of thoughtful or any sense of generous to
them. He basically had one goal and one mind set and that was to show a lesson that he wouldn’t ever associate with African Americans. Being a harsh slave owner meant that this group of slaves he owned were completely invisible and that their appearance meant absolutely nothing. Based off from what the writer was illustrating there’s no desegregation. The lesson behind racism is teaching all about the African ancestry and how they were simply meaningless to many individuals. They had no absolute word or power to anything. Therefore, it gave whites all access to walk all over them and not give a certain concern over anything about them. That brand was left purposeless to all mankind at the time basically, being treated as an animal. For instance, as an ox this animal puts the definition of an African American to a white male or female. Relating to the labor they do to be the exact same. It is a sad and awful way to look at it however, it is the simplest form to description of how they lived and were treated. Armand having the characteristics that he did with his temper and dictatorship, demonstrated just that. What if it turned out to be the complete opposite; Desiree being the one with African features and having such a boiling temper. Perhaps changes would have been made a different outcome of many of these conflicts, Armand having that caring and tolerate behavior probably could’ve been all the difference of their child turning out to have white people features. To conclude the story, Desiree being taken in by Madame Valmonde was the best thing to happen for Desiree. Even through the conflicts Desiree ended up facing along the way she managed to figure out what would be beneficial for her and her baby. Through the story, Chopin managed to show us racism and discrimination can always find a way to be accepted either by one person or multiple.
There is a lot to talk about Armand character in the short story of Desiree’s baby. In the beginning of the story, he is such a great person he loves Desiree. This quote “beautiful and gentle” shows that Armand is fall in love with her. However, his character change, when he found out that baby wasn’t white. His character of being a good husband to a cruel husband. The story clearly explains his initial character and final character. I believe he is not pitiable at all because he shows his cruelty character toward Desiree and not only that, he cares about his social standing, which motivates him. When he bought “fine clothing and layettle” this shows a symbolic object of wealth and his possession of Desiree. He wouldn’t act in a cruel way if
Armand feels like he is the victim of betrayal by his wife Désirée. As the baby gets older it is clear that the baby is not white. Armand’s attitude quickly makes him assume that Désirée is not white giving Armand a feeling of deception. He denounces his love for Désirée and the child and casts them out of the house and his life. Désirée is stricken with grief about her treatment by Armand. She cannot believe how a man who loves her so much could treat her with such hostility and cruelty. Désirée develops a negative attitude towards herself and her baby. She is upset that she cannot change how Armand thinks of her because of her baby. This attitude causes Désirée to walk out of Armand’s life forever to her demise. Core beliefs also give to human behavior in “Samuel” and “Desiree’s
Throughout the story we are able to see that race and skin color is serious problem. Armand was in love with Desiree, but then he care more about having child with color eyes and light skin color. Even thought his mom wasn’t white, he ignores that and blames Desiree for not giving
Armand knew that Desiree’s decent was questionable and that she would be a perfect scapegoat if color were to show up in a child. When Monsieur Valmonde wanted Armand to fully consider Desiree’s unknown origin, he acted like it did not matter which is very peculiar during that time:
Armand becomes furious because he believes that Desiree?s race is what alters the color of the baby. After that incident, Armand displ...
The characterization of Armand showed that he knew all along about his ethnicity. Armand wanted to cope with his insecurities and feel to his slaves, which is evident in the following example: “…young Aubigny’s rule was strict and under it his Negroes had forgotten, how to be gay as they had been during their old master who was easy going and indulgent in his lifetime” (Chopin 708). Armand was afraid people in the community might get to know about his secret. For example, when Desiree is confronting him, she asks, “Do you want me to go?” (710). Armand replies, “Yes I want you to go” (710). Armand immediately makes up his mind to allow her t...
...ne major proponent that affected Aubigny’s outlook upon the African race was how his family name played in relation to the Southern culture. Another part that was analyzed was how Armand actually treated his slaves from making them forget how to be happy to him severely punishing them at the expense of his biracial child. Also in the context that his child was part African served as a catalyst for his change of heart from love to hate towards his wife which then terminated to his banishment of his wife and son. In the end of it all, the reader has seen the adverse and destructive effects that racism can have upon a select group of people and on society. From what Armand despised the most, was actually a part of him that he could never get rid of.
In “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin writes about the life of a young lady and her new family. In this short story, the fond couple lived in Louisiana before the American Civil War. Chopin illustrates the romantic atmosphere between Armand and Desiree. Chopin also describes the emotion of the parents for their new born. When the baby was born, Armand’s heart had softened on behalf of others. One afternoon, Desiree and the baby were relaxing in a room with a young boy fanning them with peacock feathers. As they were relaxing, Desiree had sniffed a threatening scent. Desiree desired Armand’s assistance as she felt faint from the odor that she could not comprehend. Armand had denied the request his wife sent. Therefore, he cried out that she nor the baby were white. Thus, Desiree took the baby and herself and walked into the bayou and they were never seen again. In this short story, Chopin illustrates the psychological abuse Desiree faces from her husband.
. In the beginning, Armand Aubigny saw Desiree “lying asleep in the shadow of the big stone pillar (1)” and fell in love with her, yet his love was destructive because he was “swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire (3).” Armand was in love with Desiree with their marriage and the birth of their son “softened Armand Aubigny‘s imperious and exacting nature (14)”. When Desiree had the baby, happiness started to fill the air but when Armand found out that the baby was not fully white, he became distant. Desiree began to feel as if her husband’s body was taken over by “the very spirit of Satan (15).” As Armand’s happiness begins to fade, he tells Desiree and the baby to leave as he is left empty and alone.
That was the way all the Aubignys fell in love, as if struck by a pistol shot…The passion that awoke in his that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like everything that drives headlong over all obstacles.”(47). Most often, such love does not last, it is like a fire that ignite some dry straw but it is consumed very quickly. The true love was the one between Armand’s father and his wife, which was of black race. To be with her, he left his plantation and his important name in Louisiana and went to live in France, a land foreign to him, just to offer an easier life to his wife, “But, above all, she wrote, “night and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” (Chopin 52). To show his love for Desiree and their baby, Armand could do the same thing his father did many years ago, but his attitude towards Desiree looks like in fact his love was just one who pass away went something wrong happened in their life, when life 's challenges arise. The true love is when you can’t live without another person, when his/her happiness is your happiness, “This was what made
... be part of that race. He did not want his well looked upon family name to be ruined. He was portrayed as a man who had it all. He had a reputation to keep maintained and Armand being part black would have ruined it. He owned a plantation and was a slave master. Racism did play a major role because when Armand found out that the baby was mixed everything changed such as Armand’s mood and Desiree’s happiness. She seemed to be very jolly and happy. Armand was also content. He was pleasant to the slaves. After he saw his child growing to be mixed it changed his whole attitude. He did not love the child genuinely because love is unconditional. He was more concerned about the race of the child. This was a great short story to read and it gave me insight on the importance and seriousness of our society back then. I am glad we have overcome these terrible racial matters.
In conclusion, Chopin’s story explains how life in the late 1800s treated black people, as well as where white people traditionally stood on the social ladder in comparison. Most rich whites owned slaves that were treated poorly, much like Armand’s before the marriage and after the child grew. It also explained that having any black in the family was shameful
“Desiree was happy when she had the baby and Armand was as happy and nice to the slaves then before but after he saw his child growing to be mixed it changed his whole attitude” (Griffin). This shows how the story takes place during slavery time, since the husband was a slave.
Throughout time, humans struggled with issues of conformity and individuality. In the modern world, individuality is idealized, as it is associated with strength. Weak individuals are usually portrayed as conforming to society and having almost no personal ideas. In “Desiree’s Baby”, a short story, the author Kate Chopin deals with the struggles of African descendants in the French colonies during the time of slave labor. The protagonist is a white woman named Desiree who is of unknown origin and birth as she was found abandoned as an infant at an aristocrat’s doorstep. Eighteen years after her discovery, she and a fellow aristocrat, Armand Aubigny, fall in love and get married. They soon have a child, yet conflict arises when the child is discovered to be black. The young family is destroyed when the baby’s father, Armand, refuses to accept the child. In “Desiree’s Baby”, Chopin demonstrates through Armand’s conflicts how weak humans conform to environmental norms.
He is so humiliated at the fact that his partner and child are African-American, that he abandons them. However, it turns out Armand is biracial. He discovers a letter his mother wrote to his father writing, “But, above all,” she wrote, “night and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery. ””(Chopin, 446). Due to his ignorant internalized racism, Armand lacks agency in his life and loses his family.