Desiree's Baby Comparative Essay

During the 1800s, being African American was not something everybody desired. African American men, women and children were all facing harsh discrimination. White supremacy was prevalent during this time. If the one drop rule applied to you during the 1800s, success was impossible. The one drop blood rule was a rule people in the 1800s used to determine if you were considered black or not. Charles Chesnutt “The Wife of His Youth” and Kate Chopin “Desiree’s Baby” were two stories that touch on life for African-Americans during this time. These short stories were written during the harsh years of slavery. These stories both have important themes that people should pay attention to. The way society thinks of someone, is often how people begin to think of themselves. In both “The Wife of His Youth” and “Desiree’s Baby,” the main characters both struggles with self-hatred because of how society feels about African American people. Charles W. Chesnutt’s short

Racism is a common theme throughout the short story of “Desiree’s Baby”, as the color of one’s complexion is one of the more important values of one’s life. During the story of “Desiree’s Baby”, Desiree comes to the resolution that she is the one who is of black ancestry and that is where the baby’s dark skin tone comes from. As Desiree start to feel attack by everyone telling her that she is black, she strives to deny what is becoming to seem true, “you must know it is not true. I shall die. I must die. I cannot be so unhappy and live” (Chopin 234). The significance that her life has a white lady instantaneously is gone by the nature of racism, as Desiree may be considered a black lady. Desiree is really tortured by this rumor because she knows the hardships that women go through that are considered black, “the condition of being black and female is much more debilitating than that of being black and male”