Desiree's Baby Essay

The short story by Kate Chopin, “Desiree’s Baby” took place in the 1800s during the era of slavery for African Americans. Armand a well-known wealthy man marries Desiree a girl who was adopted and raised by a wealthy woman. They fall in love, get married, and are blessed with a child. In the beginning, the child brings nothing but joy, but as the child grows its “flaws” are uncovered through his darker skin, tearing the family apart. Armand blames and rejects his wife for the child's darker skin, leaving Desiree heartbroken and confused. In the end, he discovers a secret that proves he is actually the reason for the child’s complexion. Within this story, Chopin uses the literary elements of setting, character development, and plot to convey

While introducing Armand he is referred to as a "master" and is a slave owner who can be described as cruel and hateful. "Young Armand's rule was a strict one, too, and under it, his negros had forgotten how to be gay, as they had been during the old master's easy-going and indulgent lifetime"(Chopin 1). In this quote, Chopin explains the different roles in society during the time. It shows how there are masters and slaves whose lives are directed by those in power. Explaining the roles of a slave and a master and how they are related sets up when the story is taking place and the standards of the time. Understanding the time this story is told and the importance of race allows the reader to see how little power slaves had over their own lives. This quote helps build the setting by using words such as “negros”, “master”, and “rule”. “Rule” and “Master” both are connected to power and authority while “negro” has a negative cognition of slavery and a time of oppression for African Americans. The phrases “during the old master easy- going and indulgent lifetime” and “under it his negros had forgotten how to be gay” show just how much control a white man or “master” had over his slaves. It ranged from being “easygoing” while others made the slaves' lives miserable. The setting really plays a

As the child was growing he became darker and Armand blamed Desiree. “It means” he answered lightly, “that the child is not white; it means that you are not white” (Chopin 3). In the end, as he is burning and getting rid of his family’s belongings he uncovers a huge secret about his mother. “Dear Armand will never know that his mother who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery” (Chopin 5). Chopin is able to show the irony in Armand’s racism because he ends up being the very thing he rejected his wife and child for. When developing the plot Chopin had a lot of suspense in the climax. Then, in the end, left the readers speechless with the reveal of the big secret. This is definitely essential because it shows how dumb it was to disown his family because of their race. The first quote shows Armand blaming Desiree for the baby being black, building the plot by using suspense. When Chopin uses “it means… you are not white” it shows something new has been discovered. Which is that Desiree is apparently black. Then in the second quote, she uses words such as “cursed” and “brand of slavery” to describe Armand's mother and who she was. This reveals the big secret closing the story off with the fact that Armand was actually the reason for the baby being black. Through the plot, the reader is able to see the irony of Armand being African