Desiree's Baby Foreshadowing

In Kate Chopin’s short story, “Desiree's Baby”, she exemplifies many different versions of foreshadowing to indicate the different advances in the plot later on in the story. She uses foreshadowing in many different ways. The use of setting description, background information of the characters, and actions of side characters in order to give the reader an idea of what might happen in the future. All of these connect in the story to hint at the true ancestry of Desiree’s baby, and the baby’s father, Armand. The strongest notion alluding to Armand’s ancestry is the information about his childhood. The story takes place before the civil war, during the Antebellum period. At this time, being black and marrying or coupling with an african american

Multiple times throughout the story, it can be found that Armand is described as dark and mysterious, specifically as “dark and handsome”. Even when describing his estate, it is detailed as “black like a cawl — far reaching branches shadowed is like a pall.”, which gives illustration to a mystery surrounding the family. In contrast, Desiree is described with words that suggest purity. The difference between their two characteristics is furthered when Armand tells Desiree she was the parent with black heritage and Desiree holds her hand next to her husband’s and points out how much darker he is than

The illustration of the mysterious haze bestowed around the house gives an inkling to the idea that something is impure, mostly surrounding Armand and the Aubigny family since it is their land. This is associated with both the idea that the baby is not white, and that his “imperfection” comes from Armands bloodline. Before Desiree’s recognition of her child's skin color, the reaction of Madame Valmonde toward the baby further develops the idea that Desiree has overlooked the reality of her baby’s ancestry. She was notably startled when she first saw the baby, then proceeded to hold it to the sun in order to better examine it. When she did this, she gazed back at the housemaid, who was black. This action suggests that she notices the clear resemblance in color of the baby and Zandrine, the housemaid. Eventually, it is revealed that Desiree begins to come to an understanding that there is something mysterious surrounding the baby. It is stated that there were puzzling visits from neighbors from afar, and a new manner amongst everyone, including the slaves and her own husband. The actions of her husband that were noted entail that he has already made the connection that the baby was black. He began to ignore his wife and child for a reason that is unknown to Desiree, but is evident to the reader. The association between Armand’s clear understanding