Desiree's Baby Literary Analysis

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Kate Chopin's short story "Desiree's Baby" addresses the personal impact suffered as a result of the evils of a slave system through the use of characterization and irony. In this story the racism during the antebellum affects the marital relationship between Desiree and Armand. Chopin describes Armand as a proud man to whom maintaining the honor and good name of his family is essential because it is “one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana” (Chopin). He is an advocate racist, to whom his white skin color give him power and status. On the other hand, Desiree is a beautiful and powerless woman with an uncertain origin that was adopted by the Valmonde family. Chopin uses characterization to help the readers understand the attitudes of each