ipl-logo

Figurative Language In Chopin's The Awakening

713 Words3 Pages

TOPIC: I. To express deeper meanings using figurative language.
Author’s last name and page number Evidence Commentary
Chopin 244 “He did not answer her. That was his last blow of fate.” “Blow of fate”, in this case means that, Armand ruined his family relationship, and this helped Desiree decided to leave.
Chopin 240 “When Desiree was found at the stone pillar and met Armand there, was a sign of a beginning.” “The Stone Pillar” is symbolized as a new beginning for Desiree because she met her e and her husband.
Chopin 242 “Desiree awoke one day to the conviction that there was something menacing her peace.” “Menacing” means danger, or being threatened, in this case this is foreshadowing the bad events that’ll happen with the baby.
Schneider …show more content…

To express deeper meanings using imagery.
Author’s last name and page number Evidence Commentary
Chopin 240 “It is not a wonder that Armand fell in love with her…, as if struck by a pistol.” This is describing the feeling that Armand had when he felt in love with Desiree.
Chopin 240 “Swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.” This is also another example of Armand feelings when he was falling hard for Desiree.
Chopin 243 “Look at my hair, it is brown…” Desiree is trying to get Armand to notice or see that she’s not black, but she’s white.
Krtovic 19 “Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand.”, proving that Desiree will defend herself even if she’s doubted. Armand, who still doesn’t understand that’s he’s mixed, is refusing to believe that Desiree is white, and Desiree is still trying to prove she’s white
Pegues 6 Chopin reinforces this image with a description of the roof “that came down steep and black like a crow.” This person is saying that Desiree was living in a house that was miserable to her but only loves pulls her and the house together.

Work Cited
Chopin, Kate. “Desiree’s Baby.” The Complete Works of Kate Chopin. Ed. Per Baton

Show More
Related

Comparing Désirée's Baby 'And The Birth-Mark'

1367 Words | 6 Pages

Also, when he states “Ah, upon another face perhaps it might, but never yours,” he is telling her that he thought her face was perfect without it, and that an unperfect face would look good with it. By telling his wife that she is not beautiful because of a birthmark, he is showing that he has authority over his wife’s life because her life affects him, depicting that he has complete control in their relationship. Armand also has a negative reaction towards Désirée. Désirée had just given birth to their son, and when both Armand and Désirée realize one of them is not fully white, because their son is not white, Armand explains, ““It means,” he answered lightly, “that the child is not white; it means that you are not white”” (Chopin, 3, Introduction).

Read More

Desiree's Baby Foreshadowing

773 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

Foreshadowing And Allusion In Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

1203 Words | 5 Pages

Desiree says good-bye to Armand and goes to the deserted field with her child and never came back. Armand was burning all of Desiree’s and the child’s materials into the bonfire. Then he found some letters from Desiree, but one was from his mother to his father, the letter said that she was grateful that Armand would never find out his mother was of slave heritage (Chopin). In “Desiree’s Baby, “ Kate Chopin uses imagery, foreshadowing and allusion to develop the ominos, mystery and sad story.

Read More

Symbolism In Desiree's Baby, By Kate Chopin

858 Words | 4 Pages

A common theme that has lived most distinctly in the South for decades, exists still today. Most of the culture, especially during the Antebellum Era, believed that no Caucasian should even be associated with individuals of color, for they were of substance, simply as property. The author of “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin, existed in this era, one in which racism and slavery were ever-prevalent, leading to her focus upon the issue of race throughout her works, particularly “Desiree’s Baby.” Her writing is solely based upon her experiences, which has influenced individuals for centuries. Chopin 's characterization of Armand, a character portraying one of high power in society, serves to illustrate the thoughts and ideals of individuals, particularly in the South, during the 19th century; furthermore, her

Read More

How Does Armand Use Symbols In Desiree's Baby

1116 Words | 5 Pages

fallen in love with her” (Litcharts 3). She informs the reader that Desiree will experience a new type of love. Another example of symbolism in this short story is the bonfire that Armand creates at the end of “Desiree’s Baby”. This fire is representative of both Armand’s rage and his yearning to free himself of Desiree, as well as his passion for his departed wife which was described, at the start of the story, as “a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles” (Litcharts 3).

Read More

How Did Armand Saw African American

774 Words | 4 Pages

“(Chopin). Armand sees negroes as shameful race because of the society he was raised in and from the unawareness of his mother race. I strongly believe that if Armand knew that his mother was African American he would have continued loving his wife as well as she would have loved him in

Read More

Examples Of Irony In Desiree's Baby

1267 Words | 6 Pages

Surely, only an opposing, selfish, and insensitive person could send their wife and child away upon realizing that they both were mixed race. In Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby”, however, protagonist, Desiree, is altered over just a few days as she goes from being thankful from the happiness of her husband and baby into saddened and betrayed by her lover. The story eventfully shows how racism and denial both play a part in the way the future may turn out. From the time that the story begins, one can see that the love between Armand and Desiree is what they say to be a dream come true. It’s the love that everyone asks for.

Read More

Theme Of Irony In Desiree's Baby

1210 Words | 5 Pages

“Desiree’s Baby was written by Kate Chopin and she talks about the issues people had back then with racism and gender. She demonstrated those problems by using literary devices such as symbols, conflict, and irony. I advise everyone to read this story for the fact this kind of conflict is still happening today and we need to work together for a change. Overall this was a great story and it teaches you many great lessons. Take a look

Read More

Desiree's Baby Essay

470 Words | 2 Pages

However, as the baby grows, Armand’s character transformed once more. Désirée noticed when the baby was three months old that Armand would speak to her with “averted eyes, from which the old love-light seemed to have gone out” and Armand would avoid hers and her child’s presence (Chopin 2). The sudden behavioral change in Armand suggests that something developed between Armand and Désirée that is returning his hatred and judgmental attitude slowly. Toward the end of the short story, Désirée realizes that her child’s skin color has darkened until it has become blackish in color (Chopin 3). Fearful of the truth, Désirée confronts Armand and interogrates him about the baby’s recent development, where she learns the truthful suspicion that Armand had that Désirée was not entirely white (Chopin 3).

Read More

Desiree's Baby Literary Analysis

1283 Words | 6 Pages

One of the many short stories by Kate Chopin is “Desiree’s Baby.” In this story, Desiree was found as a toddler under the shadow of a stone pillar by Monsieur Valmonde. He and his wife took the child in and years later, under the same shadow of the stone pillar, Desiree met her husband, Armand Aubigny. Not long after marriage, they had a child. Soon after the baby was born, Armand uncharacteristically became nice to all around him including his slaves.

Read More

Unconditional Love In Desiree's Baby

1012 Words | 5 Pages

During the era in which this short story was written, southern authors had a major influence on the way the culture was going to grow with racism, and also the way people loved each other. Kate Chopin, a traditional author who believed in southern ways, exemplifies how race and the characteristics of conditional love played a role in her story. In “Desiree’s Baby,” the author, Kate Chopin, provides an illustration of conditional love exemplified by the character, Armand, towards his wife and child; furthermore, Chopin provides instances of irony, elements of surprise, foreshadowing, and symbolism to prove that Armand’s love for both of them was not the unconditional love typically felt and portrayed by women, such as Desiree, during this era. Throughout the story, the readers notice different times where Chopin uses elements of surprise. One major surprise is when Armand opens the letter from his mother and finds out that he has African American in his bloodline.

Read More

Themes And Symbolism In Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

1463 Words | 6 Pages

In the end Armand tells Desiree to leave with her baby. Once she does, Armand finds out that his mother was really a slave, when he found a letter that was for his father and so he was the one who caused his child to be mixed. In “Desiree’s Baby”, Kate Chopin uses themes, characters, and symbols to develop the short story. The first literary device is theme which is the message about life or human nature that is “the focus” in the story that the writer tells (Glossary...3).

Read More

Characterization In Desiree's Baby

885 Words | 4 Pages

Strategically placing round and flat characters throughout the story, her characters help to further emphasize the theme and plot in “Desiree’s Baby.” Characterization is most evident in the characters of Desiree (protagonist) and Armand Aubigny (Antagonist.) Desiree is first described in paragraph one, “it made [Madame Valmonde] laugh to think of Desiree as a baby” (Chopin 1). Obviously, since Desiree is the character having a baby, as described in the title, Desiree must undergo certain changes to get to the character she is now.

Read More

Racism In Désirée's Baby

883 Words | 4 Pages

Armand becomes enraged at the sight of his mixed child, and begins to relinquish this rage upon his slaves, with Chopin writing that the “very spirit of Satan” overtook him in how he dealt with them. Désirée, directly in Armand’s crosshairs on behalf of her obscure origins and his white pride, will soon shiver in his coldness and be kept powerless by his

Read More

Theme Of Racism In Desiree's Baby

1280 Words | 6 Pages

He hardly knew Desiree, yet he married her anyway and had a son. Another literary device that is used in “Desiree’s Baby” is situational and dramatic irony. For example, like Jeniffer Smith states in Short Stories for Students that “ Several critics of “Desiree’s Baby” have charged that the ending is a trick ending, or an O. Henry ending, so-named after the short story writer famous for the reversals that came at the end of his stories”(Smith 73). Chopin is well known for using these endings in her stories. Just like in the “Story of an Hour” Chopin uses situational irony to keep the reader entertained and to shock the reader in the end.

Read More

More about Figurative Language In Chopin's The Awakening

Related Topics

Open Document