How Does Kate Chopin Use Direct Characterization

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“For the girl grew to be beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere”(Chopin 1). In the story “Desiree’s Baby”, Kate Chopin helps the reader to analyze the character Madame Valmonde, Desiree, and Armand by using direct and indirect characterization. Characterization is the process by which the writer revealed the personality of a character. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization. Direct characterization tells the audience what the personality of the character is. For example the patient boy and a quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother. Explanation the author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is patient and the girl …show more content…

An example of an indirect characterization is, the girl left the pizza crust on her floor, the boy helped old Ms.Jones with her bags. Explanation the narrator is showing the reader a thing about the character through the character’s decisions or actions (Readwritethink 1). Desiree Valmonde Aubigny is the title character in Chopin’s short story, “Desiree’s Baby”. Desiree does not know her family’s origin as she was found on the front steps of the Valmonde Plantation. This is important in a society that separates social classes based on race. As a sweet and beautiful girl she grows up happy and loved with Valmonde’s. When Armand Aubigny sees her for the first time he falls in love at first sight. Both fall passionately in love and get married. Desiree Valmonde depends on Armand for all her happiness. It is because of their deep love, when he rejects her she chooses to end her life, and that of her baby, instead of living without him. For example a direct characterization of desiree is that she is a good mother “The baby was beside her, upon her arm, where he had fallen asleep, at her breast”(Chopin 1). She takes good care of her baby which tells or helps you to tell her caring personality. An indirect characterization of Desiree is “Oh mamma, I’m so happy”(Chopin