Kate Chopin Controversy

Kate Chopin’s 1893 short story, Desiree’s Baby, was an evolutionary piece of literature and very bold for its time. Kate Chopin writes her female protagonist, Desiree, interestingly. The way she writes Desiree can be interpreted in many ways, especially because the book is timeless while society continues to evolve. Another issue is that the character appears to be subservient and docile, which does not change unless you read into her actions and how she holds herself. Chopin writes Desiree in this manner to give her power while still upholding the societal standards at the time. Kate Chopin gives Desiree power throughout the book in many ways like how she stood up for herself and her child, how her life did not revolve around Armand or their

It shows that she values herself and can put herself first before her husband. Lastly, Chopin gave Desiree power by not putting marriage as the center of her world or as a priority. For a woman at her time, marriage should be their main priority, but this was not the case for Desiree. After she writes to her mother about her discovery of her and her baby’s heritage, she brings her mother’s response letter to Armand. “When the letter reached Desiree, she went with it to her husband's study and laid it open upon the desk before which he sat. She was like a stone image: silent, white, motionless after she placed it there.” (Chopin, 1893) Instead of pleading with him or begging for him to love her and their child, she just calmly gave him the letter and held her ground, which was the only power she could have in that time and age. In conclusion, Kate Chopin gave Desiree power by changing her morals and priorities. Desiree put herself and her baby as the main priority in her life before her husband and marriage, which was uncommon at the time. She held herself with grace and power when she showed Armand the letter and asked if she should