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The Protagonist In Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

1110 Words5 Pages

Desiree, the protagonist in a feminist short story defies the life of African American

people, and women during the time period she wrote. Kate Chopin wrote “Desiree’s

Baby” when roles for women were initially challenged for their freedom. In “Desiree’s

Baby” Armand accuses Desiree of not being fully white. However, Armand later on finds

out that it is he who has negro in his blood. Desiree finds herself relieved to find out that

it was not her that had negro in her blood. Armand's false accusations towards Desiree,

cause her to become insecure of who she was. Because of Desiree’s strained relationship

with Armand, she has trouble identifying who she really is; Desiree’s internal conflict

causes her to question her race and essentially …show more content…

She goes to him

laughing hysterically telling him she was fully white" It is a lie; it is not true, I am white!

Look at my hair, it is brown; and my eyes are gray. Look at my hand; whiter than yours,

Armand," (Chopin). She has had enough of his lies. When she first realizes the baby had

African American characteristics, she assumes them to had come from Armand. Her

assumptions were correct. Desiree take on a new identity, but she is unable to hold onto it

for long (Rene). Desiree having trouble with her true identity takes on a new role but is

unsuccessful with finding it. She goes to her mother to tell to tell him that it is not true

"they tell me I am not white. Armand has told me I am not white. For God's sake tell

them it is not true. You must know it is not true" (Chopin). Desiree tries really hard to

convince Armand that it is not her who is black. Role of identity also plays an important

part in Armands mental and emotional state also. His identity is linked to his idea of his

racial superiority(Rene). His lack of identity is underscored by his treatment of Desiree as

5/15/16 Germaine FItchett

a possession instead of a beloved human partner. Desiree loved Armand with her life,

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In the short story “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin, A woman named Desiree supposedly takes the life of herself and her child after “discovering” that she is biracial, and that her child is also of mixed race. Although, in the end of the story, we discover that the baby’s father, Armand, is really the biracial parent, it still seems logical to remember the story as if Desiree were biracial, since that is what both she and Armand believed, up until the very end. Many believe that Desiree’s decision to kill herself and her child was justified, because of the shame and ridicule that would come to the child, and the fact that she herself believed that neither her nor the child would have a happy future. Many believe that Desiree’s actions were justified because of the few options she seemed to have at the time, and the fact that all she could think about was how shameful she felt for being biracial, and

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