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What Does Desiree's Baby Mean

472 Words2 Pages

Krish Pandya
Diianni
English 9
October 25th 2017

“Desiree’s Baby”

Misunderstandings can happen, Some may be minor but others can be life-changing. In Kate Chopin’s short story, Desiree’s Baby, Desiree is misunderstood because her origin is unknown, her baby’s skin is dark, and Armand accusing her of being black. Désirée Valmondé is the adopted daughter of Monsieur and Madame Valmondé; as a small baby, she was found abandoned by Monsieur Valmondé outside the gates of his estate. Beautiful and beloved by her adoptive parents, she is courted by the son of another wealthy, French Creole neighborhood family, Armand. She and Armand marry and have a baby. When the baby is born, Armand is at first delighted. However, the baby’s skin color soon shows signs of the baby being a “quadroon”—one-quarter African. Armand assumes that because of Désirée’s unknown parentage that she is part black. Désirée walks off with the baby in her arms into the bayou; they are never seen again.
The story starts out when the Valmondes find Desiree by a stone pillar abandoned, later she was adopted. Armand had been warned about Desiree’s unknown origin .“Monsieur Valmondé grew practical and wanted things well considered: that is, the girl’s obscure …show more content…

Madame Valmonde comes to visit them in L’abri when she first saw the child she was disbelief .“Yes, the child has grown, has changed” said Madame Valmondé, this shows that the baby has changed and is not of white color. Later in the story, Desiree herself starts to notice the changes. Soon word started to get out that child was not of white but rather of African descent, the rumors went through the community and the slaves gossiped about it. Everyone thought that she was the one with African American dissent, even her own mother, and her husband. Near the end of the story, Armand discovers letters from his mother that said that she was of African descent which made him

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There could have been multiple possibilities of why the baby was not “White,” but due to Armand’s first intuition that Désirée was not white, he is showing that he has authority of the situation and that what he says goes. Because the husband and wife in both stories allow this particular type of destructive relationship, where the wife is submissive and the husband treats his wife like his own property, both stories progressively deteriorate by the

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Armand’s father had brought him home from paris, when he was eight, after his mother died. He came from a wealthy family. According to the Armand’s father thought of Desiree didn’t seem like he was happy because the way he grew up, he wanted someone from the same wealth as them. After they had gotten married and they were expecting a baby, the day had come of the birth of the child Mrs. Valmonde was surprised about the baby when she saw it because perhaps the kid didn’t look like one of the parent’s. “ Marriage, and later the birth of his so had softened Armand Aubigny’s imperious and exacting nature greatly.”

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As the child was three months old, Desiree notice a difference in Armands behaviour, he was distancing from Desiree and the child. Desiree was getting axitions and mad of what was Armand behavior thoughts her and the child. Desiree was sad and wrote to Madame Valmonde. Madame Valmonde told her to come home with her child. Desiree talks to Armand if she is allowed to go back home.

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Desiree’s parents disagreed to their marriage and didn 't let their daughter leave and ruren the name of the family. So Desiree and Armand left regardless to what her parents say and got a home that can be described as a sad looking place. As time went on living by themselves Desiree had found out that she was pregnant. When Armand found out he was filled with joy and excitement. When

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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

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This is shown when Kate writes, “He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?”(Chopin. Par 1). This shoes that Armand wanted to love Desiree and give her what she needed. Monsieur Valmondé gave Armand a chance to explore more into

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“Desiree’s Baby”, is a short story written by Kate Chopin. This short story is about a woman named Desiree, abandoned at a very young age, who grew up to fall in love with Armand Aubigny. Armand was born into a very wealthy family, who fell in love easily, very strict and owners of slaves. Desiree then conceived Armand’s child, who instantly changed the way he thought once the child was born. Desiree’s mother, Madame Valmonde, was scheduled to see the baby in L’Abri since she had not seen it in four weeks.

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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.

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“Desiree’s Baby” is a story in which a young girl, Desiree, is abandoned and raised by an upper class family. A harsh slave owner, Armand, falls in love with her and orders corbeille – wedding gifts from the groom to the bride – and marries her as soon as they arrive. They have a child whose skin color shows to be of a mixed race. Armand rejects his wife and child, sending them off to die. When Armand is getting rid of Desiree’s things, he finds a letter from his mother stating that he is the son of a slave.

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