Study On The Story Desirees Baby

The story Desiree’s Baby was based on Kate Chopin’s experiences while living in rural Louisiana during the late 1800s. Desiree’s Baby describes the psychical realism many people experienced during an era following the slavery abolishment. The story describes the problem of racism which interfered with the love and understanding between the Aubiguey family. The point Kate conveys is to question why Armand chose to protect his pride instead of the love he felt for his wife and child.

The story revolves around the late 1800s, which was a dramatic time for people shortly after the abolishment of slavery. Emotions toward African Americans had not completely vanished; these African Americans were held at a low class in society during this time period. In Desiree’s Baby, Desiree’s husband, Armand, was a wealthy aristocrat who owned a large plantation in Louisiana. Armand portrays many of the same emotions and ideas of a common plantation owner during the era. He believes he has to protect his family’s social status even at the cost of his wife and child. Armand further delivers the idea of social theory in the story. Social theory addresses and interprets the thought process during a situation based on rationality and logic.

When Armand is introduced in the story, he represents a man of wealth and class. He is described by Desiree to her mother as “the proudest father in the parish” (Chopin 346). As the story unfolds, it is obvious that Armand begins to suspect that their child is of African descent and is described as absenting himself from home refusing to be in presences of Desiree and their child. When Desiree finally learns of the child’s true descent, Armand cruelly answers her “It means that the child is not white; it means that you are not white.” (Chopin 347). Armand no longer feels love towards Desiree, he is described as “no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and name” (Chopin 348). Armand feels cruel emotions towards Desiree for disgracing his family’s heritage and social status. Later in the story, Armand tells Desiree “Yes, I want you to go.” (Chopin 348). Armand is unchanged in his ill regard to removed Desiree and their child from the home because his pride was hurt because of the shame brought upon his family’s name. After Desiree and the baby leaves, Armand sets a great bonfire containing “the richness of a priceless layette. Then there were silk gowns, and velvet and satin ones added to these; laces, too, and embroideries; bonnets and gloves; for the corneille had been of rare quality.” (Chopin 349). Armand was purging his life of any of the artifacts left by his wife and child after their departure for he no longer cared for them.

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In Desiree’s Baby, true love was one of the problems that Desiree and Armand faced. Desiree was raised by Madame Valmonde after being found “lying asleep in the shadow of the big stone pillar” (Chopin 345). Valmonde portrays that she fully loves and cherishes Desiree in the story. She tells Desiree “My own Desiree: Come home to Valmonde; back to your mother who loves you. Come with your child.” (Chopin 348). Years later, Desiree is seen by Armand standing by the exact pillar she was found as a child. “As Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there, had fallen in love with her. That was the way all the Aubigny feel in love, as if struck by a pistol shot.” (Chopin 346). Armand fell in love for Desiree’s beauty for he later describes “The wonder was that he had not loved her before; for he had known her since his father brought him home from Paris, a boy of eight, after his mother died there.” (Chopin 346). Armand’s love is artificial in that he loves only Desiree’s beauty. Desiree however, loves Armand entirely. Desiree is describes as loving Armand “desperately” (Chopin 346). She states that “When he frowned she trembled, but loved him. When he smiled, she asked no greater blessing of God.” (Chopin 346). Even as Armand begins to isolate himself from Desiree, she continued to love him. This can be seen when Desiree wrote to her mother explaining the situation stating “I shall die. I must die. I cannot be so unhappy, and live” (Chopin 348). Another example of Desiree’s love for Armand is when she “turned away like one stunned by a blow, and walked slowly towards the door, hoping he would call her back.” (Chopin 348). For Desiree, her love is unconditional towards Armand, whereas his love was superficial.

The story also conveys the problem associated from racism. Racism is one of the other main points that lead to Armand and Desiree’s demise. While Armand believed his child was white, his views towards slavery changed. However, as the child began to resemble an African American, Armand became angered which lead to him to isolated himself from his family. Armand wrongly accused Desiree of being part African descent because of the lack of information regarding her family and heritage. Armand believed that his heritage was from aristocracy and therefore could not be tainted with African descent. Armand is described as “no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name” (Chopin 348). Armand’s quick change of emotions towards his wife and child implies that he is racist and therefore views them as an embarrassment. However, at the end of the story, Armand learns from a letter written from his mother to his father stating, “night and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” (Chopin 349).

In summary, Desiree’s Baby written by Kate Chopin describes how pride can adversely affects the values and morals of an individual. In this story, Armand chooses to protect his family’s reputation when he finds that his child is born of African descent. In order to protect his social status, Armand makes his wife and child leave home. The point Kate describes is how pride can affect the morals and judgments of an individual set by society.

Work Cited

Chopin, Kate. “Desiree’s Baby.” Millennium Reader. By Terry Hirschberg and Stuart Hirschberg. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Education, 2009. 345-349. Print.