Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin takes place in Louisiana in 1894 ✓ Solved

“Desiree’s Baby” (1894) is set in the Creole region of Louisiana and takes us back in time to the Antebellum South. This was a time in the South where racism and separatism were an everyday way of life. Although I grew up in Louisiana in the 1960s, much of the same practices were very present. It was not uncommon for a white person to treat a person of color as though they were subhuman or that their life was in some way less valuable than theirs.

I must admit that some of the language that the author Chopin chose to use was a bit unclear as to the interpretation of what she was trying to convey. However, I could discern that in her text there were several areas of conflict that I could clearly see. If people allow themselves to move past external, societal, or political constructs their lives would be much happier. One of the areas of conflict was man versus woman. In the 21st century, women are heads of households and are considered equal to their male counterparts.

However, it is almost natural for households to follow a pattern of set gender roles. The common practice during this period was that a man who desired to marry a woman would offer a dowry. “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? He ordered the corbeille from Paris and contained himself with what patience he could until it arrived; then they were married” (Chopin 1).

The text lets us know that there is a hierarchy of male dominance towards females. It was important for a woman to marry, take her husband’s name, and give him a male offspring to carry on the family lineage. Chopin emphasized the desire of Armand to have a white male child. “He coldly but gently loosened her fingers from about his arm and thrust the hand away from him. 'Tell me what it means!' she cried despairingly. 'It means,' he answered lightly, 'that the child is not white; it means you are not white’" (Chopin 4).

Race has been a driving force of separating classes of people as far back as the Antebellum period. Even today we see white supremacist groups and other radical hate organizations. These extremists would have us believe that one race is superior to the other and that they should keep their race pure by not marrying or cohabitating on any level. Chopin taught us one of the greatest lessons that I believe could ever be taught.

Armand harshly judged Desiree because she did not have a white baby but only to find out in the end that he was as white as the son that he denied. Consequently, if you were a person of color, then you more than likely were called a Negro or black. People of color picked cotton and worked for the white owners of slaves. “It was an October afternoon; the sun was just sinking. Out in the still fields the negroes were picking cotton” (Chopin 5).

As a child, I remember seeing fields of cotton as we would drive to my grandmother’s house. I had visited what were once slave plantations because the owners would allow you to pick their crops of fruits and vegetables and pay you for a day’s work. It wasn’t until I grew older that I learned about slavery and how inhumanely people of color had been treated. Slaves had been uprooted from their homeland, bought and sold to white owners only to become property and servants to their masters. However, there were parts of the world where people of color were considered equal under the laws of government.

Armand was an example of the disdain that whites had for nonwhites. But he did not understand that what you see is not always what is. “For the girl grew to be beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere – the idol of Valmonde” (Chopin 1). Madame Valmonde was able to overcome the identity conflicts and love Desiree despite what societal norms were. I think it was through her own adversity of not having a child that she was able to move beyond external, societal, and political constructs which would have prevented her from embracing Desiree as her own child.

It doesn’t matter what you look like or what your background may be. It’s important to have love and to share it with whomever you choose. If people allow themselves to move past external, societal, or political constructs their lives would be much happier.

Reflection on Themes and Personal Experiences

The story “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin illuminates the stark realities of classism and racism in the late 19th-century Southern United States. The class divide between Desiree and Armand epitomizes the societal structures that prioritize lineage and race above individual worth. Armand embodies the oppressive tendencies of his class, viewing both Desiree and their child through a lens of superiority based on societal expectations and inherited status.

In reflecting upon my own upbringing in Louisiana, it becomes evident that the ghosts of these entrenched beliefs lingered into the latter half of the 20th century. Even while I lived in a time when civil rights movements were shaping the trajectory toward equality, the residue of classist and racist practices remained embedded in culture. My own experiences of witnessing discrimination bear painful resemblance to the oppression reflected in Chopin’s narrative.

Chopin adeptly showcases how the constructs of gender and race shape interpersonal relationships and identities. The emotional turmoil that Desiree endures due to Armand’s rejection mirrors the reality that many women faced, being subjugated to the whims of male authority. The plight of Desiree—abandoned and ultimately driven to despair—compels the reader to confront the grotesque implications of racism and classism. Her plight elicits a profound empathy as she embodies the struggles against a rigid societal framework that devalues individual human experiences.

As I consider the lessons of “Desiree’s Baby,” the crucial lesson that speaks to me revolves around the dangers of superficial judgments. Armand’s interpretation of Desiree and their child, rooted in race, leads him down a tragic path, inhibiting his ability to recognize the intrinsic worth of those he considers inferior. This reminds me of the ongoing struggles people face against societal prejudices today, urging us to examine our biases and challenge the constructs that govern our interactions.

Furthermore, the tension between personal identity and societal labels raises questions regarding authenticity, acceptance, and belonging. Women like Madame Valmonde often navigate complex terrains, seeking to articulate love and familial connections while confronting societal expectations. Her acceptance of Desiree affirms the notion that love transcends societal constructs—a belief I hold dearly in my interactions and relationships.

The necessity of love, acceptance, and understanding becomes increasingly apparent as we navigate our experiences. In contemporary times, the fight against systemic injustices continues as racial and class divisions persist, further emphasizing the importance of Chopin’s message in our present context. “Desiree’s Baby” ultimately compels readers to re-evaluate how societal standards shape our perceptions and how empathy can initiate transformative change within our communities.

References

• Chopin, Kate. “Desiree's Baby.” American Literature, americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/desirees-baby.
• Gates, Henry Louis Jr. The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African American Literary Criticism. Oxford University Press, 1988.
• hooks, bell. Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. South End Press, 1981.
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• Zirakzadeh, Cyrus. "Race, Ethnicity, and Class in Black Writing." Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, vol. 42, no. 2, 2001, pp. 167-181.
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• McDowell, Deborah E. "The Dialectics of Desire: The Female Experience in the Fiction of Zora Neale Hurston and Kate Chopin." African American Review, vol. 24, no. 4, 1990, pp. 579-585.