A Review of Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby” is a powerful story about race, class, and the norms of society. The story was set in a period before the American Civil War. During that time, in Louisiana and the rest of the South, society viewed African Americans as being less than human. Consequently, Armand and Desiree both held this belief. At that time, society was set up in a way in which black men and women were at a position below that of white women. In turn, white women were second in class to white men. This social structure lends insight into Armand Aubigny’s disownment of Desiree and the baby.

Armand fell out of love with Desiree, just as quickly as he fell in love with her, when he came to believe that she was black. When Madame Valmonde saw Desiree’s baby, she noticed the baby’s African American features right away. It is apparent that she came to this realization when “[s]he scanned the baby narrowly, then looked as searchingly at Zandrine” (James and Merickel 104). She then exclaims how the child has changed and grown. The child was obviously of African American decent and therefore Armand concluded that so was his wife. Along with his son’s physical features, Desiree’s mysterious past may have also lead to Armand’s conclusion. He did not even consider then that he could have been black.

A further examination of the social hierarchy held then, reveals that black women held a position at the bottom of society. Next in line were black men who placed slightly above black women. After black men, were white women, Desiree fell into this category. Desiree’s baby was black and therefore his status was lower than that of white females. At the top hierarchy were white men. Armand believed himself to be white and therefore he was at the top of the social chain.

Society believed black slaves were inferior to whites at that time. Considering the norms of society, Armand’s decision to disown Desiree and his baby was probably common. He had one of the oldest and proudest family names in Louisiana. Armand wanted to maintain his social status and his believed to be untainted bloodline. This is the reason why Armand disowned his wife and son and burned their belongings when Desiree left. Therefore, according to the historical context of the story, Armand’s argument for disowning Desiree and the baby was valid, since black slaves were not believed to be human.

Armand no longer considered Desiree to be his wife or their son to be his child. The child then became Desiree’s baby. Armand believed both Desiree and her baby were black and thus subhuman. Armand was no longer in love with Desiree because of the “unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name” (James and Merickel 106). In turn, Desiree’s utter despair causes her to leave with her child. Strangely, she does not return to Madame Valmonde’s home but walks away from her husband and home with her child into the bayou. Desiree never returns as if her physical absence parallels her lost social status.

Society forced Desiree to conform to a set hierarchy and as a result, Desiree became subhuman. Armand held to the same view of society, that African Americans were less than human and therefore he destroyed his family because of this view. At the end of the story, Armand finds out through an old letter that his mother was black. His mother “belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery” (James and Merickel 106). This means he is black. Therefore, in actuality, Armand is no different from the wife and child he disowned who he believes are black.

Armand’s cruelty to Desiree shows that Desiree was also a type of slave. When Armand would frown, Desiree would tremble and when he was happy, she was happy. Desiree’s actions were similar to that of Armand’s slaves. Desiree followed Armand’s orders with little resistance, as when he told her to leave. Desiree was a slave to both Armand and society. This is the claim that Chopin is attempting to make through this story. Chopin’s work of fiction about race, class, and societal norms was indeed a powerful story.

References and further reading:

• Reading Literature and Writing Argument by James and Merickel (3^rd edition).