Introduction
Desiree's baby is a short story by Kate Chopin, which talks about the racial discrimination of the black people in America. The story aims at showing the disadvantages of racial discrimination and the need to fight against racism in generations. It has shown the effects of racism through generations and how it affects the living of many who have a mixed race. It expresses pain, rejection and isolation. The black color is tainted with slavery, and the people lack respect. Desiree's baby was black, yet his parents were white leading to an array of questions. Who among the parents is at fault? What then happens to the child and how will the community take him? A discussion of the baby's race discovery will be explained clearly to answer the questions and show the injustice performed.
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Years ago, Desiree was abandoned by some Texans as believed at the gates of Madame Valmonde under a stone pillar. As a baby, Valmonde took her in and gave her life treating her as her baby. She believed it was a miracle since she couldn't have children of her own. Desiree's grew to be a beautiful girl, and as life goes, she get a suitor willing to marry her without any questions about her race (Short Stories, 2015). Armand Aubigny the man who fell in love with Desiree when he first saw her standing on a stone pillar was fully in love with her and ready to give Desiree a family name. Despite Madame Valmonde efforts to ensure that Desiree's original identity was carefully considered, Armand was not interested, and he went ahead and married her.
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Desiree gives birth to a baby boy, and Madame Valmonde goes to see her one month after birth. She finds Desiree lying down beside her son. She takes a good look at the child and asks about Armands thoughts of the baby (Short Stories, 2015). Desiree answers by explaining the change in her husband since she gave birth. The household of Aubigny is one with many workers who are black and Armand treated them as slaves since it was the right thing to do at that time. But with the birth of his son, he started treating his workers much better with less cruelty and harshness. Despite his fierce nature, Desiree loved him desperately and did not frown since they got married. Three months down the line, Desiree gets a feeling of menace and mystery. Neighbors start visiting her unannounced and a sudden change in her husband's behavior. As a wife and a mother, these changes make her think deeply and wonder what is wrong in the household. Her husband's starts treating the workers badly and she feels sorry to see such actions.
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One afternoon, she takes a good look at her son and one of the young black boys fanning her son. She realizes some similarity between her son and the young boy when she decides to chase the kid away. From the observation, she then starts to understand why there has been a big change in the household but she is still left wondering why her son is black, yet she and her husband are black. She waits for her husband Armand to ask him about the child. Armand responds coldly to her question and blames Desiree for being black (Short Stories, 2015). With the cold reactions from Armand, Desiree talks to Madame Valmonde, who asks her to go back home with her son. In consultation with her husband, he asks her to leave without any care for his son. Desiree leaves the Aubigny household and Armand commands his workers to burn everything that belonged to his wife. In the process of clearing everything out, Armand notices a letter written by his mother to his father which indicates that Armand has mixed blood. This secret had lived for many years, and now that Armand has learned about it, it is up to him to decide what to do. Will he reveal the secret or will he die with it?
Conclusion
References
Short stories (2015): Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin- East Web
Retrieved from: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/DesiBaby.shtml
