Composed by Kate Chopin a short story Désirée’s Baby presents passage from life of a girl without a name who finds her love and her bitter end. Désirée was found by Valmondé a wealthy and aristocratic family from the antebellum South who adopts her despite that fact that Monsieur and Madame Valmondé do not know girl`s origin. She is loved and admired not only by her new parents but also by Armand Aubigny a representative of another influential and wealthy Creole family in Louisiana. It seems that Désirée is surrounded by love for ever and birth of their first child with Armand will only strengthen their happiness and love. However, as the child grows Désirée notices that her husband transforms from a pleased father into detached and cold stranger. Birth of quadroon baby serves as a catalyst that inflames Armand`s arrogance that is linked to his position in society which dictates contempt for “race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” (Chopin) If one takes a closer look at Désirée and Armand`s relationship one may notice racial prejudice that is caused by social class and world perception of wealthy people in antebellum South. Moreover, the perceptions of class and racial prejudice influence Armand`s behavior the most thus revealing not only prevailing negative attitude towards Africans in the antebellum South but also his inability and unwillingness to step away from his social position.
At the beginning of this short story one may see direct references on class order and its attitude towards representatives of other social classes and races. It is clearly stated in lines “Monsieur Valmondé grew practical and wanted things well considered: that is, the girl’s obscure origin” which indicate strict treatment of those who are not blood aristocracy. (Chopin) Although, Valmondés raised Désirée as her own child and treated respectfully the unknown origin is not forgotten, furthermore, it is highlighted when Armand wants to marry her. It is obvious that Désirée`s obscure origin dictates her future not as a wealthy heir but as a nameless girl that does not belong to upper class; therefore should not be married by a representative of such because of her inferiority.
Moreover, marriage with young Aubigny may give a suggestion that Armand`s perception of class is more compromising and advanced compared to Désirée`s father which is evident from lines “What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?” (Chopin) Thus this remark distracts reader from previous revelation of strict rules and class division. Young Aubigny creates an impression of sincere and strong personality that ignores some important class rules like marriage with a representative of lower class. However, Armand`s decision to marry nameless girl stresses not his strong and biased free moral code but his blind admiration of a beautiful thing which he wants to possess.
As a matter of fact as the story unfolds one discovers that “Young Aubigny’s rule was a strict one, too, and under it his negroes had forgotten how to be gay, as they had been during the old master’s easygoing and indulgent lifetime” which reveals not only Armand`s high position of a wealthy landowner but also his perception and treatment of black people. (Chopin) It is evident that he views Africans as inferior and slave nation that does not deserve to feel positive emotions; moreover they are created only for serving and obeying their master.
Another key point is a birth of a child which changed Armand`s attitude towards his slaves. It made him “the proudest father in the parish [] chiefly because it is a boy, to bear his name” which once more highlights that upper class norm and rules control his perception of the world as well as his family. (Chopin) However, new role of a father overshadows his role of a strict and racist landowner giving way to kindness.
Furthermore, as the baby grows everyone notices that this infant has African ancestry which is unacceptable and disgraceful for a representative of a wealthy Creole family in the antebellum South. Realization that Armand married not only nameless girl but also someone from race of slaves reveals his true nature of a prejudice upper class snob; “Moreover he no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name.” (Chopin) As can be seen from his actions Armand unlike other upper class Creoles in this short story is a slave to his social position and image. Severity of his actions and fast abandonment of Désirée give a suggestion that he follows only upper class rules that prohibits any kind of relations with black people except slavery. Moreover, evaluating Armand`s actions one may observe that family values in upper class society are nothing compared to a respectful and famous name. In his treatment of his family he demonstrates not only domineering, biased patterns of upper class behavior but also contrasts and illuminates Désirée`s family moral compass and ability to resist blind course of social rules.
All things considered, appear of a quadroon infant shed light not only on people`s nature but also on racial treatment and social norms that were present in antebellum South. Thus, father of a child by irony the quadroon himself demonstrates the utter desire to follow class norm that prohibits and condemns any connection with black people, for they are “cursed with the brand of slavery.” (Chopin) Armand`s blind desire to stick to upper class rules indicates absence of morality and family values that were substituted by a set of prejudice rules that limit perception of the world. Moreover, young Aubigny`s behavior elucidated his true nature that is arrogant and ignorant to those who are nameless but ready to give everything. Also, it should be mentioned that Désirée`s family present more sympathetic treatment of this situation which indicates their morality and ability to re-comprehend class and racial treatment rather than blindly following it.
References
Chopin, Kate. "Kate Chopin: A Re-Awakening - Desiree's Baby". Pbs.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 May 2016.
