Introduction
The place of women in society has become a subject of discussion over the years. Kate Chopin in the book, “Desiree’s Baby”, paints a picture of the issues that face the women in a racial society. The civilization in this context is so defined that only those perceived to be white have a voice. Moreover, a case in point is the attitude of men against the women. The man in this context is so much proud that his ego becomes bigger and therefore, has no regard for the wife in terms of love. This piece of work, “Desiree’s Baby” by Choplin, paints a picture of the relationship that men have with the women in a racially imbalanced society.
The story portrays the realities of life as they were in the period of the nineteenth century. Armand in the story is driven by passion and not purpose in the things he does. He is introduced as the owner of the property who is a rich fellow. He owns the slaves, land and to a large extent the woman in her life. In a society that is marked by racism, largely dominated by whites, it was reasonable to believe that the wife Desiree would be racially discriminated. When he accepts the lady as the wife without considering the racial background, the fate of the lady is galvanized by Armand. It seems the well-being of Desiree is fully dependent on her by him embracing the woman. At this point in time in history, slavery was at the pick and the racially discriminated group worked for the white people (Chopin, 215). Desiree’s place in the society as a woman, thus, depends fully on the man who is perceived to be a white. The personality of Desiree, thus finds meaning just because of Armand. The reality of the matter is that in all circumstances her wife would be racially discriminated against if not embraced by the man. During this time in history, interracial marriages were considered ill motivated and therefore, were more or less considered a taboo. The woman found solace in the marriage with Amanda because a racial individual could not find any worth unless through a man’s motivation.
Desiree’s place of origin quickly surfaces, soon after; issues arose about her origin. There was no knowledge about where she had come from. The man who took the lady at childhood tells Armand to consider the background before getting married. The man was however, in a rush to get married and therefore, had less consideration about what she was being told. Despite every warning, Armand does not think otherwise as he sees his position as influential enough to take up his own decisions. Desiree’s fate depends on Armand’s decisions since he has a choice to listen or not to listen, thus, such would directly impact on the woman.
When a child is born to the two, racial issues come into play ones more. The color of the child makes Armand to change his mind. He thus decides to begin to think of Desiree as a black and not what previously thought. This puts the lady in a dilemma, as the options for her in a multiracial society are limited. The child becomes a barrier towards the relationship. Even though Armand is darker than Desiree, he is considered white just because of the place of men in the society. Men are thought to be the supreme and therefore, nothing can be done about them. When the story talks about Desiree having to ask for permission to stay in the house or to do something, it only shows that women’s place was largely dependent on the place of the men in the society. He finally orders Desiree to leave the house and once again the woman is in a tight place. Armand seemed to have been born into a well off family and anything that would bring disrepute was not welcome.
Sachman talks of a period in the nineteenth century when racism was rumpant. Women faced the same predicament, as they had to depend on the men to have some worth. Women have therefore to hide in the men’s superiority in a white dominated society so that they are safe from discrimination. When Armand realizes his true racial background, it is evident that he was hidden as a result of the power and influence the father had at the time. The mother is evidently not a white and the father becomes the mother’s reason for a place in the society because he is white thus protecting her.
Conclusion
This book gives out a background on how the women felt the brand of racial discrimination and intolerance. The position of the man determined the place of the women those days. A woman, especially of a different racial orientation found it difficult to navigate through the society. The dynamics have however changed today. Bastos states that women have become more independent and have shrugged off the inferiority complex issues (Bastos, 29). Nevertheless, the place of women in the society and their worth in the twentieth century was largely dependent on the men’s position in the society (Bastos, 30). Racism was a main issue for women in those days and found solace in the white men who accepted them.
Works Cited:
Bastos, Ana C. S, Kristiina Uriko, and Jaan Valsiner. Cultural Dynamics of Women's Lives.
Charlotte: Information Age Pub, 2012. Print.
Chopin, Kate. The Father of Desiree's Baby and Other Stories. Lightning Source Incorporated,
2008. Print.
Sachsman, David B, S K. Rushing, and Roy Morris. Seeking a Voice: Images of Race and
Gender in the 19th Century Press. West Lafayette, Ind: Purdue University Press, 2009. Print.
