Desiree’s Baby

Desiree’s Baby

Madame Valmonde is going to visit Desiree and her baby. It seems amazing that Desiree has a child because Valmonde is astonished at how Desiree has grown fast as she says that it was just the other day that Desiree was a baby. A brief history of how Desiree was adopted follows. Desiree’s baby by Kate Chopin begins by giving a brief history of the foundling Desiree. Desiree was adopted by the Valmonde family after they found her lying by the road side. The Valmondes took in the toddler because they had no children and raised her as their own kid. Desiree’s beauty attracts the attention of Armand Aubigny when she becomes a young woman. Armand is an owner of a neighboring plantation and in Louisiana; he bears one of the finest names. Armand does not care that Desiree’s heritage is unknown although he is reminded by his father.

Armand courts Desiree and they get married. They seem very committed to one another and they have a child eventually. At first, Armand seemed happy following the birth of their child. Desiree says that the birth of their son had softened Armand imperious as well as exacting nature greatly. The gentle Desiree was made happy by this response because she loved him with desperation. Desiree trembled when he frowned and when he smiled; Desiree could not ask God for greater blessing. Since the day Armand fell in love with her, his dark face had not been disfigured by frowns. However, this happiness was short lived; it could only stand for only three months after which Armand’s anger was very evident concerning the color of the baby.

Individuals who see the baby get the illusion that something is amiss about it. They eventually realize that the skin of the baby has a similar color as that of the quadroon nursemaid meaning one out of quarter African. The color of the baby was likened to that of their workers who were black. The conclusion is that the baby isn’t white. This would have been considered a terrible taint at the setting of the story. Madame Valmonde was also shocked after seeing the baby. Madame held the baby in her arms most of the times looking into its face with disbelief. Every person thought that Desiree was part black simply because her origins were not known.

Armand is disappointed by the color of the baby and he quickly renounces having ever loved Desiree. She is dismissed as no longer being loved by her husband since she had brought the unconscious injury upon Armand’s home as well as upon his name. Armand assumed that Desiree is part black because of her unknown origins. After this incidence, Madame suggests that the baby and Desiree return to her mother’s estate. Armand agrees that Desiree should leave although she thought that he would call her back but this did not happen. This is because blacks are considered slaves in Parish hence, Armand being in his prestigious position could not have dreaded to associate with them moreover he could not bear having a black child.

Desiree does not go back to Madame Valmonde estate but rather carries her child and walks off into a bayou and she is never seen again. Following her departure, Armand burns the child’s cradle as well as all of Desiree’s belongings. Armand burnt all the letters Desiree had sent him when they were courting. When Armand was perusing through the documents, he found a letter that had been written to him by his mother. The letter revealed that Armand was part black thereby indicating that they had judged Desiree unfairly. The race of Desiree is never determined definitively.