Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin is a prime example of characterization. Characterization is the overall perspective of all characters in any story. In Desiree’s Baby, we see the boldness of characters and their reaction to the stories setting and theme. We see the dramatic and tragic love and loss between Armand and Desiree and the actions that set it in motion through the character’s individual perspective and actions. Armand arrives in the story as the typical lustful upper class young man soon to become overwhelmed with hatred of his family and life. Desiree arrives in the story as a beautiful pubescent naïve girl soon to become a young mother and loving wife hollowed and ultimately ended by her husband’s actions, and society’s expectations
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“Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there, had fallen in love with her. That was the way all the Aubigny’s fell in love, as if struck by a pistol shot.” (Chopin 81). He had not had prior feelings until that day and had known of her since arriving with his father into Valmonde at age 8 after his mother’s death in Paris. Armand was warned of Desiree’s origins by Madame Valmonde, but he dismissed it all for he thought “what did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?” (Chopin 81). Armand never had a soft spot for his slaves as Madame Valmonde noticed the slaves had forgotten how to be happy, but once his young child began to develop he was happy and didn’t punish them like he once did before. He even pardoned one slave who pretended that he burnt himself and asked if he could take that day off work to which Armand replied that “he was a scamp” (Chopin 82). Four months later, Armand’s feelings began to change, he became very sadistic to his slaves than usual and spoke with averted eyes to Desiree. This made her miserable enough to die. Eventually, the unknown issue surfaced he felt as though his baby was not white enough and that this brought shame to his rich family name. So, he blamed Desiree claiming she was not white even though her hands were whiter than his own. After Desiree’s mother sent a letter to Desiree asking her to return home, she asked Armand if she should go and he replied weakly that she should go. Then after Desiree as the baby left, he began to burn all the remnants of Desiree and the baby when he found a note mixed in with some of Desiree writings it was a not from his mother to his father stating mainly that “ night and day, I thank the good god for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him,
“Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there, had fallen in love with her. That was the way all the Aubigny’s fell in love, as if struck by a pistol shot.” (Chopin 81). He had not had prior feelings until that day and had known of her since arriving with his father into Valmonde at age 8 after his mother’s death in Paris. Armand was warned of Desiree’s origins by Madame Valmonde, but he dismissed it all for he thought “what did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?” (Chopin 81). Armand never had a soft spot for his slaves as Madame Valmonde noticed the slaves had forgotten how to be happy, but once his young child began to develop he was happy and didn’t punish them like he once did before. He even pardoned one slave who pretended that he burnt himself and asked if he could take that day off work to which Armand replied that “he was a scamp” (Chopin 82). Four months later, Armand’s feelings began to change, he became very sadistic to his slaves than usual and spoke with averted eyes to Desiree. This made her miserable enough to die. Eventually, the unknown issue surfaced he felt as though his baby was not white enough and that this brought shame to his rich family name. So, he blamed Desiree claiming she was not white even though her hands were whiter than his own. After Desiree’s mother sent a letter to Desiree asking her to return home, she asked Armand if she should go and he replied weakly that she should go. Then after Desiree as the baby left, he began to burn all the remnants of Desiree and the baby when he found a note mixed in with some of Desiree writings it was a not from his mother to his father stating mainly that “ night and day, I thank the good god for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him,