Desiree Baby Literary Analysis

In the short story “Desiree Baby” by Kate Chopin, Desiree is an orphaned girl with an obscure origin that is soon adopted by the Valmonde family. Years later she marries a wealthy and aristocratic man, Armand Aubigny. The two soon have a child that shows signs of being a quadroon, this significantly, strains Armands and Desiree’s relationship as it may reveal Desiree’s parentage. Desiree's indeterminate lineage foreshadows the theme of classism, racism, and fate to develop a memorable and engaging plot. Firstly, Chopin foreshadows events to come with this cautionary line. "Monsieur Valmonde… wanted things well considered, that is, the girl's obscure origin..." The Valmonde higher up cautioned Armand because of his concern that Desiree’s murky past will present a potential problem. During this time, an individual’s birth, bloodline, and name were of extreme importance and could determine who they could marry. Although Desiree has been brought up in a wealthy family, her heritage is unknown. This would have been seen as a serious issue for many suitors. Early in the story, the reader learns that this story will not end happily …show more content…
“She shuddered at the first sight of it… it was a sad looking place… Big, solemn oaks grew close to it, as their thick-leaved, far-reaching branches shadowed it like a pall.” The imagery in this quote reveals the darkness of a place that is ironically called a “shelter”, and Madame Valmonde mentions the “pall” that is cast over the house, that being a term relating to death a clue as to what may possibly occur later in