(1) Kate Chopin's story "Desiree's baby" uses traditional gender roles when it is discovered that the baby isn't white to demonstrate the strength of the patriarchal society. (2) When Desiree's husband found out that the baby he had with Desiree wasn't purely white, the extent of the patriarchal society in the story becomes clear. Desiree's husband, Armand, sends Desiree away assuming that the lack of white heritage would come from her side. When Desiree asks him about the child he says decisively that "it means that (she) is not white" (2) despite the appearance of her skin. These actions illustrate the decisiveness and strength of patriarchal men (Tyson 142). Similarly, Desiree's reaction is also typical of a traditional woman. When she
