Chopin uses rich, dynamic contrast to express race, class, and irony in Desiree’s Baby. The vivid imagery in the story is phenomenal. In my view out of the four stories that we read from Chopin this one encompassed more of a full circle and attention to detail when bringing everything full circle. Slavery in the 1800’s was in full affect, every prominent white family had slaves. Contrast to show race was so eloquently done throughout Desiree’s Baby. Race was not strong early on in the story, but when it came time to talk about Desiree and Armand’s child it was very clear. Desiree demands Armand to look at their child and reassure her what it means. “look at our child. What does it mean? Tell me.” (75) He answers with “It means.” “that
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And my skin is fair.” “Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand.” (75) Seemingly just to spite Desiree, Armand snipes back with “As white as La Blanche’s.” (76) Madam Valmonde responds to Desiree’s letter expressing that she and the child should come home to be with her. Armand has lost all feelings toward Desiree and is cold with her and tells her that he thinks that she should go home to her mother. Soon after it is stated in the story that; “It was an October afternoon; the sun was just shrinking. Out in the still fields the negroes were picking cotton.” (76) Imagery is used throughout this whole sentence. It explains what time of year it is, but more vividly it describes race. Towards the end of the story after Armand has pushed Desiree away back to her mother, so he thinks, he was sitting around burning things that she had left behind. “Armand Aubigny sat in the hallway the commanded a view of the spectacle; and it was he who dealt out to a half dozen negroes the material …show more content…
“Armand looked into her eyes and did not care. He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?” (74) Armand did not mind that Desiree was of a different class, because he loved her. But, when the baby started to get darker it was just as easy to stop loving her and to agree that she should take the baby and go live with her mother. “He hasn’t punished one of them-not one of them-since baby is born.” (74), “And the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slave.” (75) When Desiree and Armand first had the child he was happy especially because it was a boy. When the child starts turning darker he starts taking his anger and frustrations out on the slaves because he knows that his son is not white. It is implied that Desiree takes the baby and leaves the house to kill herself and the baby. “She did not take the broad, beaten road which led to the far-off plantation of Valmonde. She walked across a deserted field, where the stubble bruised her feet, so delicately shod, and tore her thin gown to shreds. She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick among the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; and she did not come back again.” (76) Armand then finds the letters from his birth mother to his father in the midst of getting rid of everything that had
And my skin is fair.” “Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand.” (75) Seemingly just to spite Desiree, Armand snipes back with “As white as La Blanche’s.” (76) Madam Valmonde responds to Desiree’s letter expressing that she and the child should come home to be with her. Armand has lost all feelings toward Desiree and is cold with her and tells her that he thinks that she should go home to her mother. Soon after it is stated in the story that; “It was an October afternoon; the sun was just shrinking. Out in the still fields the negroes were picking cotton.” (76) Imagery is used throughout this whole sentence. It explains what time of year it is, but more vividly it describes race. Towards the end of the story after Armand has pushed Desiree away back to her mother, so he thinks, he was sitting around burning things that she had left behind. “Armand Aubigny sat in the hallway the commanded a view of the spectacle; and it was he who dealt out to a half dozen negroes the material …show more content…
“Armand looked into her eyes and did not care. He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?” (74) Armand did not mind that Desiree was of a different class, because he loved her. But, when the baby started to get darker it was just as easy to stop loving her and to agree that she should take the baby and go live with her mother. “He hasn’t punished one of them-not one of them-since baby is born.” (74), “And the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slave.” (75) When Desiree and Armand first had the child he was happy especially because it was a boy. When the child starts turning darker he starts taking his anger and frustrations out on the slaves because he knows that his son is not white. It is implied that Desiree takes the baby and leaves the house to kill herself and the baby. “She did not take the broad, beaten road which led to the far-off plantation of Valmonde. She walked across a deserted field, where the stubble bruised her feet, so delicately shod, and tore her thin gown to shreds. She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick among the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; and she did not come back again.” (76) Armand then finds the letters from his birth mother to his father in the midst of getting rid of everything that had