Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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The author
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A forerunner of feminist authors.
Two short story collections: Bayou Folk (1894)
and A Night in Acadie (1897).
“Some of [Chopin's] work is equal to the best that
has been produced in France or even in America.
[She displayed] what may be described as a
native aptitude for narration amounting almost to
genius.” (Fred Lewis Pattee, 1915)
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Background
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The idea of slavery and the atmosphere of
plantation life was a reality in Louisiana. The
possibility of one having a mixed background was
not unheard of. Mulattos, those with both black
and white backgrounds, were a common race in
the Southern part of the nation. The issue of
racism that the story brings up was an
indispensable truth in 19th century America.
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Literary classification
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The fact that the story leaves the moral statement
up to the reader would suggest that it is of
naturalism, but the fairytale-like elements of the
love story are inconsistent with either naturalism
or realism. Furthermore the atmosphere of the
story and the characterization of Armand
create gothic undertones.
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Themes
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The themes include:
American slavery, miscegenation, and the
difficulty of assigning race. It could also be argued
that the story is a work of early feminism.
The story also seems to be a transposition of De
Maupassant's "The Story of A Farm Girl."
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Analysis
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Cynthia Griffin Wolf: The vision in all of Chopin’s
best fiction is consummately interior, and it draws
for strength upon her willingness to confront the
bleak fact of life’s tenuous stabilities.
The short story not only confronts the racial
issues that took place during the time of slavery
but also draws upon the reader’s emotions to
experience how people thought during that time
period.
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Characterization
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Kate Chopin brought attention to the racial issues
that existed during the times of slavery and
introduced the two main characters in the story,
Désirée and Armand, and creates many
symbolisms, ironies, and themes seen throughout
the story.
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Symbolism
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The first major symbolism seen continuously
throughout the story is that of light and dark. Irony
plays a big part in the story.
This story obviously identifies racial issues, but
more than that the story allows the reader to see
that Armand is as much a slave as the actual
slaves that he controls.
Désirée’s Baby
Kate Chopin
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Further readings
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The Awakening, 1899 (novel).
Grand Isle, 1991 (film directed by Mary Lambert,
based on The Awakening).