Themes of Desiree’s Baby
1. Introduction
The short story Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin dwells on the issues of ethnic mixing, slavery, racism in pre-war America. The story is set in Louisiana in the late nineteenth century and revolves around two main characters – Armand Aubigny, a young Creole man, and his wife Desiree.
Armand is a proud Creole who believes that he is superior to everyone else because of his pureblood. He looks down on blacks and even despises them. However, his attitude changes when he meets and falls in love with Desiree. He completely forgets about his prejudices and believes that she is the most perfect woman in the world.
However, their happiness does not last long. Desiree gives birth to a baby who has black skin. At first, Armand does not believe that the child is his but soon he realizes the truth. He becomes enraged and starts blaming his wife for everything. He kicks her out of the house and she never comes back.
The issue of miscegenation is one of the most important themes in the story. It is closely related to the issues of slavery and racism which were widely prevalent in America at that time. In this essay, I will be discussing the issue of miscegenation in Desiree’s Baby in greater detail.
2. Themes of Desiree’s Baby
The main themes of Desiree’s Baby are slavery, racism, and miscegenation. These themes are closely interrelated and contribute to the development of the plot.
Slavery was an important part of American society in the nineteenth century. It was legal and widely practiced in many parts of the country, especially in the Southern states. Blacks were considered inferior to whites and were treated as property rather than human beings. They were often subjected to brutal treatment and had no rights whatsoever.
Racism was another important theme in the story. Whites believed that they were superior to blacks and looked down upon them. They considered blacks to be inferior beings who were not capable of rational thought or emotions. This belief was used to justify the enslavement of blacks.
Miscegenation was also a major theme in Desiree’s Baby. Miscegenation is defined as marriage or sexual relations between people of different races, especially between whites and blacks. In America, miscegenation was often seen as a threat to white supremacy. Many whites believed that mixing with blacks would result in the deterioration of the white race.
3. The Issue of Miscegenation
3.1 Desiree and Armand’s Relationship
The issue of miscegenation is explored through the relationship between Armand and Desiree. Their relationship is an example of miscegenation as Armand is a Creole man while Desiree is from a family of poor white farmers known as “Les Blanches” (Chopin, 1892). The fact that their relationship crosses racial lines is significant as it challenges the belief that whites are superior to blacks.
Armand falls in love with Desiree despite her low social status and lack of wealth. He is completely blind to her flaws and believes that she is perfect. He is even willing to give up his status as a Creole gentleman and live in poverty with her. This shows that Armand is capable of seeing beyond race and that he does not believe that whites are superior to blacks.
However, their relationship is not without its problems. Armand’s family disapproves of Desiree because she is not from a wealthy or well-connected family. They believe that she is not good enough for Armand and that she will never be able to give him the life he deserves.
Despite the disapproval of his family, Armand marries Desiree and they move to his plantation. They seem to be happy at first but their happiness is short-lived. Their happiness is shattered when Desiree gives birth to a baby with black skin.
3. 2 Racism in America
Racism is another important theme in the story. It is closely linked to the issue of miscegenation as many whites believed that mixing with blacks would result in the deterioration of the white race.
When Desiree gives birth to a black baby, Armand immediately assumes that she must have had an affair with a black man. He is unwilling to believe that the child could be his and starts blaming her for everything. He even goes so far as to call her a “filthy nigger lover” (Chopin, 1892).
Armand’s reaction is representative of the racist attitudes of many whites at that time. They believed that mixing with blacks would result in the degradation of the white race. This belief was used to justify the enslavement of blacks and the mistreatment of mixed-race individuals.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the short story Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin explores the issues of slavery, racism, and miscegenation in pre-war America. These themes are closely interrelated and contribute to the development of the plot.
The issue of miscegenation is explored through the relationship between Armand and Desiree. Their relationship challenges the belief that whites are superior to blacks and shows that love can transcend racial barriers. However, their relationship is not without its problems as Armand’s family disapproves of Desiree and many whites believe that mixing with blacks will result in the deterioration of the white race.