Kate Chopin's "Ripe Figs" as a coming-of-age metaphor

¶ … Ripening of Age

The short story, "Ripe Figs" written by Kate Chopin is a story about a young girl named Babette and her godmother, Maman-Nainaine. When reading the story, it appears that Babette is very eager to go to Bayou-Lafourche to visit her cousins. However, her godmother, Maman-Nainaine will not let her go until the figs were ripe. Babette does not understand what the figs and her cousins have in common, but she patiently and anxiously waits the ripening of the figs. She goes to check them on a daily basis and the days seem to pass by very slow. Finally, the day arrived that the figs were ripe and Babette places dozen figs on a pretty, silver platter and takes them to her godmother. When her god mother sees them, she is shocked that the figs had ripened so early, but she still keeps her promise and tells Babette to carry her love to them when she goes to Bayou-Lafourche.

This story is much more than a simple story of a young girl wanting to travel to see her cousins. It is a metaphor about a young girl going through puberty and coming of age and moving out or getting married. The story refers to ripening of the figs. This is a metaphor about the young girl growing breast. There are many references to the ripening of the figs that would represent growing breast. "It seemed to Babette a very long time to wait; for the leaves upon the trees were tender yet, and the figs were like little hard, green marbles." This sentence is explaining how Babette had to wait a very long time for her breast to grow. All young girls anxiously anticipate the arrival of her breast and this wait seems to be a very long time. "They were like little hard, green marbles." This refers to how Babette viewed her breast. She is comparing them to the size of small, hard marbles.

The story continues to develop this metaphor by explaining the concept of puberty. "But the warm rains came along and plenty of strong sunshine." This sentence can be viewed two different ways. The warm rains could be referring to the girl's menstruation cycle and the strong sunshine may refer to her maturing mentally. However; on the other hand, it may also refer to the mood swings that many young girls experience during the course of puberty. The warm rains could refer to the sadness, confusion, or frustration that Babette may feel at times and the "strong sunshine" could be referring to her happy, cheerful times. This particular sentence portrays two different metaphors and the reader is free to view it as they please.

In the end of the story, the figs finally ripe and the godmother refers to them and ripening early. "Babette approached. She bore a dainty porcelain platter, which she sat down before her godmother. It contained a dozen purple figs, fringed around with their rich, green leaves." This sentence is a clear metaphor of Babette showing her godmother than she had finally developed her breast and was now a young woman. The dainty porcelain platter refers to her young body. It was like a porcelain doll. The purple fig with rich, green leaves refer to her breast and the rest of her body. The ending of story is a metaphor of Babette becoming a woman and is now ready to move on and find a mate to marry. The godmother gives her blessing and assures her that she will also love her future husband. "you will carry my love to all of them down on Bayou-Lafourche." This shows the godmother's acceptance of Babette's coming of age and moving out to get married.

Journal #2

Love is the Heart of Life

The Story of an Hour," written by Kate Chopin is a short story about what Mrs. Mallard felt and went through after she received the news of her husband's passing. It appears that they had been married for a long time and her husband was killed while at work. "It was he who had been in the newspaper offer when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed." Mr. Mallard was working at the railroad, but the story does not go into detail about how he died. It does not state rather he was working in a railroad offer, on a train, or was hit by a train. Mr. Mallard may not have even worked for the railroad. He may have just been visiting or passing by. Nevertheless, Mr. Mallard was killed in a railroad disaster.

Mrs. Mallard's friend and sister came to break the news to her. However, when Mrs. Mallard her of this news, she did not interpret it as most women would. "She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance." Mrs. Mallard began weeping before the news was complete and fell into her sister's arms. She then retreated to her room alone where her grief would take over her life.

Mrs. Mallard sits down in a chair in her room and stares out the window. This is when Mrs. Mallard really dies. From this point in the story, it describes things that Mrs. Mallard sees while looking out of the window. It is a metaphor about dying. The story describes something coming towards her. "There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully." This is a metaphor about death coming for her. It explains that she waited fearfully. This is because everyone has come degree of fear of death. It is the fear of the unknown. "She felt it creeping out of the sky, reaching towards her though the sounds, the scents, and the color that filled the air." This sentence could be a metaphor of heaven. Of a higher power coming for her soul. It is a higher power that is so powerful that it comes to her through all sounds, scents and air. It is colorful, so it is not an evil power.

When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: "free, free, free!." The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes." This particular sentence is difficult to understand at first, but upon carefully thought, the "free, free, free!" expression that came from her slightly parted lips could mean the freedom of the burdens of life. That a life in heaven would free her from her depression over losing her beloved husband.

The story ends with Mrs. Mallard walking out the door with her sister and her sister's husband. It was like her sister was awaiting her after she had time to mourn in her room. In the ending of the story, it appears as if she is still alive, but I do not think she is living at this point. I believe that she had died upon hearing the news of her husband's death and when she died, she met her sister and her sister's husband in heaven. I believe this because of the last sentence in the story. "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills." This does not mean the typical type of heart disease. It is the disease of a broken heart. Upon hearing about the loss of her beloved husband, she grieved herself to death. Heat disease is used as a metaphor to describe a broken heart.

Journal #3

Lack of Information from Vague Characters

The Judgment of Solomon is a short story taken from the Hebrew Bible. It is a story about a problem and a solution. It begins by two women taking their argument over the maternal rights of their baby boys to King Solomon. One baby is dead and the other is alive. King Solomon listens to their argument and offers them a solution. Therefore, the story moves from quarreling and talk of death and dying to unity and talk of living.

After listening to the argument over the baby from the two women, King Solomon offers to slay the baby and divide its dead body between the two women. "And the king said, "Bring me a sword." And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, "Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other.." In today's society, this would be considered murder. It appears that King Solomon does not take the baby's life into consideration. However, when the women received the solution from King Solomon, the one mother (who was the baby's real mother) spoke up and told King Solomon not to kill the baby because the other mother could have him. "...for her bowels yearned upon her son." In the Hebrew psychology, the bowels played an important part in describing one's emotions. This sentence, although it talks about bowels, is really describing the mother's love of the baby.

This story is written like a detective story. It is very difficult to determine which woman is telling the truth and to determine if King Solomon is actually a bad person or a good person. It does not give the names of the women. They are simple referred to as one woman and the other woman. It does say that they were "harlots," but it does not give any background information about who the women are or how they got involved in this argument. They were simply two women in the same place that had babies at the same time.

Also, it is not clear to the reader rather King Solomon is a bad person or a good person. He does propose to slay the baby and divide it into two half to settle the argument, but upon hearing one of the women give and offer the baby to the other woman; King Solomon does not object or argue with them. He simple says ok. It is not clear as to rather he would have really killed the baby and divide it into two parts or not.

Although this story offers a problem and a solution to the problem, it does not contain vivid characterization. The characters are vague because no background information is provided. The reader does not know who is telling the truth and who is lying; and the reader does not know rather King Solomon is a bad person or not. It is lacking a lot of information that the reader would need to draw a conclusion about this short story. Since it is from the Hebrew Bible, prior pages may have offered this information, but from the way it is presented in the book, the reader does not have enough information about the character's background to come to a final conclusion.

Journal #4

Remember when?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" was written in 1939 by James Thurber. This is a short story about Walter Mitty, who appears to be an older gentleman who has some psychosis. There is no type of psychosis mentioned in the story specifically, but it is a story about a man who thinks about events in his mind. Is it psychosis or envisions of his life before his execution. It is not clear if these events were actual events that occurred in his younger life; or if he has a very vivid imagination and is simple thinking of events as he makes them up in his mind.

Walter and his wife are on their way into town. Walter drops his wife off at the beauty salon and she tells him to go buy some shoe covers and dog biscuits while she is getting her hair done. While in the car with her husband, she notices his imagination and claims that he is sick. She does not know exactly what is wrong with him, but she does know that something is wrong.

Some of the things that Walter thinks about are the military, working in a hospital, being on trial and being sent to execution. In all of these thoughts, Walter sees himself as a leader in a tough situation. When he is reminiscing about the military, he is think about the navy breaking through and going forward. He is thinking about how fellow naval personnel are depending on him to get them through alive. When he is imagining himself as a doctor in the hospital performing surgery, he is also seeing himself as a leader that is needed to save a few lives. In his third vision, he sees himself on trail for a crime and his punishment is execution. In the third vision, he is not exactly a leader, but he is still in the main spotlight.

It is not clear in the story if Walter is making these thoughts up or if they were actual events that occurred to him and he is reliving them in his mind. It evidently is some sort of psychosis because his wife sees him as forgetful and irresponsible.

Before she leaves the car to get her hair done, she speaks to him as if he is going to forget. She wants him to buy shoe covers and dog biscuits. She is right. When Walter goes off to buy these things, he begins to reminisce again and forgets where he is going or what he is looking for.

Nevertheless, Walter does end up making it back to the beauty salon for his wife and he does eventually remember what he was sent to buy.

The story ends by Walter thinking about being executed by a firing squad. However, after rereading this story, I have to wander if Walter was really imagining being executed by a firing squad or if it was really happening. Many people say that right before you die, you see visions of your life. Maybe Walter was visioning his life before his execution. Maybe he was not really with his wife, but was also just thinking about her and a memory of her before he died on the firing squad. This is just a thought. The story never really gives any information of rather Walter has psychosis or if he is visioning his life during the last few moments of his life before his execution.

Journal #5

The Theme of Masonry in A Cask of Amontillado

The fundamental question in Edgar Allan Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado" is the nature of Montresor's motive for the revenge he "vowed" to obtain when Fortunato "ventured upon insult." Montresor believes a wrong is "unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong." While Montresor endeavors to make his vengeance known to Fortunato, the author's references to Masonry in his use of characterization, setting and irony indicate Montresor's motive.

Fortunato drinks a bottle of wine in a "gesticulation [Montresor] did not understand," a sign of the Masons, a secret society of which he affirms he is a member. This secrecy is emulated in Montresor's slaughter of his foe.

Montresor's deadly act, he himself, and ultimately Fortunato are shrouded in secrecy. Montresor's destruction of his foe is carried out at dusk. He leads Fortunato through the darkness "down a long and winding staircase" "into the inmost recesses of the catacombs" "at the most remote end of the crypt." Montresor dons an appropriate "mask of black silk" and wraps a "roquelaire closely about his person." Within this cloth is concealed a trowel, the instrument of Fortunato's destruction. Masonry is cloaked. The reader again sees this when presented the bones that "lay promiscuously upon the earth" beneath which lay the "building stone and mortar" that are used to forever seal Fortunato's fate. Montresor's use of secrecy in the destruction of his adversary is significant as it relates to Fortunato's status as a Mason.

A mason shrouds a Mason in masonry. In addition to this fundamental instance of situational irony, there is also a dramatic irony that Poe creates by allowing the reader to know Fortunato's ultimate destruction while Fortunato is entirely unaware. When Montresor asserts that he is indeed a mason (aware that he did not recognize the sign) the reader begins to realize what is to come. As he relates the motto of his Scottish arms: "No one insults me with impunity," the reader perceives that Montresor's vengeance may extend to the history of his ancestors, scorned by the brotherhood, to which Fortunato thinks only to reply, "Good!." As Montresor's ancestors have been condemned by the Masons, he will condemn a Mason with his own sort of masonry.

Poe informs the reader that Montresor wants to make himself known to Fortunato as an "avenger" of a "wrong." He had not before the night of his destruction, "by word or deed given Fortunato cause to doubt [his] good will." He must, therefore, disclose to Fortunato his motive on the night of his murder. As the reader is related the details of his execution, he or she can identify that the theme of Montresor's evil deed is Masonry, as a study of the characterization, setting, and irony makes especially obvious. By knowing that it is Montresor's goal to make himself known to Fortunato, it can only be concluded that it is Montresor's motive for committing the murder of his adversary.

Journal #6

False Pride

In Mauassant's short story titled, "The Necklace," Matilda borrows a necklace from a rich friend names Mrs. Forestier. She borrowed this necklace so that she would not present a "shabby air in the midst of rich women." While she is in possession of the necklace, she loses it and refuses to admit her loss to her friend. Matilda and husband do not realize that the necklace is fake and they go out and buy a similar necklace to return to Mrs. Forestier. The new necklace is so expensive that they spend ten years to pay off the necklace. All of Matilda's actions leading up to the loss of the necklace were directed by an attempt to maintain her false sense of pride, for which she gave up her dignity over the course of ten years.

Matilda's thoughts and actions were conditioned by her vain character. As Maupassant says she felt that she was made for frocks, jewels, elegant dinners and admirers. Since she and her husband were poor people, she would weep for days "from chagrin, form regret, from despair and disappointment." When her and her husband were invited to a fancy ball, she could not stand the thought of looking plain and simple. She would be ashamed if she could not appear equal to the other women at the ball.

True pride comes from self-respect or satisfaction in achievement. Matilda's only pride came from her physical appearance. She also always wanted to gain pride through having various material possessions. Her sense of self-importance at the ball was essentially claimed without right since it stemmed only from her clothing. This feeling only lasted for one night, but the consequences of that evening haunted her for a total of ten years.

Because of her false sense of pride, Matilda did not think of the different solutions to her problems and did not weigh the effect of her decision. The most obvious alternative would have been to be honest with Mrs. Forestier. Even if the necklace were real, I doubt that should have asked Matilda to replace such an expensive item since Matilda was so poor. Instead, Matilda tired to maintain this false sense of pride.

When Matilda and her husband learned that the new necklace was going cost 36,000 francs that should have humbled themselves knowing that could not easily manage that large of a debt. After all, they did force themselves to set their pride aside for the ten years thereafter. Matilda's thoughts of grandeur before the loss of the necklace don't seem to coincide with her actions afterwards. Maupassant says that Matilda and her husband completely lowered their standard of living as they worked to pay off the debt. Matilda did her part, however, completely heroically. "She was still trying to maintain this false dignity." Ten long years of hard work and poverty could not have been worth one night of pride and honor.

In today's society, many people fall into this same trap. Many people live about their standards and get into debt and cannot get out. I believe that this is a good story to show what can happen to a person when they have false pride.

Journal #7

When You Play, You Pay

Samuel" is a short story that was written by Grace Paley. Grace Paley was born and raised in New York City, so her writing comes from situations that she probably witnessed first hand as a citizen of New York City. She writes a lot of works about young people who live in big cities and face many struggles on a daily basis. This is exactly what the story, "Samuel" is about.

Samuel" is a short story about four boys who are horse playing on the subway. The four boys were on their way home from visiting a missile exhibit and instead of sitting or standing in the subway car as a normal person; they chose to hang from the chains on the swaying platform outside of the subway car. They were acting like wild idiots out on the chains and the people inside the subway car stared at them in disgrace. One lady even goes over to the door and opens it when the subway starts and tells the kids that they should come inside the car and stop acting like idiots out there. She even tells them that they could get hurt or even killed. However, these boys do not listen to her and continued to horseplay. At the end of the story, one gentleman on the subway stands up and pulls the emergency stop cord and the subway comes to a sudden halt and Samuel loses his grip and falls off between the cars. He falls head first and is killed. The story ends by discussing the grief and anguish that Samuel's mother feels over his death. "Oh, oh, she hopelessly cried. She did not know how she would ever find another boy like that one." This sentence is talking about the comments his mother made after he did. She refers to him as "another boy like that one." This tells the reader that Samuel may have been adopted. The mother is saddened greatly by the death, but she does not know where she will find another boy like Samuel. His mother even goes on to have her own children, but none of her children are like Samuel. So, although he was adopted, Samuel was very special to his mother and she did feel a great deal of pain over his death.

Although this story is fiction, this is something that the author probably witnessed while she lived in New York. She describes the four boys in the story as being minorities. There are three black boys and the four one was of a mixed decent. Young minorities in New York City are often the children who horseplay and get into trouble. This is because many of them lack the proper guidance in their lives. For example, the mother did give Samuel permission to go see the missiles, but she probably did not give him permission to be on the subway and she surely would not condone his behavior while on the subway.

Insubordination among youth today is something very common. Many youth do not have a positive environment and they feel that they do not have to listen to adults or to authority. If Samuel would have listened to the woman who told him to come into the car and stop acting like an idiot, he would not have died. Adults know what they are talking about when they tell youth to do something or to stop doing something. I just don't understand why the youth will not listen. So the saying goes. "When you play, you pay." When you goof off, you will pay the price sooner or later.

Journal #8

Power and Despair and Psychological Forces of the Id

Ozymandias," by Percy Bysshe Shelley represents the psychological forces of the id as well as the superego, as a character in a poem, and as a poetic work. In the poem we encounter a traveler. He brings a message from the desert. There is a statue that exists alone among the rocks and sand. Stamped on the pedestal of that statue are these words, "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

To despair is a strong emotion. It is one of the strongest emotions that Frued's id could possible produce. It is an uncontrollable feeling that leads even the most worthiest and most powerful men to emptiness and hopelessness. In the 14 line poem, "Ozymandias," by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Shelley chooses the greatest setting for utter despair in using a desert. Power and despair are greatly correlated in this poem.

Under the immediate assumption that Ozymandias is the sculptor of the barren statues, one must realize that even kings cannot contain their passions and emotions. Ozymandias erected a statue of his distress where none could see it and without habitation for miles. Leaving these statues behind, the sculptor is given a chance to reveal to others the underlying sadness of his soul. "[Passions read] Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them." Although the sculptor has left the mortal world, his soul remains for all passers-by to see. He is attempting to force others into his realm of pain just by seeing his creation. This poem causes havoc upon the mind of the reader as they think of desolation.

The statue is described as a "colossal wreck boundless and bare" drawing a parallel for the reason in which it was built. The condition of the stones, delicately but descriptively worded by Shelley, only emphasizes the despair drawn into the stone by the sculptor's hand. By using words such as "frown," "sneer," and "mocked," the author provides us with a slight portrait of the sculptor. It gives us a picture of a powerful king with no incentive or reason to smile. The phrase 'cold command" portrays him as a militaristic leader that has seen more death and destruction than a whole army and has come to a new realization as to the true ways of the human race. The author's words "lifeless," "decay," and "wreck" apply not only to the statue the author is describing but also to the sculptor of the statue. These words encompass his entire being.

This poem, "Ozymandias" by PB Shelley, strikes a very solemn note into the hearts of its readers. It did strike a solemn note with me. It provides an insight, though, into the mind frame of the author at the time he wrote it. Maybe a time in which he was so desperate that he could do nothing but portray himself as the sculptor.

Journal #11

Adultery

The short story "The Storm" by Kate Chopin, deals with the subject of adultery. The story takes place in the early 1900's. There are two main characters, Calixta (the wife) and Alcee (the former lover). Alcee must take refuge from a passing storm in Calixta's house, while he is there the two end up making love while Calixta's husband and son have to wait out the storm at the local store. By doing this Chopin implies the theme, which is adultery is natural and does not necessarily have negative consequences. Throughout the story the constant changing of imagery plays a great role in the development of characters and their ability to demonstrate the theme.

The subject of adultery was first introduced soon after Alcee asked Calixta if he may take refuge from the approaching storm inside her house. That was also the first point when the author lets us know that Calixta "may" still have feelings for Alcee. This was shown clearly in the story when it says, " His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance..." Immediately after this the description of the setting changed from an outdoor relax feel to an indoor tense feel. This also lead to the feelings of both characters towards each other, which was shown when the room was described, " The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious."

Soon after this, Calixta who is then feeling the situation gets up to look outside the window, as not to keep looking at Alcee for she knows what may come of it. Alcee then also gets up to look out the window so that he may stand close to Calixta, which shows how Alcee wants to be with her. While Calixta is looking out the window she sees that it is raining hard and there is strong winds and lightning, which clearly signifies how mixed up Calixta's feelings for Alcee are at that moment. After this Alcee grabs Calixta close to him as she staggers back, she then retreats and immediately asks where her son may be. This also shows that Calixta is having mixed feelings with the situation. Which is the reason she gets loose but does not tell Alcee to control himself but yet like nothing had happened wonders where her son may be, " Bonte! She cried, releasing herself from his arms encircling arms and retreating to the window... If I only knew were Bibi was!"

Soon after with out any doubt in and of the characters minds Calixta and Alcee make love. Calixta is described to be having no problem with he fact that she is cheating on her husband, " The generous abundance of her passion..."

This sense of Calixta having no regret is seen in more detail as the story comes to a close. As they finish making love, the imagery and descriptions change once again. The rain comes to a stop and the sun comes out to signify that everything is back to normal.

The fact that everything is normal once again does not only lie in the fact of sun coming back out, but also in the attitudes of both Calixta and Alcee. He leaves the house and they both are described with smiles on their faces. Then finally, Calixtas husband and son come home and she is happy to see them again and has already put supper on the table, and they continued the night as they always do. Which implies once again what had just happened was perfectly normal to her. Alcee then also goes home and writes a letter to his wife telling her of how he is enjoying himself and telling his wife and kids to enjoy themselves on their vacation.

As the story came to an end, you could see clearly how the author brilliantly implied that adultery is not always negative and does not necessarily have negative consequences. Kate Chopin used imagery as the main element to deliver her theme and also through the changing of descriptions of scenes, and the changes in the characters development.

Journal #12

Letter

Desiree's Baby" by Kate Chopin is a story of love, prejudice and rejection, a story with noble beginnings that slowly turns to reveal an uglier side of human relations. Armand, a wealthy landowner of the plantation L'Abri in the ante-bellum south of Louisiana, is confronted by a family secret that has been hidden from him, even into adulthood.

The secret is scandalous for its day, and its consequences run deep into the fabric of society. No one told Armand of this secret. He discovers it by chance at the end of the story, when he finds the remnants of an old letter written by his mother to his father, the significance of which, and its revelations, makes us focus on the many tragic and ironic decisions made by him during this story. In the old south, bloodlines are very important to the status of a family and their social placement, so the "purity" of the family must be kept. This "purity" does not accommodate marriages of mixed race. Knowing this, Armand marries an old friend who he had known since he was eight when he moved to Louisiana from France with his father after his mother had died. She was a girl of no distinction, who had no history or reputation of family name like that of Armand, but despite this he fell in love "as if struck by a pistol shot."(317). Others had warned Armand against marrying her, but he did not care for he was so swept away by her beauty. "He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana."

Tragedy comes early in the marriage with the birth of their first child. Although no one seemed to notice at first, by the time the child was three months old, neighbors and Armand himself noticed a change in the child. "When the baby was about three months old, Desiree awoke one day to the conviction that there was something in the air menacing her peace." It turns out the baby is of mixed blood and because of this, he shuns his wife and the child he was so proud of only days before. "He absented himself from home and when there, avoided her presence and that of her child, without excuse." Armand was "the proudest father in the parish...it is a boy to bear his name." Additionally, he accuses Desiree of not being white (a crime against his family's "purity") which she adamantly denies. "It is a lie it is not true, I am white! Look at my hair, it is brown and my eyes are gray, Armand you know they are gray. And my skin is fair," "Look at my hand whiter than yours, Armand." She writes to her adopted mother and tells her of what is happening. Her mother tells her to return home with the child where they will both be loved, but Desiree is so shocked and disheartened she sets off towards a local bayou with the child never to be seen again. Armand has made the decision to lose his family in order to save his name and it's too late to bring Desiree back. The irony is that the letter read by Armand from his mother reveals to him that it is he who is of mixed blood and not Desiree.

Placing blame on outside forces can also be a tragic and misguided reaction to events that people encounter. Armand makes this mistake when he can see no other cause for his anguish and blames God for what he sees as a cruel injustice placed upon him. "He thought Almighty God had dealt cruelly and unjustly with him and felt, somehow that he was paying him back in kind when he stabbed thus into his wife's soul. Ironically, in the letter Armand finds from his mother, she is praising God for having "arranged" their lives so as to be married in a racist world and to have a beautiful child such as Armand. "But above all, night and day, I thank the good lord for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery." Paradoxically, it is also this arrangement that is the root of his present day problems. Had he known of his "heritage" before hand, chances are! he would have approached life differently, but we have to assume this was hidden from him to protect him from the society in which he lived. Armand's shunning of Desiree was not only an attempt to pay back God, but by somehow payback the others he felt were responsible for his personal tragedy. He thought it necessary to cleanse himself and his family name of this regretful misfortune.

At the end of the story Armand has ordered his slaves to build a large bonfire on the grounds of the estate where he is to throw all of Desiree's and the baby's affects. It is during this highly emotionally and rash moment that Armand learns his family secret, when he finds the letter from his mother. Here the story ends, and its tragic irony comes to light. Lying before him was proof that it was not Desiree who had colored blood but him. The wife and child he loved and so easily discarded to protect his family name, were innocent of his animosity and accusations. We can only imagine the heart wrenching turmoil he must have felt at that moment. Too, was the undeniable fact that his father had overcome similar odds and accepted the love of his mother even though she was black. Armand's father had escaped from tradition and its shackles to stay with the woman he loved and yet still kept the family's good name, where Armand had failed to do so.

The finding of this letter reveals to the reader the deeper consequences of decisions made based on prejudice and what others may think. All that Armand had done, giving up his marriage and condemning their child, burning all that reminded him of her and the baby, cursing God for his misfortune, had all come crashing in upon him by finding a simple letter with tragic "significance