Racism and Heritage in "Desiree's Baby" by Kate Chopin

Introduction: Race and Relationships in the Story

Why does race matter in a relationship? Great figures in history have noted that race should never play a role in any relationship. Allowing race to impact a relationship could easily cause it to fall apart, leading to both sides being hurt in the end. In Kate Chopin's short story "Desiree's Baby," the race of Desiree and Armand's child causes Armand to turn a cold shoulder to his wife and his child, eventually driving Desiree to suicide. By analyzing the racism in the story, it becomes clear that heritage, setting, and social norms play a major role in the motives of the story.

Family Heritage and Social Status

Armand's family was old and wealthy and very important to the Louisiana plantation. He was light-skinned and handsome. His mother died when he was eight years old, so he does not remember the skin tone of his mother. He simply assumed she was Caucasian. Armand states that his name was "One of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana" (Chopin, 650). Therefore, Armand was born into wealth and privilege, with a family legacy he deeply valued.

In contrast, Desiree was abandoned and taken in by the Valmonde family. The Valmonde's had not been blessed with any children, so they adopted Desiree and raised her as their own. This act was a blessing in two ways: Desiree gained the love and support she needed from parents, and the Valmonde's gained a child to whom they could give their love and care. Growing up to become a beautiful woman, Desiree attracted the attention of Armand Aubigny, a neighboring plantation owner and bearer of one of the finest names in Louisiana. His heritage would play a major role in this story.

The Meeting and Marriage

Desiree and Armand met as children growing up on the plantation. But at that time, Armand did not love her. As the story notes, "The wonder was that he had not loved her before; for he had known her since his father brought him home from Paris, a boy of eight, after his mother died there" (651). Falling in love with Desiree felt to Armand as if he "Had been struck by a pistol shot" (650). The sudden intensity of his feelings transformed his perception of her entirely.

Desiree's father told Armand that he did not know Desiree's heritage, but Armand did not care. He pursued her anyway, driven by passion rather than practicality. This relationship led to marriage. Armand gave Desiree the name he said he would, and he was protective of it, not wanting Desiree to mistreat a name that was so important to the Aubigny family background. Over time, Armand and Desiree had a baby. Now the problem begins. It was not until questions arose about the baby's race that hardship fell upon the plantation. The baby's appearance resembled that of an African American, which was socially unacceptable in their society.

The Crisis of the Baby's Race

When the baby's race became apparent, Armand lost all of the love he had for his wife. His immediate assumption was that Desiree was of African descent. His love turned to disgust, and he demanded that Desiree leave the plantation. However, she could not divorce him because of the strict laws of that era. The law would give Armand everything, including all of their material possessions and custody of the baby. If she divorced him, her life would be ruined.

Desiree's parents told her to come home, assuring her that they did not care about the baby's appearance and that they still loved her. Yet on her way out of the plantation, Desiree was in such profound sorrow that she made the decision to end her life. In a haunting passage, the narrator describes her final walk: "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 tender feet, so delicately shod, and tore her thin gown to shreds. She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou: and she did not come back again" (653).

Conclusion: Racism's Role in the Narrative

This story is about a man who falls in love with a girl of mysterious background, marries her, and has a baby. The baby then turns out to be of mixed race—half Caucasian, half African American. At that point, racism starts to play a major role in the story. Armand, with his long and rich heritage, immediately blames Desiree for the mixed-race appearance of the baby, causing her to doubt herself and all of her beliefs. This self-doubt drives her to take her own life.

The ignorance and racism in this story play a major role in the plot. Chopin demonstrates that racism is not about truth or fact, but about perception, assumption, and the blind acceptance of social norms. Armand's prejudice was so powerful that it destroyed his marriage and his family, all while he remained completely unaware of his own mixed heritage. The tragedy of "Desiree's Baby" ultimately reveals that racism stems from ignorance and that the consequences of such ignorance can be irreversible and devastating.