Desiree's Baby
Brianna Russell
English 101
October 30, 2012
“Pride vs. Love” Sometimes people let their pride get in the way of things that is important. In the story “Desiree’s Baby” written by Kate Chopin, Armand, Desiree’s husband was in love with Desiree. Armand had let certain things get in the way of what should have been true to him. He should have been able to except everything with open arms, but instead he ran his wife off, leading to her suicide. Armand’s racial pride at being white was larger than the love he had for his wife Desiree. Armand loved his wife. His wife Desiree was found on a bench when she was younger. It seemed as if she was abandoned. No one knew who her biological parents were: her parents could have been white or black. Armand knows she might be mixed, but did not seem to care once he had fallen in love with her. Before his engagement he could be mean at times, but he had never denied his love for his wife. “The passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.”(242) when Armand seen her at the bench she was found at he was immediately in love with her. He knew Desiree would be his wife. He was the happiest man alive when his son was born. The baby seemed to change him. It was like he was a new person. He became more gentle, more nice. He even began being nice to his slaves. "he hasn't punished one of them - not one of them - since baby is born.” (243) His dad was a big slave owner and was always nice to the slaves because of the race of his wife, but once Armand became the owner, he was mean to them. Armand felt that he was of higher power because he was brought up as a white man. He thought he was white, so he automatically felt as if he did not have to respect his slaves. He knew he could treat them any way he wanted because he owned them. It was like Armand looked down on them. He thought he was better than him
English 101
October 30, 2012
“Pride vs. Love” Sometimes people let their pride get in the way of things that is important. In the story “Desiree’s Baby” written by Kate Chopin, Armand, Desiree’s husband was in love with Desiree. Armand had let certain things get in the way of what should have been true to him. He should have been able to except everything with open arms, but instead he ran his wife off, leading to her suicide. Armand’s racial pride at being white was larger than the love he had for his wife Desiree. Armand loved his wife. His wife Desiree was found on a bench when she was younger. It seemed as if she was abandoned. No one knew who her biological parents were: her parents could have been white or black. Armand knows she might be mixed, but did not seem to care once he had fallen in love with her. Before his engagement he could be mean at times, but he had never denied his love for his wife. “The passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.”(242) when Armand seen her at the bench she was found at he was immediately in love with her. He knew Desiree would be his wife. He was the happiest man alive when his son was born. The baby seemed to change him. It was like he was a new person. He became more gentle, more nice. He even began being nice to his slaves. "he hasn't punished one of them - not one of them - since baby is born.” (243) His dad was a big slave owner and was always nice to the slaves because of the race of his wife, but once Armand became the owner, he was mean to them. Armand felt that he was of higher power because he was brought up as a white man. He thought he was white, so he automatically felt as if he did not have to respect his slaves. He knew he could treat them any way he wanted because he owned them. It was like Armand looked down on them. He thought he was better than him