Desiree's Baby Literary Analysis

In the fictional story “Desiree's’ Baby”, written by Kate Chopin introduces us to a happy couple whose child turns out being a quadroom. The mother Desiree desperately loved her husband but soon begins to become unhappy. The husband Armand's strange awful change in his behavior and distance is what made Desiree unhappy. Both stuck in a loveless marriage because Armand's selfish actions and refuses to see past the color of his own child; Desiree decides to take matter into her own hands. Early in the story, the reader learns that Desiree's baby is a quadroon. In a way, Mrs.Valmonde hits at the baby's description when she mentions “this is not the baby!” in startled tones to Desiree. Armand's strange awful change in his manner was the first clue
that he no longer was in love with Desiree. This moment becomes even more evident when Armand spoke to her with averted eyes, absented himself from home; and when there, avoided her presence and that of her child. Not only did the author hint at Desiree being miserable enough to die. Through the exchanges between Desiree and Armand argument regarding the color of the child “it means the child is not white; it means you are not white”. One could guess Armand no longer wishes to be with Desiree or the baby because he believe she is not white. The clues continue to surmount as Desiree writes a letter to her mother stating she is white and explains she cannot be so unhappy and continue to live. Armand's reply to Desiree “yes, i want you to go” is another indication that he truly lost all affection for Desiree and no longer cares for the child because he thinks she belongs to the race cursed with the brand of slavery. After discovering it is Armand mother who is at fault for the child being a quadroon. The reader better understand that Armand made a terrible mistake for his own selfish reason and rotten pride but he is the very thing that he feared the most. Essentially, in looking back, the authors use of foreshadowing is showing us the depressing fate of desire and her child's death.