Desiree's Baby Symbolism Essay

Desiree’s baby is a short story written by Kate Chopin. The story is about a young woman named Desiree who is swept off her feet by a man named Armand. The two fall madly in love with one another and creates an offspring. When the child is born, a deep secret is discovered which turns Armand into an outraged man. The child is born with darker skin, which means the baby has African ancestry. In this time of the story, this was considered a huge problem for a person of white color. Kate Chopin uses many symbols to represent the meaning of the story. In the story she symbolizes the stone pillar, fine clothes, and the bonfire. The first symbol used in the stone pillar. It is symbolic because it is where Armand first laid eyes on Desiree. Another reason it is symbolic is it was where Desiree was left when she was a baby. “It was no
Along with the fine clothes, he also sent her valuable gift such as jewelry. This is symbolic because it shows the wealth and influence of Armand. Armand sees Desiree as one of his most beautiful possessions; however, he turns to burning of the gifts and fine clothes he had giving to Desiree. The objects giving to Desiree are symbolic of her therefore Armand uses the bonfire to delete the memories he had of her. “In the center of the smoothly swept backyard was a great bonfire. Armand Aubigny sat in the wide hallway that commanded a view of the spectacle; and it was he who dealt out to a half dozen Negroes the materials which kept this fire ablaze. A graceful cradle of willow, with all its dainty furnishings, was laid upon the pyre, which had already been feed with the richness of a priceless layette. Then there were silk gowns, and velvet and satin ones added to these; laces, too, and embroideries, bonnets and gloves; for the corbeille had been of rare quality”. The way Armand destroys and ruins the fine clothes shows his position of