Désirée’s Baby by Kate Chopin in 1892
The text Désirée’s Baby is written by Kate Chopin in 1892. The story takes place in Louisiana before the American Civil War, on two plantations, one called Valmond and another called L’Abri.
The story is told in omniscient third-persons point of view, meaning that the narrator not only describes what happens, but also reveals the thoughts of the characters from time to time. You can see an example here: “When the baby was about three months old, Désirée awoke one day to the conviction that there was something in the air menacing her peace.”
The language is of an old kind, but that just contributes in giving the story meaning, because it puts you into the time, in which the story takes place.
The story starts with Madame Valmond, who is going to visit her daughter, Désirée, because she has given birth to a baby boy. On her way over, Valmond thinks about the time she found Désirée all alone, when she was just a little baby. Valmonde arrives at her daughters house called L’Abri, which is owned by Désirée’s husband Arband Aubigny. When she sees her grandchild, she notices something different with him. Valmond leaves again and 3 month later, Désirée is still at L’Abri with her child. Armand, who had been so loving towards her, has become really cold and do not want to speak to his wife: “”Armand,” she called to him, in a voice which must have stabbed him, if he was human. But he did not notice. “Armand,” she said again. (s. 4)” She knows something has changed. One day her baby is lying on the bed, and one of the slaves on the farm is fanning the child with a fan, here she finds out what is wrong; “She looked from her child to the boy who stood beside him, and back again; over and over. “Ah!” It was a cry that she could not help; which she was not conscious of having uttered. The blood turned like ice in her veins, and a clammy moisture gathered upon her face. (s. 4)” This is the climax of the story. She now realizes that Armand thinks she is black, which was
The story is told in omniscient third-persons point of view, meaning that the narrator not only describes what happens, but also reveals the thoughts of the characters from time to time. You can see an example here: “When the baby was about three months old, Désirée awoke one day to the conviction that there was something in the air menacing her peace.”
The language is of an old kind, but that just contributes in giving the story meaning, because it puts you into the time, in which the story takes place.
The story starts with Madame Valmond, who is going to visit her daughter, Désirée, because she has given birth to a baby boy. On her way over, Valmond thinks about the time she found Désirée all alone, when she was just a little baby. Valmonde arrives at her daughters house called L’Abri, which is owned by Désirée’s husband Arband Aubigny. When she sees her grandchild, she notices something different with him. Valmond leaves again and 3 month later, Désirée is still at L’Abri with her child. Armand, who had been so loving towards her, has become really cold and do not want to speak to his wife: “”Armand,” she called to him, in a voice which must have stabbed him, if he was human. But he did not notice. “Armand,” she said again. (s. 4)” She knows something has changed. One day her baby is lying on the bed, and one of the slaves on the farm is fanning the child with a fan, here she finds out what is wrong; “She looked from her child to the boy who stood beside him, and back again; over and over. “Ah!” It was a cry that she could not help; which she was not conscious of having uttered. The blood turned like ice in her veins, and a clammy moisture gathered upon her face. (s. 4)” This is the climax of the story. She now realizes that Armand thinks she is black, which was