Desiree - Answer the questions PDF

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“Desiree’s Baby” Questions

1. Why was Armand's rule over the slaves a strict one? How had his father treated their slaves? -

Armand thinks that himself is superior to the slaves. He believes he is better than them and does not value their help and effort.

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His father had been “easy-going” so that means he had been nicer than Armand. “Young Aubigny’s rule was a strict one, too, and under it his negroes had forgotten how to be gay, as they had been during the old master’s easy-going and indulgent lifetime.”

2. Why would it matter that Desiree's background was unknown? -

At that time, especially in the American society, there is a strong discrimination and prejudice against class and race. As the Aubigny family was of the upper class, they would also want to find Armand an upper class wife.

3. Why did Madame Valmonde look at the child in the best light available? Why did she focus her look at Zandrine? -

Madame Valmonde tried to see in the light because she noticed the baby’s skin is dark.

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She tried to look for a similarity in complexion between Zandrine and the baby because Zandrine was mixed color.

4. Explain why Chopin uses the word "her" in this line: "He absented himself from home; and when there, avoided her presence and that of her child, without excuse."

At this moment, Armand did not admit or want to admit that the baby is their child. The baby is no longer “their” child, it’s only “her” blood. He wanted to wipe the slate clean and denied having any relevance to Desiree and the baby. 5. How did Desiree feel about slavery? About the way Armand treated the slaves? What makes you think this? -

Desiree doesn't want them to be treated unfairly and unjust, but she doesn't stand up or speak out for them.

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Desiree wished that Armand had treated the slave in a better manner.

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“he hasn’t punished one of them—not one of them—since baby is born. Even Négrillon, who pretended to have burnt his leg that he might rest from work— he only laughed, and said Négrillon was a great scamp. Oh, mamma, I’m so happy; it frightens me.” – this is the line from Desiree’s baby, when Desiree was talking to Madame Valmonde, that expressed Desiree soft spot for the slaves and how happy she was that after the baby was born, Armand treated the slave in a much softer manner.

6. "One of La Blanche's little quadroon boys--half naked too--stood fanning the child slowly with a fan of peacock feathers." From this, what race do you deduce that La Blanche is? La Blanche is one of Armand’s slave. She lives in his plantation. 7. "A quick conception of all this accusation meant for her..." What do you think it meant? Why was it important? -

Desiree is befuddled in light of the fact that she's taking a look at the child's complexion and obviously he has some of them but on the other hand he's dark, so she's confounded, she doesn't have a clue where he got each one of those features from.

8. Why didn't Desiree go back to Valmonde? Why does she accept her fate without fighting? What does that tell you about her role as a woman, and her place in society? -

Desiree was thought to have mix-raced root. She is classified as “not white” or “mixed color”. She chose not to return to Valmonde because she thought that she was a disgrace to not only her adopted family, but also Armand’s.

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There could be many ways to interpret Desiree’s decision to leave, but personally I believe she did it for the following reasons. First, she was in despair. She was disclaimed by the person she loved, she saw herself as a disgrace. Desiree did not want to cause any trouble or make any more fuss. She just wanted to leave things behind. The second reason for the leaving of Desiree was that, from my point of view, was that Desiree was a mother. If she was a mixedrace, then her child could be quardroon. The baby later then could be mistreated by Armand or Armand’s family. So if Desiree left, she could ensure some peace or safety for her little baby.

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“Desiree’s baby” is Kate Chopin’s work that criticized and condemned society at the time, when they were not only racist but also sexist. Desiree role as a woman was the typical role of any women then: stay home, raise the kids and take care of the space. Let the men do the work and do not argue back. Desiree, or the women’ fate back then did not lie in their own hands.

9. What would be the consequences to Armand and the plantation if it were found that he had African ancestry?

If the truth about Armand’s African America root had been discovered, he would definitely lost control of the plantation. He could not own slaves, and he could

have lost all his property. In addition, there was a distinction in race and class, so he could be socially isolated. 10.Provide an example from the text that reflects the following: Foreshadowing: “But Armand's dark, handsome face had not often been disfigured by frowns since the day he fell in love with her.” (Armand’s true root) Conflict Madame Valmonde is torn between her desire to question Desiree the child’s skin color and her reluctance to upset her daughter. Irony Armand blamed Desiree and question her root for bearing a mixed raced child but actually it’s him who has African American background/ ancestors....