Desiree's baby

Analysis of the short story

1. SETTING & ATMOSPHERE The story takes quite an unusual approach to creating the setting and atmosphere. Only brief descriptions of the atmosphere and setting – “As the day was pleasant”; “one hot afternoon”; “ Zandrine was pacing the sombre gallery with it.”; “It was an October afternoon; the sun was just sinking . Out in the still fields the negroes were picking cotton.”; “She walked across a deserted field […]”; “She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou ;”. Setting and atmosphere however seem to reflect the inner landscape of the main protagonist (Pathetic fallacy) – sinking sun, deserted field, sombre gallery, thick reeds echo Desiee’s disappointment and despair. However, details are given indirectly about the setting, rather than direct descriptions : “[… ]; when Monsieur in riding through the gateway of Valmonde had found her lying asleep in the shadow of the big stone pillar .”; “The prevailing belief was that she had been purposely left by a party of Texans , whose canvas-covered wagon , late in the day, had crossed the ferry that Coton Mais kept, just below the plantation .” ; “What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana ?”; “[…] great mahogany bed, that was like a sumptuous throne, with its satin-lined half-canopy .” Rural bourgeoisie – the use of the French titles “Monsieur” and “Madame” indicate the upper class. Description of setting and atmosphere at “ l’Abri ” is however more elaborate : “When she reached L'Abri she shuddered at the first sight of it, as she always did. It was a sad looking place […] The roof came down steep and black like a cowl, reaching out beyond the wide galleries that encircled the yellow stuccoed house. Big, solemn oaks grew close to it […]”. (claustrophobic setting – story mostly takes place inside the room).

2. 2. CHARACTERISATION Social stereotypes/ stock characters : blacks, negroes, “yellow woman” – even though the names of some of the characters are mentioned, they remain flat/ static characters or sub-characters in the story, barely having a role in the development of the plot. Even Madame Valmonde is a sub-character , although the story begins with her and the narration initially follows her perspective/ point of view and stream-of-consciousness as she reminisces Desiree’s adoption and marriage. Madame Valmonde remains a flat character, without any development/ change in her characterisation till the end of the story. The baby is a passive character in the story. The only 2 main characters in the story that are 3 dimensional, round or dynamic characters are Desiree and Armand; Desiree’s happiness fades away and she sinks into despair and disillusion; Armand’s temperament changes radically from a passionate lover and joyful husband and father to being disappointed, cold and jaded, even cruel towards Desiree and the “negroes”. Direct/ explicit characterisation : extensive physical description of Desiree. In fact there seems to be more details about her physical appearance and attire than the depth of her feelings and emotions. Indirect/ implicit characterisation : insight into Armand’s character provided through descriptions of his actions, attitude, behaviour and thoughts/ feelings rather than physical descriptions or direct references to his traits. Whatever we learn about Armand’s temperament is through Desiree’s narration (conversation with Madame Valmonde ) and Madame Valmonde’s point of view.

3. 3. Narrative voice/ technique & point of view Third person omniscient narrator, capable of describing the thoughts and feelings of the different characters. Story is however told from different points of view: Even though she is not the main protagonist of the story, the beginning of the story is told from the point of view of Madame Valmonde , following her reminiscence of Desiree’s childhood to her marriage, and her opinions on and feelings towards the baby. The part initially describing Armand’s change in temper is narrated from Desiree’s point of view/ perspective. At this point the narrative point of view seems to shift from omniscient to limited, so as to maintain the suspense and confusion in Desiree’s mind about Armand’s change in temperament. The narrator does not reveal anything about what is going on inside Armand’s mind until towards the end of the story when Armand’s thoughts and feelings are revealed, thus the narrator asserting its omniscience once again: “He thought Almighty God had dealt cruelly and unjustly with him; and felt, somehow, that he was paying Him back in kind when he stabbed thus into his wife's soul. Moreover he no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name .”

4. 4. narrative Tone & pace of narration Fast pace narration, almost as if the story is being told in fast-forward mode. Desiree’s childhood to marriage is told in just 4 short paragraphs made of short and abrupt phrases/ sentences: e.g . “He ordered the corbeille from Paris, and contained himself with what patience he could until it arrived; then they were married .” Fast pace of narration also sets the tone, which is not only fast and abrupt but seems to parallel Armand’s attitude towards Desiree, i.e. his coldness – “In silence he ran his cold eyes over the written words.”; “He did not answer her. That was his last blow at fate.”; “He coldly but gently loosened her fingers from about his arm and thrust the hand away from him.”; “But he did not notice.”; “Presently her husband entered the room, and without noticing her , went to a table and began to search among some papers which covered it.”; “[…] he returned cruelly ; and went away leaving her alone with their child. – Silence and coldness set the mood and tone throughout. Armand’s attitude later in the story sharply contrasts with initial description of his attitude when he fell in love with Desiree: “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 .” – Note that the simile “like a prairie fire” could be a Precursor to the bond fire at the end of the story, fire symbolizing destruction. [Use of contrasting imageries/ ideas: fire v/s coldness] – Another Precursor : “Oh, mamma, I'm so happy; it frightens me." [ Foreshadowing ].

5. 5. Type of plot & time frame Story begins with a flashback between the second and the fifth paragraphs. Non-linear narration in the beginning, but later events are described chronologically, though a little fragmented, i.e. episodic narration – after Madame Valmonde’s visit, the narration jumps to when the baby was 3 months old. And after Desiree leaves the house, the narration again jumps to the bondfire scene “Some weeks later…”. Such narrative is rather unconventional for a short story as the plot of conventional short stories usually takes place over a short time lapse. Narration does not rely heavily on conversations to forward the plot (contrary to ‘Misery’). Only 2 conversations – 1. between Desiree and Madame Volmonde ; 2. between Desiree and Armand. Follows the narrative convention of the Freytag Pyramid: Exposition : Desiree’s adoption. Inciting incident: Armand falls in love with Desiree and they get married. Rising Action: Baby is born and starts growing. Climax: Desiree and Armand notice that the baby seems to be of Afro-American descent. Falling action: Armand’s change in attitude, Desiree asks for Armand’s permission to leave the house, meets with Armand’s coldness and silence, and leaves the house. Resolution/ Denouement: the bond fire and Armand reads his mother’s letter – unexpected twist of plot . Anticlimax : Armand discovers that the baby has inherited ‘non-white’ physical traits from his own ancestry and not Desiree’s.

6. 6. Language & Figures of speech Similes: “[…] swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.”, “She was like a stone image:” Elaborate physical descriptions and extensive details about colours, clothing and materials : “The young mother was recovering slowly, and lay full length, in her soft white muslins and laces, upon a couch.”; “She sat in her room, one hot afternoon, in her peignoi r, listlessly drawing through her fingers the strands of her long , silky brown hair that hung about her shoulders . The baby, half naked, lay asleep upon her own great mahogany bed , that was like a sumptuous throne, with its satin-lined half-canopy.”; “fan of peacock feathers ”; “"It is a lie; it is not true, I am white! Look at my hair, it is brown ; and my eyes are gray , Armand, you know they are gray . And my skin is fair ," seizing his wrist. "Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand," she laughed hysterically.”; “Desiree had not changed the thin white garment nor the slippers which she wore. Her hair was uncovered and the sun's rays brought a golden gleam from its brown meshes .”; “[…] 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 .” Details about clothing and textile materials hint at social class. Details about physical descriptions and colour highlight Armand’s preoccupation with ethnicity and the prevailing social bias among the American Bourgeoisie at that time.

7. 7. Type of short story Event-plot : there is a beginning, middle, and end, neatly tied up at the conclusion .

8. 8. THEMES Love and marriage as being ephemeral; marriage as a social contract (Armand presuming that Desiree is of inferior social rank, i.e. of “negro” descent, changes his feelings towards her and causes the marriage to end). Social bias/ discrimination; attitude towards Afro-Americans during those times; Ethnocentricity, Racism. Status of the woman: Desiree’s identity seems totally dependent upon Armand’s validation/ approval; she does not seem to exist outside of the relationship and having an identity of her own. Desiree is devastated by Armand’s unfounded opinion about her lineage and his indifference/ coldness/ apathy. Contrastingly, Armand does not question his own ancestry/ identity but blames Desiree without a shred of doubt. This indicates his level of confidence with regard to his identity v/s her self-doubt. D isappointment, despair, suffering: from the perspective of both characters. Does Armand create his own disappointment and suffering?