TERMS
DESSIRE’S BABY
Kate Chopin
Setting in
Time
Before the civil world period
Setting in
Place
Louisiana
Fictional
Present
One day in July (begin)
When he read the letter (finish)
Time Span
3 months
Atmosphere
Relax, tense, shacking
Point of
View
3rd person narrator
Title
This is foreshadow to the ending. The baby is a catalyst character. The story happens through the
baby.
Characters
Madame Valmonde:
• Action
• Speech
• Description
Desiree:
• Action
• Speech
• Description
• Name
Armand Ubigny:
The baby boy, Zandrine, The quandroom boy
Armand Aubigny
Armand is a neighbor of the Valmondes. He has inherited his father’s
plantation along with one of the finest and oldest names in Louisiana.
He seems to see the things in his life — Désirée, their child, his
slaves — as mere possessions, ones that either reflect well or poorly
upon him. His self-interest is easily evidenced in his strict rule of his
slaves and his eager acquisition of Desiree. At first, Desiree’s
influence seems to soften him, and he is kinder to his slaves. She also
thinks he is enormously proud of having a boy child — again, a
possession that will bear his name. However, upon discovering his
child’s mixed ancestry, and blaming it on Desiree, Armand cruelly
casts aside his wife and son, for they now have no worth to him. The
unexplored irony of the story rests in his realization that it is he,
not Desiree, who has African blood.
Désiréé Valmonde Aubigny
Désirée is the adopted daughter of the Valmonde family. Madame
and Monsieur Valmonde have raised Désirée since she was a toddler
when they found her by the plantation’s front gate. Despite the fact
that her ancestry is unknown, Désirée has grown up to be the “idol of
Valmonde.” She is a sweet, kind, affectionate girl. Her mild-mannered
character, however, leads her to rely too much on Armand’s love and
