Having found no comfort from Armand, Désirée pleads with her mother to protect her from the accusation that she is not white. Interestingly, she uses the words “they” and “them” when relaying these accusations, suggesting that while Armand has directly been cruel to her, the rest of society will be equally as cruel. The claim that she “must die” emphasizes how desperate Désirée is and how powerless she feels. Her life has completely revolved around Armand and his support for her; now it’s being stripped away.

As Désirée struggles to understand the revelation about her baby, she tries to convince herself that she is not to blame. At this time, having a black relative corrupted one’s social standing, hence her hysterical insistence that she is white. Her laughter likely indicates a weakening of her mental fortitude, especially considering how cold and cruel her husband is being towards her.

Désirée describes the change in Armand, and even though she asserts that he has been “softened,” her description actually emphasizes his darker nature. He is cruel and uses his power to harm those he has control over. As readers, we are led to wonder if the change that Désirée describes will be permanent, or if his true character is unchangeable.

Although Armand’s “imperious and exacting nature” has been “softened” by love and the birth of his child, Désirée is still subject to his mood swings. During this time, women were expected to shape their lives around the needs and desires of their husbands. Désirée’s own moods and emotions are thus tied to Armand’s; if he is unhappy, so is she, with Désirée’s extreme emotional dependence on her husband reflects the sexist societal beliefs of the time.

Armand is powerful in a number of ways as a white, wealthy male in a patriarchal and racist society. When he is upset, the ways in which his power intersects is emphasized. Armand is violent towards his slaves, he determines both his wife’s happiness and her livelihood, and he even uses his power over his female slaves in atrocious ways. Armand’s mistreatment of those with less agency is intersectional in nature, complicating the theme of intersectionality and racism.

In the letter that Armand reads from his mother, she writes that he “belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” This reveals that it is actually Armand who has black ancestry, not Désirée. This dramatic plot twist makes the ending of the story, and the story itself, all the more ironic and devastating. More specifically, Armand’s fate is extremely ironic. He has treated his wife and his slaves with violence and cruelty based on the color of their skin, and now he must face the fact that he is actually part-black himself.

After Désirée and the baby have disappeared, Armand decides to remove all traces of their existence by burning their possessions. If we recall the story’s last image of fire, which is associated with Armand’s burning passion for Désirée, then this passage becomes even more symbolic. Notice again the way that Chopin emphasizes Armand’s power as a wealthy white landowner. His slaves are actually doing the work here, and Désirée’s reputation is the only one that suffers, as a woman now believed to be part-black. She bears the societal “shame” of the situation, and he would have been largely unaffected.

Désirée’s decision to end her own life emphasizes just how deeply racist this society is. Désirée understands the social, political, and economic consequences that being mixed-race entails for both herself and her son. Chopin highlights the internalized racism that manifests from a society like this: Désirée now sees herself as inferior, as someone who is part African American. Her choice also signals the few options that women had during this time. Désirée has been dependant on Armand financially, and he has rejected her. While Désirée could have listened to her mother and returned to Valmondé, her confidence and self-esteem were so shattered by her husband and her position in society that she likely felt that she had no other recourse.

While not overtly stated, we can infer from the ominous language that Désirée chooses to kill herself and her child. Notice that the bayou is described as “deep” and “sluggish,” and that Chopin ends the same sentence by stating that “she did not come back again.” This might indicate a kind of cause and effect: the bayou is deep, therefore, she does not return.

Although this is not the stone pillar from before, Chopin associates Désirée with the imagery of stone to symbolize a transition in Désirée’s life. An earlier reference to her as the “idol of Valmondé” can be recalled here, reinforcing the societal emphasis on appearance under which Désirée now suffers. Earlier in her life it served as a benefit to be judged by her appearance; now her “stone image” is devoid of power.

Notice that the theme of fate and Providence is again emphasized here, but this time it is complicated by Armand’s unkind nature. In contrast with Madame Valmondé’s positive outlook on God and destiny, Armand assumes that God is punishing him “unjustly.” Armand sees his child’s heritage as a “cruel” and intentional curse from God. His love for his child is thus entirely conditional, just as his love for his “beloved” wife has been revealed to be. This assures readers that Armand’s earlier “change” in nature was, in fact, temporary.

Madame Valmondé’s reply is not particularly comforting for Désirée; rather, she simply advises her to come home. It is unclear why Madame Valmondé gave these instructions, whether out of fear for her daughter’s future, or something else. However, notice that Madame Valmondé tells her to come back to her “mother who loves [her].” Madame Valmondé’s love for her adopted daughter proves unconditional, unlike Armand’s.

When the narrator says that Désirée considers “all that this accusation meant for her,” it is suggested that Armand assumes that Désirée is either part African American or has had an affair with an African American man. Notice the irony in this sexist accusation. Armand can have relations with an unwilling slave, but even the idea of Désirée having an affair disgusts him. Further, as a man, Armand is never asked to defend his heritage, while Désirée immediately must do so.

During the times of slavery and segregation in America, a person with any amount of African American heritage was seen as non-white, regardless of appearance. This belief stemmed from racist ideologies of “purity” in bloodline and a negative cultural perception of interracial relationships. When Armand immediately accuses Désirée of not being white, he is making the sexist and racist assumption that his wife is the one to “blame” for the child’s mixed heritage. Armand sees himself as a wealthy and “pure” white man, so by his logic he must be free from suspicion.

Armand’s cruel reply delivers another blow to Désirée, who tried to appeal to him with her physical attributes. The nature of his cruel reply immediately after Désirée compares her skin color to Armand’s is also something to consider as it may have implications in the story. Since La Blanche is one of Armand’s slaves, this retort implies that he sees no difference between a woman who is partially black or fully black. He sees his wife and slaves as nothing more than property, and in the case of his wife, he sees her as property that has lost value.

As Désirée stares at her baby and La Blanche’s boy, she finally realizes what has been bothering her. Readers will recall Désirée’s mother’s initial cry of “This is not the baby!” and deduce that Désirée’s baby has something in common with La Blanche’s boy. The idea that her son may have black heritage causes her to cry out. Though Désirée faces many difficulties in this society as a woman, her experience has not engendered tolerance or open-mindedness when it comes to matters of race.

In Christian orthodoxy, Satan is the name of the angel Lucifer who rebelled against the rule of God. After failing in his revolution, Satan became the ruler of hell and chief tormentor of the sinners who go to hell after they die. This phrase then gives readers an idea of how Armand all of a sudden began terribly treating his slaves.

Désirée’s claim that she is so happy that it frightens her ought to give readers pause. We have learned of Armand’s passion and cruel treatment of his slaves, and so this sudden change in behavior is at odds with how he has been characterized previously. That the change scares Désirée gives us an indication that it may not be permanent. However, her love for Armand and the baby blind her to the truth about her husband’s character, and she remains hopelessly idealistic, believing that he could never turn his cruelty on her.

This now-offensive term refers to a person who has one black grandparent, making them one-quarter black. This quantification of skin color was yet another way that whites classified and dehumanized African Americans, even after the legal end of slavery.

Color, light, and shades of darkness have occurred throughout the story thus far to describe important things like the stone pillar and the window Désirée’s mother holds the baby near. The inclusion of “dark” in the description of Armand’s face also has significance in the story, be it his tendency to cruelly treat his slaves or something else.

The use of “yellow” in this passage does not refer to today’s offensive stereotype of Asian peoples. Rather, at the time, it was used to indicate a light-skinned black person, much in the way that Chopin uses other terms—like the now-offensive “quadroon”—to indicate the darkness of one’s skin.

All details in short stories are important, and Chopin’s inclusion of the detail has significance in the story. Since “Désirée’s Baby” is set prior to the American Civil War, slavery is still enforced and attitudes towards interracial relationships were generally condemned. However, France at this time had already done away with slavery and had different views concerning race and social class.

The word “lightest” is being used in a couple different ways here. The narrator is referring to the window that literally lets in the most light, so that Madame Valmondé can examine the child closely. However the term might also be used in contrast to the child’s skin tone.

Although La Blanche never appears in the story, her name is mentioned quite often. Here, the narrator tells the reader that Armand has been at La Blanche’s cabin, implying that Armand has or has had a sexual relationship with her. Because La Blanche is Armand’s slave, she is deemed his “property,” and it was common at this time for slave-owners to rape their slaves. This introduces the theme of intersectionality in the short story, a concept that examines oppression from various social, political, economic, and racial perspectives.

At this point in the story, it is still unclear as to why Madame Valmondé reacts this way at the sight of the baby. We can infer from context however, that she is undoubtedly astonished at the baby’s appearance, and seems to think that the baby looks somehow different from Désirée. Désirée, however, only understands her mother’s cry as a sign of the child’s growth since his birth.

A “muslin” is a cotton fabric made of plain weave. The soft fabric is used for many different purposes, namely sheets and often clothing for new mothers.

Chopin uses small details here to subtly remind the reader that Désirée is wealthy. She can afford not to work, and all of the maternal care is performed by a waiting nurse. We can assume that the waiting nurse is likely a slave since during this time, slaves worked both in the plantation and in the home. It would have been common for someone of Désirée’s wealth to have a slave to do much of her child-rearing for her.

Notice the contrast between Armand and his father’s temperaments. Armand’s father was “easy-going” and “indulgent”; under his “rule,” the slaves on the L’Abri plantation were “gay” (happy). However, Armand is a “strict” ruler, and the under his authority, the slaves are no longer “happy.” However, both men were slave owners, and even though Armand’s father may have been less violent than Armand, he is still advancing a system that denies basic rights to African Americans.

A “pall” is a cloth that is spread over a coffin or hearse. Chopin chooses imagery that reveals the dark nature of the L’Abri plantation. The “sad,” “wide,” “black,” appearance of the house, and the description of the “solemn oaks” creates an ominous tone. Madame Valmondé’s shivering suggests that the L’Abri plantation is dark, cold, and eerie place. Further, the appearance of the plantation mirrors Armand’s own characteristics just as Désirée’s outward appearance mirrors her internal character.

Armand’s hasty dismissal of Monsieur Valmondé’s cautions seems to be driven primarily by his overwhelming passion for Désirée, rather than his true lack of concern about her origins.

Monsieur Valmondé cautioned Armand because of his concern that Désirée’s murky past will present a potential problem. During this time, an individual’s birth, bloodline, and name were of extreme importance and could determine who they could marry. Although Désirée has been brought up in a wealthy family, her heritage is unknown. This would have been a serious issue for many suitors. Chopin foreshadows events to come with this cautionary line.

"Mais si" [French] = literally "But if" but in the context a looser translation could be "But of course, Madame."

Chopin compares Armand’s passion to avalanches, fires, or anything else that moves quickly and without regard for objects in its way. This characterizes Armand as potentially capricious, rash, and reckless. If such passion can make him feel this way and suddenly change his behavior, then other emotions can just as quickly change his behavior in different ways.

This line tells the reader a bit about Armand’s family and his own character. He is characterized as impulsive and passionate. Note too, that Armand is associated with a loud and violent weapon, strongly contrasting with Désirée’s sweet and gentle nature. The description here also foreshadows darker aspects of Armand’s character.

Notice that Désirée is standing by the same stone pillar when she meets Armand. The stone pillar thus also symbolizes the various transitions that Désirée experiences throughout her life. Under this stone pillar, Désirée was given her first home, and now that she has won the affection of Armand, Désirée will move to a new home once again. However, consider how Désirée is a passive bystander, claimed by others during both of these transitions. Her quiet and passive role in both situations emphasizes the position of women in society at this time.

Notice that it is Désirée’s beauty that Armand has fallen instantly in love with, not her mind. Armand considers Désirée’s appearance as her single, defining trait. During this time, a woman’s beauty was much more valued than her wit or intelligence. So, Armand’s refusal to see Désirée as anything but a lovely face is representative of the attitude towards women in general.

When Madame Valmondé finds Désirée, she sees Désirée as a gift and blessing from God. Rather than taking her to an orphanage, she raises her as her own. Notice that Madame Valmondé’s interpretation of the situation ultimately decides Désirée’s fate. Had Madame Valmondé not attributed the child’s circumstances to God’s will, she might not have taken her in. This complicates the theme of fate and destiny, as Chopin suggests that our perceptions affect our decisions and their subsequent outcomes.

In the Christian doctrine, “providence” means divine guidance or care. In this context, it is associated with the concept of destiny, suggesting that it was God’s plan that the Valmondés find Désirée and adopt her. This establishes the theme of fate and providence that will appear throughout the rest of the story as characters blame or thank God for their circumstances.

The narrator relays the rumor that baby Désirée was left on a wagon that was then placed on a ferry to cross some body of water. From this context, we can infer that “Coton Mais” is the name of the person who owns or operates the ferry.

In rural Louisiana, a large stone pillar would seem fairly conspicuous. So, readers should see the pillar as a distinct symbol in this short story. Consider that baby Désirée’s position in the dark shadows of the pillar symbolizes the mysterious circumstances of her birth. Her past is unknown to both the reader and the Valmondés, creating a tone of secrecy and mystery. As the pillar stands at the gates of the Valmondé estate, it also symbolizes the family’s wealth and Désirée’s privileged upbringing.

Valmondé is the name of the plantation that Désirée grew up on with her parents, the Valmondés. Since plantations were owned by wealthy white people, this detail subtly informs the reader that the Valmondés are prosperous.

L’Abri is French for “the shelter.” In this short story, L’Abri is the name of the plantation that Désirée now lives on with her husband, Armand Aubigny.