Racism Kills :: Racial Relations, Racism

Racism dates back thousands and thousands of years back to the caveman times. In the short write up Desirees botch up, Kate Chopin shows how discrimination by skin color can affect people. Desiree was abandoned and raised by Madame Valmonde. Armand, the father of the baby, was a member of the most notable families in Louisiana. He falls in love with Desiree and marries her. After they have a baby, their relationship quickly corrodes. A few months later, Armand realizes the babys skin has a darker tint than usual. He accuses Desiree of being black. Armand tells Desiree he wants her to leave so Desiree takes the baby and disappears among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou (Chopin 91) and never returns. Armand finds out that Desiree is black when he reads a letter that her mother sent her that read she belongs to the race which is cursed with the brand of slavery (Chopin 92). The report cards ironic ending has a connection with the storys setting, imagery, and Chopins use of similies. The setting has a major role to the ironic ending because it takes place in antembellum South where blacks are not inured equally to whites. There are several hints at where and when the story takes place. First, Armands last name, Aubigny, was one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana (Chopin 89) which tells us it takes place in Louisiana. Also, Chopin says that Armand owns a plantation and many slaves which wouldnt have been possible after the Civil War times showing that the story takes place during the antebellum period. The name of Armands plantation, LAbri, is also ironic because it means the shelter in French which is ironic for Desiree because it is a bad place for her not a good place. Chopin explains how in that respect was something in the air menacing her peace. The story wouldnt take place in any other time period or hole because if it did, Desiree wouldnt be discriminated for being black, therefo re wouldnt of run of into the bayou along with the baby. Chopins use of imagery leads up to the irony at the end of the story the greatest because Chopin contrasts black and white skin colors.