Desiree's Baby

In this story it talks about a woman named Desiree and her baby. This story talks mainly about racism and how it is used in this time and setting. The racism brings out the "One drop rule" that Thomas Jefferson created for all those to know and how true blacks can be identified. I feel with that rule, it made it really hard for the blacks who were mixed to live a nice life because it basically put them on the spot. This story points out the sarcasm and signs of the family, her reaction, and how Armand felt after he found out the truth.

To me I feel this story has a secret that isn't explained until the end of the text. It also has alot of sacastic reactions and remarks that the characters made. When Ms. Valmonde saw the baby she was making remarks like, this isn't the baby and what is this. She also called the baby an it, like she didn't know who it was from. I feel she was very wrong because she know's that the baby is from Desiree and that the baby is fine. She was just judging the baby based on its color, which isn't right. She also thought like, where did the baby get the black from. Was it the mom or the dad.

As Valmonde was making her smart remarks or comments, Desiree thought that they were good. In a sense she basically thought like yea the baby is getting big and he looks just like me. I think she was very nieave because she didn't really catch what Valmonde was really trying to say. Valmonde made the whole situation even more worse because she didn't support her duaghter and help her because the baby could possibly be black. I really didn't understand that because Valmonde was her mom, and since she was her mom she should know if she's mixed or not. Thats why I said its a little secrativity going on between the characters.

When Armond finally saw the baby he thought the same as Valmonde and avoided Desiree and the baby. I guess he didn't want to affiliate with them anymore because of the fact that the baby was mixed and Desiree might be as well. I feel that wasn't the brightest thing he could have done because he wasn't there for the baby after that and didn't really care for Desiree any more. Even when Desiree showed her love for him, he still didn't be the true man he could have been. He ran away from the problem instead of talking it out with her. All to find out it was him!

In conclusion- I feel that this story really shows the true meaning of the one drop rule. Before it was kind of blank to me like, when did they ever use it and how was it applied to slaves. This story is a little repetative but was realates to romantisim. I think that because Desiree was all into herself and the baby, nothing else. It was also related to pathos because it was kind of sad that she and the baby died. But she probably felt she had no other choice. She had no support and no help, no body but the baby.