Slavery in Southern American at Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin
In
the short story of Desiree’s Baby, written by Kate Chopin. This story was
written on November 24,1892, which was published in Vogue on January 14,1893.
The story takes place in Louisiana that the set before the American Civil War,
the story is one of Kate Chopin story sets before the war. The story explores
the psychological impact of slavery and racial inequality in that era. In this
essay aims to explain the slavery that occurred in this story.
Kate Chopin often describe her
writings on her own life experiences in the southern United States in the 19th
century. Therefore, the story of Kate Chopin show in terms of plantation life
before the war and issues of class, race and gender. In that era, slavery was
illegal and people who have black ancestry were treated like animals. In this
era, human values in their social status seen by the color of their skin.
The story is pushed
further in the critique of racism, which designated how the racism of white
character that causes them is more important to see someone of their race
rather than that person's self.
In this story, Dèsirèe
is a child who was adopted by Madam Valmondè, which is very loved by Valmondè.
Where as Dèsirèe grown up she met Armand Aubigny and get married and have a
son, Armand is very happy. When Armand knows that his son had black ancestry,
Armand did not accept it and he blamed Dèsirèe. Armand did not accept her son
offspring blacks because he did not want his son to be a slave. Children who
have black ancestry was never recognized, because the parents only have a
choice, his son would be killed, enslaved or the child should be discarded.
Therefore Armand did not accept it.
There are also rules
that must be done by slaves. For example, such as when talking does not have to
look directly to the owner, a man who had a high body and are needed down when
talking to the owner, because it should be lower than the owner, and there was
also a slave in America, when a slave passed in front of its owner he does not
have to pass the owner before the owner through the first. The slaves had to
work for 18-20 hours / day regardless of age, such as children, older adults,
women and men.
When Armand did not accept his wife
and his son, Dèsirèe
and son away from Armand, Armand burn all the belongings of his wife and son,
because that is one way Armand forget it, and suddenly Armand find an old
letter from his mother to his father, he read it. His mother thanked God for
the blessing to the love of her husband : - “But, above all,” she wrote, “night
and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear
Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race
that is cursed with the brand of slavery.”
The last, story " Dèsirèe
's baby", written by Kate Chopin in 1892, there are several issues and
topics contained in the story such as gender issues, womanism, and race. But I
prefer to explain Slavery, because the story is more telling how bad Armand
racist nature, he does not care if he still loved his wife and his son than
skin color descent. This problem can be overcome by realizing that the race is
not important for the future of our lives, do not look at someone only on skin
color, and change the nature of our bad for not judge someone just because
treasure, heritage and culture.
FIRZA NUR CHAERUNISA
63715021
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