Desiree's Baby Irony Essay

“Desiree’s Baby” Irony Essay

In many of Kate Chopin’s stories, irony plays a big part in the outcome of the story. An irony is the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. In her story “Desiree’s Baby,” there is a big irony when Desiree’s husband, Armand, believes that she had an affair and made their family impure, has messed up their all white bloodline, and has made them “cursed with the brand of slavery” (84).

In this story, race and irony pop out as the biggest issues. This story takes place in the South during slavery. During the story, Desiree’s husband Armand starts to notice that their son’s traits are clearly not white. During a conversation between Armand and Desiree, Desiree says, “Look at my hand! It’s white, whiter than yours!” Armand follows by saying, “As white as La Blanche’s!” This is an example of verbal irony. La Blanche is a slave so when Armand says Desiree is as white as La Blanche, he is basically saying she is black. In this story, it is clearly inferred that Armand has a general hatred towards anyone who is not white. When Desiree begins to notice Armand becoming more distant,

Armand had assumed that Desiree had an affair on him with a slave but was dead wrong. He ends up finding out about it through an old letter from his own mother. Although he found out what the real reason for their son’s changes, it was already far too late. He had kicked his own son and wife who loved him very much before any of this happened. The saying, Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME, would go great for this story. If Armand would not have assumed, they would still be together in a loving