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An Analysis Of Desiree's Baby By Kate Chopin

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The Pain of Loving You Everyone yearns to be accepted in life. One may slide right into their destined position, while another chooses to reconstruct their existing personality because they believe "they don't quite fit.” In "Desiree's Baby", a short story by Kate Chopin, a woman named Desiree takes her need of belonging to drastic measures. When Desiree, a young woman, finally finds peace through a marriage with a handsome plantation owner, her spirit is crushed when he rejects the fact that he ever fell in love with her. She transforms her husband’s decision into one that abetts her into taking her own life. Desiree has grown up with the pain of knowing she was abandoned by her birth parents. With the brokenness of an orphan inside of her, she grows up "little more than a baby herself" (1) craving attention because her basic need for love and belonging is never truly satisfied. Due to her childhood, Desiree's motivation in life is her desire to find a pure love that will not abandon her in times of struggle and accepting her for who she is. …show more content…

The origin of the name Desiree is French and contains the meaning "to be desired" (Desiree). Desiree's quest in life was to find someone who desired her for who she is. She believed that she had found this elusive concept with Armand; when all along she had a loving home at Valmonde's. Even Madam described her as "beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere, - the idol of Valmonde" (4). The disregard of family happens in life all too often.

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