Desiree And Armand example essay topic

'Question: Explore the social and emotional pressures on Desiree that led her to kill both herself and her baby. Introduction: This is a story, which is set in 1850, about a young married couple that have a child, which is of a mixed race. There is a confusion of Desirees origin causing her to kill her self and her baby. When Armand fell in love with Desiree nothing could stop him not even her origin this was odd as the only thing that made Armand hate her in the end was her origin. It says that his love swept like an avalanche. This meant nothing could stop his love for her.

When he saw her one-day he fell in love with her as if struck by a pistol it also says this was the way all Aubigneys fell in love. But he did not love her before. Monsieur Valmonde also reminded Armand that is, the girls obscure origin but Armand did not care. Also that she was nameless but what did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana So Armand and Desiree get married.

Plus he loves his child and Desiree so much doesnt even punish the slaves because of his happiness. Madame Valmonde had not seen the baby and Desiree for four weeks. When she saw the child she said this is not your baby. I think this is because Madame Valmonde recognised it had black ancestry from either Desiree or Armand.

Where as Desiree and Armand are with the baby alot of the time. Desiree takes it the wrong way and says how much the babys grown. Madame Valmonde didnt move her eyes from the child. She also moved the baby into lightness this gives us more evidence she suspected black ancestry in the baby. It says she scanned the baby narrowly. But then she looked at Zandrine but she turns her head away from Madame Valmonde.

This obviously means sh suspects it to but wants to deny it. Other people that I think that recognised are the slaves because they would be happy after the way that Armand treats them. So someone like Zandrine could have spread ed it around to all the other slaves. It also odd because Armand loved his child but when he finds out that he son has black ancestry he hates him and I cruel to the other slaves. One day Desiree awoke and found there was something menacing her peace.

Armand manner also changed. She was afraid to ask him why. When he spoke to her it was with averted eyes. This equaled the old love-light seemed to have gone out.

He also avoided her and the baby. The very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves. Desiree is miserable enough to die, which is ironic because its like she already knew about him hating her for her origin. He was in this manner because I think he recognised the babys black ancestry and will not tolerate its him but blames it on Desiree but he shouldnt have reacted like that but thats my opinion but I guess it was differrent then. That day she realized a change in her husband manner, an air of mystery among the blacks; unexpected visits from far off neighbours this could be liked by the slaves spreading the truth about Desirees baby. She really realized when she was sitting in her room watching her baby get fanned by the quadroon boy.

Her eyes had been fixed absently and sadly upon the baby. Then she realized and cried of pain but didnt know she was. She looked from her child to the boy stood beside him, and back again over and over. When she realised her blood turned like ice in her veins and clammy moisture gathered up on her face. After all this happens Armand walks in, She went to him asking to look at their son. When Desiree tries to talk to him about the baby he is very defensive and not sympathetic to her.

She didnt blame him and clutched his arm but Armand thrust her arm away. She doesnt know what to do and he isnt helping her. When she spoke to him her voice must have stabbed him. Armand makes it very clear it was her fault. He says the child is not white your not white.

He kept on blaming her of having black ancestry and she denies everything but Armand is on the positive side, as she doesnt know her origin. Even though she tries to write a letter to her mother finding out her origin. Her mother wrote back saying what she didnt want to hear. But on the other hand Armand also has dark skin but it isnt taken so seriously. He is also angry about the unconscious injury she had bought upon the home and his name. She has been hit to hard to go on so she walks out the door wishing he called her.

But there was no reply. That was it she just had to take the baby and runaway. She tried everything she can even though he is the one with black ancestry. When Desiree sends the letter to her mother the reply says come home we love you so that could be one option but I think she wouldnt take it as it means she would have to live with the guilt. The other option would be to stay away from everybody and start a fresh life. Do what she did kill herself and the baby but that would be stupid after Armand finds out that he is the one with black ancestry.

She could have gone away for a while and come back but finds Armand apologizing to her. Conclusion: I think Desiree kills herself and the baby because firstly she doesnt know her origin, and Armand would never believe it is him. Armand and her mother plus the slaves knew her child had some black ancestry she might have felt alone knowing everyone else knew except her. Her husband is also to blame for this, because if he wasnt so harsh to her and sorted it out properly instead of blaming her, then they would have found the letter and she would despise him. She could have gone to her mothers but she would still have to live with the guilt. But if she only killed the baby it wouldnt remind her about what happened.

She also could have ran away, but the problem would still be the same as going back to home. She also could have let Armand cool down after those weeks when he finds the letter. But she didnt know he would find it plus the shame of going back. I was very shocked at what she done, but I guess living in that time when society was like that it would be hard living after thinking you are black. I still think she shouldnt have killed herself, but just start a fresh life. But I feel for her more towards the end because when Armand finds the letter after everything thats happened to Desiree was all not true and Armand was the one that should have killed himself.

Desiree isnt the one to be blamed for bringing injury on the home and his name but he finds he was the one bringing shame to his name. Even her mother didnt know Desiree origin so she felt she must have been the one. The only part where I think Desiree was to blame is when she killed herself I dont think she should have done that. But on the other half it wasnt any of her fault.

It was Armand, his mother, her mother and the baby. The other people I feel that were responsible would have to be Armand firstly as the grief he puts her through. Plus he was the one with black ancestry at the end. Also Armand mother and farther because they did not let him know he had black ancestry because then none of this would have happened. But that would also have changed his life he could have been a slave. But they did write the letter so they wanted him to know but they didnt think how their grandchild would turn out.

Desirees mother is also to blame abit because she didnt tell Desiree what she wanted to hear in the letter, because she could have lied. This probably meant even Desirees mother thought she had black ancestry this is why she doesnt mention it in the letter, and just says how much she loves Desiree. Even the baby is partly to blame as if he was never born they wouldnt have suspected one of them to have black ancestry. I think the most responsibility lies on Armand because he never thought once it could be him with the black ancestry. Plus he just kept on blaming her but really it was him.

Even though Desiree points out his skin colour is darker than his. But he is just blaming her all the way through so I feel he should be blamed for being most responsible for her death. Slavery: -Slavery started in 1859, the slaves were mainly black people from Africa that were imported on ships from Africa to America and England. Usually the rich people that lived in these countries would have the black people as their slaves. They usually worked on the plantations, but the fairer slaves use to work in the house because their skin colour was close to white. They were not treated nicely and were branded with their owners initials.

But luckily for them slavery was abolished in.