Chopin's view on Racism

In “Desiree’s Child,” Kate Chopin makes her views about racism well known through a metaphor and diction. Chopin first conveys her message about racism and Armand through diction when she uses the metaphor that “the very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves.” Chopin makes a loud and clear statement about the evilness of Armand and his racism by comparing him to Satan in a metaphor. Chopin conveys Armand and his racism as so terrible that he could be the devil himself.

Chopin also uses diction and word choice to convey her message about racism. On page 361, Desiree calls for Armand in a voice “which must have stabbed him, if he was human.” By questioning whether or not Armand is human, Chopin clearly states that she views racism as something that is far less than human almost bestial. Chopin uses diction to purport her disdainful view of racism once again when Armand is reading the letter from Valmonde, “in silence he ran his cold eyes over the written words.” By describing Armand’s eyes as cold, Chopin also portrays racism as cold and unfeeling. Chopin also uses the word white as a symbol for purity in order to portray the ridiculousness of Armand’s racism and views on blacks. Armand is so racist that when he finds out that he is descended from Negro blood, he says to Desiree, “‘the child is not white; it means that you are not white.’” Armand obviously knows that Desiree and his child are really white, but he says they are not white, because he is using the word white as a metaphor. Through Armand’s eyes white means pure, so through his point of view the child is not white, because the child has Negro blood. This definition also classifies Desiree as “not white” as well, because she has reproduced with someone with Negro descent; thus, making her impure as well. This definition of the word white confuses Desiree, and this confusion conveys Chopin’s view that racism is senseless and confusing; furthermore, the fact that Armand is said to have been in love with Desiree and then loses the love because of the fact that he is descended from a former slave, further purports the ridiculousness of racism.