There is irony in the paper, Desiree’s Baby. It is evident in the reading that there are some instances where the irony comes out clear. It was unheard of to have two people from different races in a sexual relationship. It was common for people to have sexual relationships; this is shown by the quadroon slave child who is seen to fan the baby of Desiree. If a child had a small proportion of African blood or black color, they were regarded to be black and not white.
In the same accord, the people who managed to get European characteristics and pale skin were able to pass as white for some time and would choose where they would like to go in their own accord. In the case of Armand, there was no need for him to hide because he was not aware of his status. Those who were able to pass as white, like the case of Armand, were even able to go to the Southern ruling class. These people were rich as they had vast lands of plantations. People who did not belong to either the black race or the white one stayed on the fence. In our case, it is ironic for the quadroon boy to be serving as the quadroon master.
This also shows that the biracial group was the most congested in the country (Chopin 1). The second case of irony is in the origin of Desiree and the baby. They are both accused of miscegenation; this is regardless of the fact that the baby is innocent. They suffer from this accusation. In the same regard, Armand Aubigny, who is biracial, will not meet any consequence for being biracial; neither will he face any consequence for being harsh and cruel to his wife. This will take place because Armand will carry with him this secret to the grave. It will also occur because Desiree is questionable, both in the class he belongs, and the family origin.
Even though she claims to have European ancestry, being white does not elevate her to the position of Aubigny. Another important point is the way Armand wanted to be equal to the father. He forgave the woman because of the class she belonged in society but this equality is not realistic. This is because he is not in a position to forgive the race he has inherited. On the other hand, Madame Valmonde is shown to have the features of kindness and love. Madame is also ethical in her judgments as he is not seen to judge Desiree for her unclear blood (Chopin 1).
Another irony in the story is that Chopin hinted at the secret that Armand family had. There is also the hint of the cruelty that Armand had towards his slaves and wife. This is shown clearly in the way he treated his wife as something slightly above property. It is ironical that the father was easy-going and indulgent. The son, Armand, is seen to be the exact opposite where he is seen to be excessively strict in the social arena of the period he lived. It is ironical that he cannot be desired, as the name suggests. The only time he can be desired is when the standards have been exceeded. It is ironical that he destroyed the wedding corbeille which is like destroying the vows of marriage. Here, he was to have loved and cherished the wife till death do them part. This was never the case (Chopin 1).
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. Desiree’s Baby. 2006. Web.