Désirée’s Baby By Kate Chopin: The Phenomenon Of Power
Nowadays, as several centuries ago, power determines who has the right and ability to control and direct the development of any process. Kate Chopin in her story “Désirée’s Baby” shows how destructive any form of oppression and power abuse can become.
Désirée and Armand are two rather opposite characters in the story in regarding of inner strength. Undoubtedly, they should inevitably have visible differences since, in the first place, they are a man and a woman. Although Kate Chopin concentrates not only on gender but also other important nuances, which may occur in relationships between an oppressor and an oppressed. The main thing, which differs the first one from the last one, is power. In any equal relationships, no matter if they are personal or social, it is evenly divided. Democracy allows the leader to rule, but the people have the right to choose the commander. It means that equality does not always require the same roles for bother parties, although the equivalent of potential to influence the development of the relationships should be the same. Genders vary due to different types of appearance, amount of hormones and physical power; although, their cooperation can create a perfect alliance.
In her story, Kate Chopin describes Armand as a strong and willed personality, and sometimes even furious: “The very spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves”. On the contrary, Désirée seems to lose her life power, especially when she notices that her husband changes his attitude towards her and the baby: “Désirée was miserable enough to die”. Similarly, the difference between the slaves and the planter is impressive because of power. Whereas the last one usually seems to be omnipotent, the servants are always in a lack of not only physical but also inner strength. Nowadays many people all over the world and in the USA in particular face oppression because of their race or gender. Unfortunately, frequently legislation cannot regulate everyday racism, or so-called “microaggressions”, despite “it is one of the harshest escalations”. The fact that it happens so often is a sign of the story’s relevance in the present day. Kate Chopin shows that such an unequal division of power cannot lead to any productive development of relationships, no matter what kind of those it is. If men continue considering themselves to be higher than women are, or one race more significant than another is, the overall harmony will not ever become more real.
Finally, the issue is relevant in the present day since oppression still manifests itself, which causes misbalance and conflicts in social relationships. Kate Chopin shows the way misuse of power may destroy society on different levels, from general to personal, and eventually multiply unhappiness instead of ensuring any further development.
