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Motifs
Definition of Setting
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... read full definition
Setting
Explanation and Analysis:
"Désirée’s Baby" takes place in Louisiana in the mid-19th century. The setting of the story is especially important because it informs its sociopolitical atmosphere. Because the story takes place before the Civil War in the American South, the backdrop of slavery adds an atmosphere of brutality and violence. This sense is enhanced by ominous descriptions of the physical setting, especially the natural world and the architecture of the characters' homes. The story primarily takes place between two plantations: the grand Valmondé plantation—home of Désirée’s adopted parents—and L’abri, where Désirée moves in with her husband, Armand. Both locations are vital to how the story unfolds, since the conditions of these plantations dictate the actions and philosophies of the characters.
Valmondé, home of Désirée’s adopted parents, is characterized by the generosity and kindness of her upbringing. In contrast, L’Abri is dark and violent; its atmosphere has been tainted by years of Armand’s harsh oversight. Chopin chose to set "Désirée’s Baby" in the pre-Civil War South so that the conflict over identity and race could emerge clearly from the atmosphere surrounding her characters. All of her characters are affected by a social hierarchy that is setting-specific. The environment of L’Abri, where most of the story takes place, is therefore important both as a physical location and as a site where racism, classism, and misogyny converge.
Related Themes:
