Chopin

I think the writer’s race does matter when dealing with race. I feel that it matters when speaking from the perspective of another race. When writing for another race you are either writing from your biases or stereotypes or from a 3rd party. A writer may write about what they see but I don’t think the writing will capture the thoughts and emotions of that person for the most part. I also think it may help someone really understand just what that person of a different race is going through. I also don’t believe one should be limited to talking about their opinions on a particular subject matter just because they aren’t in that particular group, whether race or any other minority

In my opinion, the race of the writer matters when the story is about race because the author has different complexation and without any experience. For instance, Kate Chopin’s story is great and well written but not very interesting to the reader because according to her biography, her family was actually a slave owned so in her point of view, she wrote it easy and simple in her story. In this story, Kate’s race matters because most writers will only have stereotypical knowledge about the other race. It is noteworthy to know that stereotypical interpretations are very problematic especially when dealing with sensitive topics in history like slavery. There would not be any dilemma if a white writer is willing to conduct extensive research and obtain information from sources about the black experience in America in order to reach a wider audience.

Armand shockingly read the letter again and again, his eyes wide open and full of fear. Thirty minutes have passed, and Armand is still at a loss for what to do because his mother’s words keep repeating in his head, “belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” Sorrow and disappointment welled up in him, and he felt so bad for his wife and baby that he blamed Desiree for her skin color. In a panic, he stuffed the letter into his pocket and dashed off to get back his wife and baby from Valmonde. Before making a way to Valmonde’s, Armand cried as he burned the letter in his backyard. He realized he needed to make things right for the rest of his life by helping free the slaves since now he knows he is a part of them.

The writer’s race matters a lot when writing an article about racism. Since the author is white and has a taste of the way, the whites treat the blacks. It makes it easy for the author to develop a realistic flow of the story (Okun, 2010). The author shows how the whites mistreated the blacks. Race also matters because the author understands that the blacks are mistreated for faults they did not commit. It is not a burden being black since no one can control how or where they are born. The author displays how the whites blame the blacks for bringing black blood into their generation. In Armand’s case, the author shows that not only do the black play a role in bringing black blood, but the whites also do.

Writing about racism would be risky, but the author uses the freedom they have as whites to express their perceptions. The author uses their race to show that not all whites had a bad perception of blacks. Being white, the author also designs the story so that the whites have to face what they serve the blacks. I think that the author also tries to share the fact blacks and whites are equal and there is no difference in life. For example, before Armand discovers that he is black, he leads a “normal” life just like the other whites. Therefore, even after discovering he is black, he can move on with life. Also, Desiree is not black, but she is treated as black and undergoes the struggles blacks had to face despite her being white. 

From the display in the ending scene, it is clear that Armand had a very negative perception of people with black ancestry (Chopin, 1893). His reaction is based on the fact that he does not value the people with black ancestry, meaning he does not value himself. He is in denial that he has been disregarding what he is. I would have made Armand feel the challenge of not being wanted by society. The challenge of trying to fit in a society that does not value blacks. I would have introduced a scene where he is chased away from a place and denied access to basic commodities. All these just to help him understand the burden of being rejected by society. 

After the scene, I would picture Armand in a lonely place where he thinks of how life was before he discovers that he had black ancestry. Afterward, I would make him accept that his discovery that he has black ancestry changes nothing but makes him understand that all are equal and all races are entitled to the fact that they have to lead a life as everyone does. Accepting that all races are equal would make him rethink his take on blacks. Additionally, I would make Armand act as a fighter against racism in society. As he has a taste of both races, he can make a good character in the fight against racism. All the reactions would be reactions of a changed man who knows how it feels to treat others badly, where there is no gain, and be treated as such.

Armand after reading what he found, he stood there for a while in shock trying to comprehend what he had in his hand. As a lot runs through his heard from what he was going through, he didn’t know what to do next. The first thought that came in his head was to head out to look for Desiree and the child and his first destination was at Valmonde’s. He gets there in a rush looking for Desiree and the next thing he heard was that “Desiree is no more” said Valmonde. He turns back and was never found because he didn’t want people to find out how disappointed and embarrassed he was from what he had done to Desiree and the child.

She turned away like one stunned by a blow, and walked slowly towards the door,
hoping he would call her back.
“Good-bye, Armand,” she moaned.
He did not answer her. That was his last blow at fate.

This evidence from the text depicts how Armand didn’t care when she was leaving and how terrible he begin treating her and baby when he knew the baby was not white.

Topic 2

I think the race of the narrative matters a lot because the story about Desiree’s baby is a story that deals with the race of an individual and how shameful it was to not being white. The narrative did a great job with this story with having to be fair in her writing without having no bad perspective to any race. This narrative is a white person who is writing about such thing is a very sensitive thing to black race and she was very professional in her writing.

In my opinion, the race of writers is matter when the narrative deals with issue of race. First, having the same race will understand the culture and the background more than other race. Although we can learn about the history of each race now, we do not experience it by ourselves. So, people will not have the same feeling as the same race. Then, the same race will produce more resonate. The same-race writer have the same experience. It is more easy to write about how the issue of race affect his race. His own feeling also may be could stand for his race. At last, it is matter that the race of writer is matter when the narrative deals with issue of race, but it doesn’t mean the perspective of other race’s writers are valueless. Instead, more perspective we have, more solution we have. I believe all of the writers who writes about the issue of race are having the same goal—Our world is peaceful, and the racism do not exist anymore.

Armand put this letter away. He stood here without any motion. This letter was like a bullet hit his heart. His brain began to recall the way he did to Desiree. The only thing he wanted to do now was finding Desiree back to home. Suddenly, he heard the voice from the first floor. He recognized this was Valmonde’ sound, so he went downstairs immediately. Valmonde sat on the chair quietly like a tangible figure. She did not look at Armand when he walked close to her.

“Where is Desiree? mother” Armand asked.

“She’s dead, her body was found in the river bank a few days ago” Valmonde said.

“Is that what you want? ” Valmonde continued.

Armand did not reply, and his brain just like blank paper.

“Now, we have no relationship with you. Please don’t try to make any contact with me.” Valmonde started to leave after she said.

Armand still stood here like a wood. He knew what a big mistake he made. He blamed himself harshly. He began to yell and kick the furniture in the living room. He could not do anything now. Armand did not eat anything at that day, and he did not talk to anybody. He just stayed in his room and kept looking the picture that he with Desiree and the kid.

In the next day, Armand began to sell his property and his plantation. He also released the slaves who belongs to him. By the time he completed all of things, he left L’Abri. He did not tell anybody where was he going, and nobody knew what was he planning. He was like a shadow disappeared in the dark.