Fiction

In the spirit of global and equality acceptance, we would want to state unequivocally that a writer’s race is irrelevant. That assertion, however, is incorrect and denigrates any culture other than white. The race is important to creatives. We take what we know from experience and have been through and memorialize that experience because we live in a world where race labels everything, including dialect/language, food, music, gun control, clothing, vehicles, and city limits, race matters. Because culture tells us that our skin is an experience, race counts. Maybe if we lived in a world without race, it would not matter what race a writer was; you would be a writer.

    For example, if a writer says, “I want to be a poet—not a black poet,” it is not because he wants to be white or does not want to write for his people. It implies that he does not want to be defined by his skin. However, some people exclusively write for their people, which does not define you (solely) as a writer. Race is a humanized concept that stems from people’s inability to see different ethnicities as anything other than distinct. Is it true that one race of people cannot understand another? We still believe that if we do not comprehend someone, they must be of a different race.

    Black people do not have the same history as white people; they were pulled from their routines and thrown into a culture that treated them like farm dogs. As time passed and black people were born and nurtured in America, they were no longer taught their culture’s “traditional traditions” ( David 756). They were also socialized to learn the ways of the White Man. And when we conform to White Man’s ways, we allow ourselves to become blind. Whitewashing is a genuine issue in modern-day America. Schools are whitewashing our children by withholding black history. However, some progress has been made by forming Black History Month.

    Not talking about race and rejecting the matter entirely is the same as claiming that cultural perspective is unimportant in creative writing. When, in truth, writers frequently draw on personal experience. Some of the best stories reflect emotional truths, stories that are either directly or indirectly representative of our circumstances (David 755). It would be a disservice to literary honesty if we did not discuss how our cultural experiences influence our writing. Even in the categories of fiction or speculative fiction, some universal human themes can be found. Therefore I believe Kate Chopin’s story left out so much black person’s perspective in the story. If we truly want to unite as artists and as humans, we must begin to discuss race and its impact on our culture.

Works’ cited

Asai, David J. “Race matters.” Cell 181.4 (2020): 754-757.

Chopin, Kate. “Desiree’s Baby.” (2021).

My alternate ending to Désirée’s Baby will maintain Chopin’s mesmerizing charm. My alternate ending delves into Armand’s feelings and thoughts. Chopin did not investigate Armand’s thoughts in the original story, nor did she communicate orally what Armand was feeling. That was something I wanted to change. After reading his mother’s letter, I was curious to know how Armand felt. The final sentence of Chopin’s original story felt like a finale to a continuing story to me ( Kate 6). Armand will express himself by writing letters to Désirée while observing his thoughts and feelings in my rendition. These letters will provide readers with a deeper personal connection to Armand. For instance, I will connect the two parts using the following sentences; Armand stood in the hallway, stunned, reading and rereading the final sentences of his mother’s letter to his father. Sentiments of bitterness against his mother and father, regret towards his wife, and, most importantly, feelings of self-hatred emerged in him.” Being a Negro is the worst thing that can happen to me,” he told himself. Why did God punish me with this race? My mother wouldn’t want to be this, so why should I?” Armand entered his bedroom and shut the door.

    In my version, Armand also commits himself since Chopin mentioned through the characters how horrible it was to be of African origin, and I wanted to play on that. I brought Armand’s mother back to America to make the plot less predictable. Love compels you to do things you would never do otherwise. It forced Armand’s obstinate mother to move to America in this circumstance. I considered detailing her death back in France, but I decided to leave it out since my alternate ending was extensive and explanatory. Désirée’s Baby was already a fantastic tale. Chopin, I believe, left the conclusion the way she did so that readers like me may build our endings of what occurs afterward. My alternate ending not only created a distinct point of view but also included several plot twists. Therefore, I would like to end with the following sentences; Désirée was finally able to return to L’Abri two years after accepting Armand’s death. They spent the remainder of their life there with enslaved people, but the enslaved people were considered family. Désirée’s baby was around thirteen years old when she allowed him to read the letter Armand had written to her before committing suicide. The son grew up just like his father intended him to and was proud to be a Negro.