Week 2, Question #3

I believe Chopin is saying that marriage does not mean family. Family loves each other no matter what. In this case Armand claimed to love Desiree and their baby, however, when the baby's skin started to darken he became mean and indifferent to Desiree and the baby. If he had truly loved her, it wouldn't matter if she were of mixed race or not. On the other hand, Madame Valmonde, who was not related to Desiree or the baby by blood loved them unconditionally. It didn't matter to her that is was possible that Desiree was of mixed race, she was her mother either way. "My own Desiree: Come home to Valmonde; back to your mother who loves you. Come with your child." (664).

I don't think Chopin is commenting on how a child affects/changes a marriage because the events that followed had nothing to do with the baby and everything to do with the kind of man Armand was. While I do believe that a child affects/changes a marriage, I believe the changes occur because of the change of lifestyle and having to care for someone who depends on you so completely. The changes that occured in this marriage were the result of Armand's pride and ignorance. I don't believe that Armand would have gone after Desiree after learning that it was he who was of mixed race and not her. He was the only one who knew this and because no one knew where Desiree had come from it would be easier for him to have people believe that she was of mixed race.