Stylistic devices

Chopin uses different stylistic devices aimed at revealing the theme of the story and portraying the main characters.

In L'Abri Armound surrounds Desiree with luxury that is proved by “a priceless layette” (epithet), “her own great mahogany bed, that was like a sumptuous throne” (comparison).

Desiree loves Armand and it’s shown through the parallel construction together with anthesis “When he frowned she trembled, but loved him. When he smiled, she asked no greater blessing of God”. She even tries to justify his behaviuor towards slaves using parenthesis "he hasn't punished one of them - not one of them - since baby is born”

The situation with a black skin child is a real test for relation between Desire and Armand. In order to show how difficult it is for Desiree to bear her husband’s cruel behaviour hyperbole “Desiree was miserable enough to die” is used. The metaphor “she called to him, in a voice which must have stabbed him, if he was human” compares her voice with a sharp knife for the reader to see how desperate the woman is.

The scene of their last conversation strikes with the contrast of Armand calmness that is felt through use of parallel construction "It means," he answered lightly, "that the child is not white; it means that you are not white"  and the epithet  “cold eyes” and Desiree’s helplessness that is shown by paraphrases  "It is a lie; it is not true”, implicit comparison “The blood turned like ice in her veins”. Her panic and even a sense of foredoom is revealed through the case of gradation “You must know it is not true. I shall die. I must die. I cannot be so unhappy, and live.”

 To describe the woman, leaving her beloved husband forever the comparison “She turned away like one stunned by a blow” and the case of simile “She was like a stone image” and the epithet “silent, white, motionless after she placed it there” are used. These devices create visual image of a statue.

The cruelness of Armand’s behaviour towards his wife is felt through the metaphor “he stabbed thus into his wife's soul”

The reader meets the image of fire two times in the story but it is completely different. At first it is a simile to compare Armand’s love “The passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire”. The second time is when Armand burns Desiree’s letters “innocent little scribblings” (epithet) and now it is a case of convergence of metaphor and personification “the pyre, which had already been fed with the richness of a priceless layette” to create the image of feeding an animal.

The metaphor in the final sentence reveals the racial prejudices of the society towards the black race “the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery”.

The following can be interpreted as symbols in "Desiree's Baby": “stone pillar in front of the Valmonde home” as a place that protects Desiree, “bonfire” as the destruction of the memory of the wife and the baby for Armand and “October sunset” when Desiree leaves, it symbolizes the end of the marriage.