Desiree and the Kelveys: Society's Scapegoats - Research Paper Example

The Kelveys in “The Doll’s House,” and Desiree in “Desiree’s Baby,” are victims of this social prejudice. The Kelveys, as victims of class, and Desiree, as a victim of racism, are used as scapegoats to reinforce the prevailing social conventions. In “The Doll’s House,” Lil and Else Kelvey are the victims of a rigid class hierarchy. The story is pervaded by a tone of antagonism against anything which is new, including the doll’s house itself. Aunt Beryl is critical of the smell of new paint, which “was quite enough to make anyone seriously ill” (Mansfield, p. 1). Even among themselves, the Burnell children conform to a rigid hierarchy founded on seniority.

Based on her position as the eldest child, Isabel assumes the privilege of announcing the doll’s house to the school girls and the right of choosing the two who would be permitted to view it first. She supports her established position by quoting adult authority: “Mother said I might” (Mansfield, p. 9). Lottie and Kezia meekly accept “the powers that went with being eldest” (Mansfield, p. 8). The power of social convention is thus established in the story. The Kelveys are ostracized by the other school children because “they were the daughters of a washerwoman and a gaolbird” (Mansfield, p. 14). . 13). The children obviously imitate the adults in conforming to class structure.

Taunting the Kelveys about their father, and their socioeconomic position, is an exciting game to the other children and makes them “wild with joy” (Mansfield, p. 35). The Kelveys’ are so indoctrinated by social norms that they meekly accept their ostracism. Lil Kelvey does not react to the girls’ taunts. When Kezia greets the Kelveys, they “were so astounded that they stopped” (Mansfield, p. 38). Lil Kelvey is conscious of social taboos, and reminds Kezia that she is not to talk to them.

She refuses Kezia’s offer to show them the doll’s house. Desiree is the victim of racism in “Desiree’s Baby.” Throughout the story, there is a strong undercurrent of the prevailing racist prejudices which characterized life in the southern plantations. The fact that Desiree is an adopted child, whose antecedents are unknown, lies as a blemish on her character, taking precedence over her personal virtues of being “beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere” (Chopin, p. 3). Armand Aubigny swears that her pedigree does not matter to him.

 He is so confident in the superiority of his lineage and his race, that he is magnanimously willing to share with Desiree a name which is ''one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana’’ (Chopin, p. 5). However, the love which makes Aubigny disregard Desiree’s origins melts away in a twinkling when he suspects her of having negro blood in her. Aubigny is a hard taskmaster to his slaves, an indication of his leaning towards racism. His passionate love, that could “drive headlong over all obstacles” (Chopin, p.4),