In the short story Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin, there are many examples of foreshadowing that give the reader a glimpse of events to come. Chopin constantly alludes to the importance of lineage and origin, which informs readers that they will play an important role in the plot. Prominent Southern families are proud of their heritage and name, which seem important to Armand; important enough to abandon his wife and child. At the end, it is revealed to the readers that Armand is the one who is not completely white (Chopin 5). The story doesn't say whether Armand knew this from the beginning or whether he simply discovered it while reading the letter. There are several times in Désirée's Baby that infer that Armand knew where he came from before he even met Désirée. Armand knew that Désirée's ancestry was questionable and that she would be a perfect scapegoat if the color were to appear in a child. When Monsieur Valmonde wanted Armand to take full account of Désirée's unknown origin, he acted as if it did not matter, which was very particular at that time: Monsieur Valmonde became practical and wanted let things be well considered: that is to say the obscure origin of the young girl. Armand looked into her eyes and didn't care. She was reminded that she was anonymous. Why was it important to give it a name when he could give it one of the oldest and proudest names in Louisiana? (Chopin)This foreshadowing proves that Désirée's origin will matter later and that Armand wanted Désirée because of her unknown descent. In those days, it was very important who a person married. Armand doesn't care where she comes from seems strange in the sense that preserving a family's name was vital for families like his. One day, Désirée realized that there was something wrong...... middle of paper...... asks Armand if she should leave and Armand tells her to leave, “he thought that God Almighty had treated him cruelly and unjustly…” (Chopin 4). Armand was angry because the worst expected thing had happened and he knew it was his fault. He felt like he was being punished because of his true color. Even though Armand truly loved Desiree, his love was not stronger than protecting his family's status. He knew all along that he was the one who wasn't white. Hoping that his child would not turn black, he still took precautions by marrying a woman of unknown origin to shift the blame. He hated himself for who he truly was and he wasn't going to let anyone know his secret and have that kind of power over him. It was never Désirée's fault and she ended up suffering when it was actually Armand's fault. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. “Desiree’s baby.” 1893. PDF file.