Pre 1900 short stories Desiree's baby' and 'the necklace' are both pre-1900 Short stories with a twist.

Desiree is described as a fairytale princess “for the girl grew to be beautiful and gentle, they idol of valmonde”. Also Desiree doesn’t see that there is anything wrong with the baby at first and she is clearly very proud of him “the little cochonde laid! …….. Real fingernails”.

As well as this Desiree has deep feelings for her husband but also seems a bit afraid of him “she loved him desperately, when he frowned she trembled, but loved him”.

Desiree finally realises that something is wrong when the baby is three months old “he woke one day to the conviction that there was something menacing in the air disturbing the peace”

When Desiree compares her baby with the little quadroon boy she is clearly horrified “it was a cry that she could not help, which she was not conscious of having uttered. The blood turned like ice in her veins”

We see that Madame loisel is unhappy with her current life before this terrible event because in the text it says, “she had been born to enjoy every refinement and luxury, depressed by her humble surroundings”, but her husband had a different outlook on life “Pot-au-feu! How splendid! My favourite soup, but her own thoughts were dallying the idea of exclusive diners” so we see that her husband is happy with his current life even though his wife might not be.

There is a twist in desires which makes the story shocking, the twist in desirees baby is towards the end where we see that there is actually a mixed race connection with the baby, this gives the story an ironic twist.

There is also a twist in the story ‘the necklace’ where they find that the necklace they’ve been working to pay for 10 years is actually a fake, “oh my poor dear Mathilde! Why mine was only mere imitations, at the most it would cost 500 francs”

Desirees baby and the necklace uses imagery to tries to make the story clearer and easier to read.  Desiree baby has a moral to it “DON’T CONDEMM OTHER PEOPLE WHEN YOU MAY WELL BE TO BLAME”.  You find this out towards the end of the story when you find that he’s the black connection in the family.  The necklace also has a moral to it too “ BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AS LONGING FOR MORE WILL LEAD TO GREATER MISERY” this is also where the ironic twist comes into place too, where they find out the necklace they have been working for, for the past 10 years is actually a fake.  

I preferred the necklace because it felt more realistic and convincing. With the story Desirees baby I found it not very exciting and at some parts quite boring, it was enjoyable to read because I liked the ironic twist.