What Does Valmonde Mean

Valmonde is a family name. You cannot translate it. The meaning: probably from val, vallée – valley and monde: the world. The valley of the world, if you like.

Who is Monsieur Valmonde in Desiree's baby?

A childless man who finds a baby abandoned at the gate of his plantation in Louisiana. The child cries and calls for “Dada” when he picks her up. With his wife Madame Valmondé, Monsieur Valmondé raises the child, Désirée, as his own. The wet nurse who cares for the baby.

What does Madame Valmonde symbolize Desiree's baby?

In pleading with her daughter to come home, Madame Valmonde demonstrates the depth of her maternal love. Throughout her short story “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin uses symbolism to convey her themes of racial prejudice, unequal gender roles, and social hierarchy in a patriarchal society.