ous of Louisiana. Although "The Story of an Hour" does not explicitly describe Louisiana as its geographical setting, surroundings are of the utmost importance in the house itself.
             In "Desiree's Baby" the social setting is the predominant element. The strong Southern social mores dictate family behavior and weave an intricate matrix that governs expectations regarding cultural norms and "makes a clear statement about the bigotry of that time" (Lostracco 146). Women are viewed as property just as Armand sees Desiree "as a possession...to display to his friends and to flatter his vanity", and, although women's status was slightly higher than that of the slave, their role remained that of a subordinate (Arner 74
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