Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
A Spoony Bard!
Desdemona's spoon trick goes something like this: She dangles a spoon over the pregnant mother's belly, and by examining how it sways, knows if the child will have a penis or a vagina. She's right every time.
The problem? Sex and gender are two totally different things. When Tessie is pregnant, Desdemona and her spoon predict that Cal will be a boy, and they're ultimately right. For years it seems Desdemona was finally wrong in her prediction, though, as Cal is raised as Calliope.
Remember that silkworm box we talked about elsewhere in this section? Desdemona kept the spoon in there until her prediction apparently failed. Cal says, "though the silkworm box reappeared now and then, the spoon was no longer among its treasures" (1.1.101). What do you think Desdemona did with the spoon, and why? Was she upset she was wrong? Or did someone just really need a utensil to eat their Lucky Charms?