Integrity And Desecurity In Irene Larson's Passing

Nella Larson’s novel Passing, tells the story of two African American women Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry who embark on a journey to “reconnect” with one another. Although, similar in appearance, these two women were very different in the way they determined race. For women like Irene and Clare who were physically able to “pass” as white women, despite having African American heritage the typical connotation that race was distinguished by the color of one’s skin did not apply to them. As a result, many women like Irene and Clare would cross the racial lines. The character Clare Kendry was the perfect example of “passing.”

It could make you feel like you do not belong anywhere or that you lost the identity you were once certain of. These concepts were all demonstrated in the examples from Little White Lie, the class speaker, Rebecca Campbell, and the novel, Family. The moral of this passing for white story is that you cannot hate someone when you do not know them, “cause all these people livin are brothers and sisters and cousins. All these beautiful different colors! We! . . .

Mixed-race identity is a complex and multifaceted issue that has long been a subject of literary exploration. Nella Larsen's novel Passing is a powerful exploration of mixed-race identity in 1920s America, as depicted through the experiences of Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. Through the characters of Irene and Clare, Larsen explores the impact of societal expectations and pressures on individuals, highlighting the importance of embracing one's identity and heritage, regardless of societal norms and expectations. At its core, Passing is a novel about the complexities of racial identity and the impact of societal expectations and pressures on individuals.

Nella Larsen’s Passing is a novella about the past experiences of African American women ‘passing’ as whites for equal opportunities. Larsen presents the day to day issues African American women face during their ‘passing’ journey through her characters of Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. During the reading process, we progressively realize ‘passing’ in Harlem, New York during the 1920’s becomes difficult for both of these women physically and mentally as different kinds of challenges approach ahead. Although Larsen decides the novella to be told in a third person narrative, different thoughts and messages of Irene and Clare communicate broken ideas for the reader, causing the interpretation of the novella to vary from different perspectives.

Racism was always a big issue and still occurs today. The story “Passing” took place in the 1920’s during the Harlem Renaissance and it spoke about the term “Passing” which indicates that African American’s who looked lighted skin can go to public places without being discriminated. In “Passing” Nella Larsen demonstrates how racism causes jealousy, resentment, and dishonesty in relationships. The idea is conveyed through inner conflict, the conflict between the main characters and how the Harlem Renaissance period inflicts tension in relationships.

Irene and Clare are both light enough to “pass”, but only Clare chooses to pass everyday. Irene passes in trivial situations like getting a cab, buying movie tickets, or getting a table at a restaurant, but

Ruby was picked to take a test in kindergarten to see if she could go to a white only school. The test was very hard because they didn’t want African Americans at their school. Her dad didn’t want her taking the test because he was afraid of problems occurring. Her mom wanted her to take the

she was one of the many African-American Who were in New Orleans that were chosen to take a test to determine whether she can Attend an all whites school. This test was written to be extremely hard to pass. So that Most students wouldn 't get in and so the all whites school can stay an all whites school for a little longer. Ruby had lived five blocks away from an all whites school but, she goes to a a segregated all blacks school that is miles away from home. Her father didn 't want her to take the test because he thought that if she passed and they allowed her to go to that school there would be trouble, but her mom had convinced her father to let her take the test.

Irene's marriage with Brian Redfield is empty and unfulfilling. Brian resents Irene because she was the reason why he could not be where he wanted to be, which has led to discomfort and arguments throughout their marriage. Brian very much wanted to be in Brazil, but Irene insisted upon him

Such acceptance of errors can be viewed through the use of the words white and black as symbols by the speaker. During her summer away from home, "all [the persona had] to eat was white" (1) but after her affair with the man, "every [time she] would return to the city, [she was] black and dusty" (7-8). Seeing that white symbolizes purity and innocence, at nineteen, the persona viewed herself as someone who was, before that summer, untarnished and pure, whether it was about her virginity or her morality ¬- as she slept with an older man. However, as black represents impurity and unworthiness and the dust something unwanted, the speaker 's nineteen-year-old self views herself as tarnished after having a fling with a married man. These colors represent the black and white perception of the world the persona has while not yet being an adult.

1920’s society offered a prominent way for blacks that look white to exploit its barrier and pass in society. Visible within Nella Larsen’s Passing, access to the regular world exists only for those who fit the criteria of white skin and white husband. Through internal conflict and characterization, the novella reveals deception slowly devours the deceitful. In Passing, Clare and Irene both deceive people. They both engage in deceit by having the ability to pass when they are not of the proper race to do so.

Firstly, the different types of Rosaleen’s suffering endure for the remainder of her life. Then the various impacts of discrimination suffered by April and how it leads her to end her life. Finally, May surrenders due to the numerous sufferings in the world that drive her to take away her life. Ultimately, racial discrimination engraves a lifelong physical and psychological suffering in people. Therefore, no one deserves to go through such suffering, not even

The story takes place at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in America, when desegregation is finally achieved. Flannery O’Connor’s use of setting augments the mood and deepens the context of the story. However, O’Connor’s method is subtle, often relying on connotation and implication to drive her point across. The story achieves its depressing mood mostly through the use of light and darkness in the setting.

I will be taking a postmodern approach to the text and supplementing it with modernism and psychoanalytic theories before stating my final stance that postmodernism may be the most appropriate approach. This approach ensures that different perspectives are present in my analysis and ensures that it is not one-sided. The question that I hope to focus my argument on is “Does the postmodernist approach better emerge the idea of self from racism?” Rottenberg, Catherine. " Passing : Race, Identification, and Desire. " Criticism, vol. 45, no. 4, 2004, pp. 435-452.

May 's feelings of discomfort in regards to the discoveries surrounding her racial background are explored. In "This gunna show ya where ya don 't belong dumb black bitch!". The derogatory language emphasises the depth of the toilsome circumstances May must endure as an outsider in her own community. This event pushes her a step back on the rode of self-discovery as it made her aware of her status in her community. Resulting in, May fleeing for security.