Nella Larsen Passing Nella Larsen\'s Novel Passing

Nella Larsen Passing

Nella Larsen's novel Passing is about African-American culture and racial identity. The story focuses on the friendship between two women, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. Both women are African-American yet both have light skin. Therefore, they pass for being white. However, each woman deals with her racial and ethnic identites differently. Clare Kendry grew up with white relatives and later marries a racially prejudiced white man who does not know Clare is actually Black. Therefore, Clare distances herself from her African-American heritage and lives as if she were white. Irene, on the other hand, identifies fully with her African-American heritage. She marries a Black doctor who hopes to move to Brazil. Living in Harlem, Irene is unhappy with the racial situation in the United States but feels powerless to do anything about it. The book brings up issues related to racism in America as well as issues related to identity. Being Black is both a source of pride and insecurity for Irene, and she easily becomes jealous of Clare. In fact, Irene's suspicion that her husband Brian and Clare are having an affair flares up when Brian expresses his discontent with life in America because it brings out Irene's insecurities about her racial identity.

Irene clearly declares her envy of Clare, even though both have light skin: "Yes, Clare Kendry's lovliness was absolute, beyond challenge," (38). Irene states that one of the main reasons Clare is so beautiful is because of her "Negro eyes! Mysterious and concealing," (38). Another reason why Clare seems so mysterious is because she hides her racial heritage. By pretending she is white, Clare seems more beautiful because of her African features. Because of Clare's mysterious allure Irene knows that Clare might be successful in seducing Brian. Therefore, part of the reason her suspicion flares up is because she is purely jealous of her girlfriend and her way of life. When Brian expresses interest in the exotic land of Brazil, Irene feels even more threatened because Brain's desire for Clare could easily substitute for his desire for moving to South America.

Furthermore, as a woman who has identified with being white throughout most of her life, Clare has some of the social power of white culture, something that Irene does not have. By marrying a white man and pretending she is white, Clare has avoided many of the problems associated with being African-American, such as poverty and prejudice. Irene, on the other hand, has lived her life as a Black woman and has experienced all the problems with race in America. Irene becomes very angry at Clare for pretending to be white and avoiding her African heritage: she states, "I've no intention of being the link between her and her poorer darker brethren," (81). Irene resents the fact that Clare wants to have the best of both worlds. When Brian expresses his desire to move, Irene assumes it is because he is unhappy with being with a Black woman.

Even though she is proud of being black, her racial identity is also sense of insecurity to Irene. Irene knows that being Black in America can be a weakness in social, economic, and political settings. In fact, part of the reason why Brian wants to move is because he is unhappy being Black in America. Brian often expresses his discontent with living in the United States and reminds Irene that he wants to move to Brazil. Irene assumes Brian is also discontent with her for being Black, especially when Clare flirts with him. The flirtation reminds Irene of the pain of racial tension and also makes her feel jealous that Clare escaped racial tension by passing herself off as white.