Nella Larsen portrays double consciousness in her novel Passing. She allows her characters, Irene and Clare, to explore their cultural identities in the Harlem Neighborhood of New York City in the 1920’s, as well as dealing with the effects of racism in their society. In the novel Passing, Larsen has female characters Irene and Clare who are of African American descent. Although the two women have an African American background, they are also light skinned enough to pass as white women. Irene and Clare take the opportunity to pass as something they are not, which is how Larsen ties in double consciousness to her novel, connecting with Gilroy’s views. In the novel, Irene and Clare started off as friends from a young age that grew apart, when …show more content…
Being worked as a colored person, meant being treated poorly and working for low wages. For example, Irene and her husband hired an African American woman to take care of the daily chores. Zulena was hired to do the daily jobs around the house, she was bossed around by another woman of the same race and was paid poorly. But, during the 1920’s, hiring an African American woman such as Zulena was normal. White families looked down upon colored people and were not supposed to communicate with anyone from the opposite race. This is where Larsen showed double consciousness in her story. She showed Irene living a white luxury life, while going against her own kind to hire Zulena as her maid. In the critical text, “Reading Race in Nella Larsen’s Passing and the Rhinelander Case” written by Rebecca Nisetich, she talks about the connection with Larsen’s novel Passing and dealing with racial issues going on during this time. As stated in the critical text, “It is significant that the only reference to the trial occurs in Irene’s reflections on her friend Clare’s racial …show more content…
Gilroy mentions, “I have become fascinated with how successive generations of black intellectuals have understood this connection and how they have projected it in their writing and speaking in pursuit of freedom, citizenship, and social and political autonomy.” (Gilroy 2391). This quote ties in so well with Passing written by Nella Larsen because throughout the reading Larsen has her characters living the life of a double consciousness. They are living the life of a Caucasian female, although they are African American. Gilroy could not have said it better himself, the generation has understood and is using their voice, whether it be written words or spoken out. In Larsen’s novel she states, “Irene brought herself back to present, to the letter from Clare Kendry that she still held unopened in her hand. With a little feeling of apprehension.” (Larsen, 16). Larsen added suspension and possible tension at the very start of her text to show what Irene had already known about Clare and to show how she does not necessarily agree with her situation. Irene knew it was not right to keep something so important away from her spouse, even though her husband knows about her
Passing The novel, Passing by Nella Larsen, tells a story of two African- American women’s who work hard for the American dream. Larson demonstrates certain conflicts such as betrayal, jealousy, lies, race, and sexuality. Clare Kendry and Irene Reinfield were childhood friends, but when Clare’s father died, she moved away with her aunts and Irene never saw her again. Both Clare and Irene are light skinned who may pass as white. Irene stays with her race while Clare abandons her race by passing as
Identity and Duality in Nella Larsen’s Passing The Harlem Renaissance was a 1920’s cultural movement that allowed African Americans growth after years of discrimination hindered them culturally. There are many well renowned writers associated with the movement, however although unrecognized Nella Larsen was a very relevant and important contribution with her novels Passing and Quicksand. Her novel Passing in particular, focuses on the lives of Irene and Brian Redfield and John Bellow and how their
In Nella Larsen’s Passing, a narrow line is towed between pride of the race one has chosen, and desire of the race one has not. The protagonist in this novel, Irene Renfield, grapples between feeling proud of her race and jealousy of the societal and social advantages that passing as white provides, which is represented through her friend Clare Kendry. Irene and Clare are mulatto women living in Harlem during the 1920s. Their mixed race allows them to “pass” as white or be seen as black, Clare has
Passing, by Nella Larsen is a book of racial identification focused on the reunion of two childhood friends, Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield. Clare and Irene’s relationship reflects jealousy and envy throughout the story. This novel tells a story of two African American woman who are very similar, yet different with their experiences of “passing” as white. In passing, Clare and Irene create a unique feeling of identity and belonging. Irene has the ability to suppress her feelings as well as a strong
sphere like staying at home and taking care of their children. Knowing this concept, people can understand well the book Passing because some of the content in Passing not only mentions about the domesticity about the womanhood, also it implies that woman does not want to be restrained by this concept—“True Womanhood.” In her book Passing by Nella Larsen, it talks about the passing women that are afraid of exposing their real racial identity in the white
The novel passing by Nella Larsen centers on racial issues African American were faced with during the 1920s, due to the color of their skin. It reveals the mal-treatment they were subjected to and discloses that the only way they could have escaped these harsh treatments was by passing for a white person. This only applied to individuals who were of mixed race, since their fair complexion mirrored that of a white person. Since the novel has been written a lot of changes have been made in the African-
According to Psychology Today, Jealousy is usually regarded as the emotional reaction to a threat to one’s relationship with a real or imagined romantic rival. In the short story Passing by Nella Larsen, the aforementioned description can be attributed to the story’s main protagonist. Within the story, Irene Redfield develops feelings of jealousy towards her friend Clare Kendry. Although the two women are initially close, the relationship between the two is severed when Irene starts to believe Clare
communication can make and unmake places, uplifting or diminishing the appeal of a site. Similar to the poem “The Tropics of New York” by Claude McKay and the novel the “Passing” by Nella Larsen and others. In relation to literature you need to pay attention to the little things in the stories that are read. I choose the texts “Passing” by Nella Larsen and “The Tropics of New” by Claude McKay because the two texts provide great examples that push my point even further. The spaces and places that are discussed