The Theme Of Race Identity In George Schulyer's Black No More And Passing

In the novels Black No More and Passing addressed the issue of race identity and how race function in the normality of society. The novels depicted African-Americans finding stability during the time where white supremacy created social barriers. The narratives explored the authenticity of the disadvantages of a cultural norm that African-Americans encounter and why assimilation should be the standard or accepted. The texts inquiries on race and culture can be viewed in the context of perception, manipulation, and reality.

The definition of perception is the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through the senses. The sense in both novels is what we see as real or what can be defined as real by physical appearance, question

In similar, George Schulyer novel showed Max Disher going through a transformation to become white; however, the process was science based and it was not by a biological order. The concern was relevant with each character about who they were. It was evident that identity created anxiety and a sensation of panic in Larsen and Schulyer narratives. For example, Irene irritability grew when she notice a woman persistently staring at her. “Did that woman, could that woman, somehow know that here before her very eyes on the roof of the Drayton sat a Negro?” (Larsen 7). The statement exhibited the uncertainty within the character moreover the character’s comfort in passing a white woman was threaten; comparatively to Max Disher experience of edginess when he tries to become a member of Knights of Nordica. “He felt a slight tremor of uneasiness as her turned the knob and entered. Despite his white skin he still possessed the fear of the Klan” (Schulyer 37). The analysis between the two texts created a dangerous environment for characters because exposure of their true selves could have led to a consequence more severe than embarrassment. By this understanding, the

Schulyer pointed that abandoning oneself uniqueness can be disheartening because one’s purpose will not be fulfilled. The Black experience is beyond segregation; in addition, the Black experience encompasses every aspect of life, whether it is music or cooking styles, African-Americans contributed to society’s process. Larsen and Schulyer placed the characters Max Disher and Clare Kendry in a compromising position. Max has gone under a transformation for access to economic mobility; whereas Clare married a white man for the same accessibility, but each character had a void within them. “Race! The thing that bound and suffocated her” (Larsen 78). Clare missed being with her race so she would use Irene to reenter into a culture that she had hidden for years. Even in Clare’s home, she was not allowed to be herself for the sake of security. Larsen introduces of racial blindness as a factor when Jack references about his wife complexion. “When we first married, she was as white as a lily. But, I declare she’s getting darker and darker” (29). In this case, the husband perception was shielded by his first interaction; however, he did not consider the term or hypo-descent; which means one drop of black blood makes you black. Looking through the text, racial blindness is a referenced as an opposition. Opposing the Negro race based on color and the