Nella Larsen Passing Summary

Never clear.”(pg137) This quote shows Irene’s jealousy taking over her whole mind and she pushes Clare out the window out of jealousy and fears that she will lose Brian after John Bellew finds out about her. Another example of this is when she was thankful the fall killed Clare. This statement is backed up by this statement, “Irene struggled against the sob of thankfulness that rose in her throat. Choked down, it turned into a whimper, like a hurt child’s.

Later when Clare decides to visit Irene, we see them get emotional over Clare’s situation.

Throughout the book it was shown that Clare envied Irene. She wanted her lifestyle, she reminisced off old situations from their past Clare tried to say that they were just alike and the same.throughout the book clare continued to try to convince herself that they had so much in common . Clare commented on everything in irene's life and tried to be like her . As well as when she harassed Irene with a letter. She also envied her because she would keep showing up at Irene's house without invitation which showed her urge to have everything Irene has. For instance , on page 74 it says , “ there was a slight crash , on the floor at her feet lay the shattered cup. Dark stains dotted the bright rug. Spread. The chatter stopped . Went on . Before her , Zulena gathered up the white fragments”. Here it's saying , that Clare was a master manipulator and Clare tried to manipulate Brian and Irene into her Trap of telling them what they want to hear . She thought this would work on Brian so he would leave Irene for her , and she would no longer have to envy all that Irene has she would know be all that Irene was .which shows Larsen's literary method of Characterization

Even though Irene also shows she is very vengeful. Irene, while having a battle between passing as white or black she continues to stay loyal to her heritage as an African American. Irene is loyal to her heritage and culture by being apart of the "Negro Welfare League" (NWL.) Even though Irene believed her husband to be having an affair with her friend Clare, she remained loyal to him. Irene Could’ve left her husband, but instead continued to stay with him. By choosing to stay true to her heritage, and culture Irene stays loyal to being African American. Irene feels betrayed by Clare because she decides to pass as a white. Clare deceives her husband by not telling him she is African American, which upsets Irene because she is loyal and proud of her heritage. Irene has an African American child, but while having tea with Clare and a white woman, Clare says that she is not getting pregnant again for the fear of her child being African American, which Irene gets even more upset by. Unlike Clare who is afraid of the people around her finding out that she is African American, Irene stays loyal to her

Larsen’s style is a tricky one; in Passing, Larsen’s narration is highly unreliable. Told from the viewpoint of Irene, many aspects are skewed, especially in regards to Clare. In the beginning of the novel, Irene recalls events from Clare’s childhood: “Irene Redfield seemed to see a pale small girl sitting on a ragged blue sofa, sewing pieces of bright red cloth together, while her drunken father…raged threateningly up and down the shabby room, bellowing curses and making spasmodic lunges at her…” (9), yet later she remembers Clare being “selfish, and cold, and hard” (10). If the reader looks past the bias, we see that Clare’s life has been especially difficult and that Irene’s strange dislike for her is completely unwarranted. Larsen’s style

Irene and Brian’s marriage symbolized the different roles of women and men in their home. Although she told Clare that she had all the things she wanted and that did not need to ‘pass’ as white, Irene still struggled with her marriage and the control

Irene's opinion is that people are “Strangers” even in their racial consciousness. Between them, the barrier was just as high, just as broad, and just as firm as if Clare did not run that strain of black blood” (110). Even though Irene and Clare are both light skinned, Clare chooses to take advantage of “passing” while Irene chooses to embrace her culture and identity. This shows two different perspectives on their ideas of race, and identity. Irene mentions that both are strangers in their racial consciousness, even though they are the same race.

While there are moments of tension and ambiguity, Irene's acknowledgment of Clare's positive qualities, especially in a social context, adds layers to their complex dynamic. It contributes to the intricate blend of friendship and rivalry, and that defines Irene and Clare's interactions. Although the narrator almost exclusively writes or paraphrases Irene’s perspective and opinions, thus repressing Clare’s viewpoint. Clare, throughout her passing, is presented as a strong force who isn’t afraid to take what she

Ruth deeply feels the impact of what society thinks and racism on how she sees herself. When thinking about her Jewish background, Ruth says, "I just didn't see myself as white. " Rejecting the label society gave her a struggle between how others see us and who we think we are. This struggle shines a light on how much influence outsiders can have on how we view ourselves. Also, Ruth being in love with someone from another race goes against the usual rules and racial thoughts people have.

As a teacher, it is Brown’s duty to first to be loyal to the children in her care. She breaks this unspoken agreement when she endangers the unity of Irene’s family by having an affair with her student’s father and so, in Irene’s mind, must be removed from the role she dishonors.

With the idea of Irene’s privilege in mind, it complicates Irene’s critical views on Clare passing. First off, Irene’s belief that Clare passes because there is “nothing sacrificial in

Irene holds the guilt of murdering Clare, and she keeps telling herself “it was an accident, a terrible accident… it was” (Larsen, 239). Whereas the narrator is not wanting to move on and stay underground until he is literally chased out at the end of “Invisible Man”. Invisibility is not what humans believe it to be; it is something society decides upon, whether it is voluntary or not. Invisibility is deemed on those whose culture or way of living is different from their own. Even today, people shun those who may be different, whether it is due to their skin tone, a disease, or simply because they do not pertain to social norms.

When Irene finally realizes that this woman is Clare, someone who chooses to “pass” and hide all traces of her black heritage, Irene’s opinion of her changes. She no longer wants to be involved with Clare in any way, and “had no desire or intention of making the slightest effort about Tuesday. Nor any other day for that matter. She was through with Clare Kendry.” (p. 31) Irene is appalled that someone can so easily throw away her background just for the sake of gaining privilege over another race. When Clare asks her if she had ever thought of passing, Irene replies, “No. Why should I? You see, Clare, I’ve everything I want.” (p. 28) She is happy with what she has, not even having to give up anything to get there. Or at least that’s what she convinces herself to believe. Irene is again hypocritical in her beliefs. Even when she opposes Clare’s view of passing, she is still very interested in the idea. “The truth was, she was curious. There were things she wanted to ask Clare Kendry. She wished to find out about this hazardous business of ‘passing’…” (p. 24) She even admitted that she held for her “a fascination, strange and compelling.” (p. 28) Irene doesn’t seem to be able to decide if she accepts passing as reasonable. She forces herself to disagree with passing, allowing her to hate Clare for doing it. This shows us that sexuality and race are two matters that conflict with each other, at least in Irene’s opinion. She uses race to

Irene wants to control her relationship with Clare and seems frustrated as she loses control when Clare is around. One occasion, Irene tries hard not to accept Clare’s invitation to meet her but ends up going. Later, Irene’s anger goes away just by the power of Clare’s smile, "And under her potent smile a part of Irene's annoyance with herself fled”. This constant loose of power makes Irene vulnerable and the possible affair between Clare and Brian gives Irene a motive for hating her instead of admitting her lesbianism and losing the life she has worked so hard to build.

Although Irene feels that there is "nothing sacrificial in Clare's idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire," it is apparent that Clare's desire to return to her African American race is honest, even if the motives seem rather one-sided (Larsen 144). Irene considers Clare to be "selfish, cold and hard" (Larsen 144). Irene also feels that Clare does not have "even in the slightest artistic or sociological interest in the race that some members of other races displayed…[She] cared nothing of the race, she only belonged to it" (Larsen 182). This may be true, but it does not diminish Clare's own pain at having to deny her African American heritage, and her desire to return to it. Irene represents a portion of society who feel that people who pass must have a morally acceptable reason to return to their African American roots such as a desire to rebel against a white society that has forced them into the role of a white person. Just because Clare feels "no permanent allegiance to either the black or white worlds or any of the classic anguish of the tragic mulatto" does not mean that she is not a tragic mulatto (Washington 48). In her own way, "Clare Kendry belongs with that group of tragic mulattos…emerg[ing] as an individual, not as a stereotype" (Davis 98). Because she wants to return to her own race on her own terms illustrates her individuality in the face of the