Passing by Nella Larsen

A detailed Summary of Passing by Nella Larsen

Published in 1929, Nella Larsen's' novel "Passing" tells a story of two very similar African American women and their two very different experiences of "crossing" the race line. With admiring use of irony and symbolism, Larsen is able to deal with themes such as identity, race, sexuality and class distinction in an educated and entertaining format. All these social issues and problems seemingly to culminate in the end to ask the question; is what person you are inside defined by your race on the outside?

From the beginning of the novel we are to see that the ability of "passing" is not only given by Larsen to Clare Kendry, but to Irene Redfield as well. Her intended brief glass of tea on the hotel terrace shows that Irene can and is willing to pass for white when the situation calls for and is needed. As stated in the book if they were to find that she was black they would have asked her in the most pleasant of manner to please leave. The only difference between the two being the length and severity they are willing to go with there charade.

I believe that this "ability" given to some African Americans to pass as white in it self creates a whole new race of people, the whites, the blacks, and then the passed. To pass as so

meone of different race then your own can and is considered by most of your race, an insult to your heritage and culture. To pass means that you have accepted to live your life as a lie. It also means that you have accepted the fact that you will disown yourself to your people and your past. You are trying to join a race that you would never be accepted as a part of. They are not white, and they have almost completely rejected the ways of their black friends and family, so they seem to be an altogether different race. This is what Clare Kendry has done in the novel and this is what makes her passing different form that of Irene.

The answer as to what happened to the care free Clare Kendry will probably never be answered but is one of the many fascinating stories brought up in this compelling novel about identity and acceptance in the novel "passing" .

Irene was very upset at the thought Clare and her husband were having an affair and wanted Clare to just leave. Now that John knew that Clare was black he would defiantly not take her back with him. This might have scared Irene, now Clare and her husband might run off together. This might have left Irene with only the option of killing Clare in order to save her marriage. The novel did state that Irene did grab Clare's arm right before she fell.

The ending scene of the novel when Clare is lying dead on the street surrounded by all her friends of the black community, her husband (representing her life as a white) has abandoned her. Here lying dead in the black community as opposed to living in a white one, Clare is probably her happiest, it seems that she had found the redemption that she was looking for.

To answer the first question, I would have to say no, I do not believe that Irene had informed Clare's husband as to her secret. Even though Irene had been considering that very thing as a way of getting rid of Clare form her life and to fix her marriage, Irene all to well knows what would happen to Clare if she did that. Her daughter would be taken away, she would be abandoned by her husband and even worse, her very life would possibly be in danger. Especially after that day with the conversation she ha

Some common words found in the essay are:
John Bellew, African American, Irene Clare, African Americans, Clare Irene's, Irene Redfield, Clare Kendry, Besides David's, Irene John, David Irene, clare window, john bellew, clare kendry, african american women, marriage irene, pass white, husband clare, secret irene, lie john, irene husband clare, clare life, pushed clare,

Approximate Word count = 1475
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English