PASSING

Nella Larsen
Passing
Passing, defined as a black person
using theirlighter skin color and
features to give the illusion of being
white
Passing
Passing is the most obviously refers to someone who is African American
pretending to be white
Irene passes as white only when it suits her.

Irene notes that she only passes when she is alone, associating the concept of
passing with isolation from the black community. In general, Irene embraces her
black identity, and is proud of her black community in Harlem
Passing
Passing is the most obviously refers to someone who is African American
pretending to be white

Irene passes as white only when it suits her.

Clare have passed completely, totally rejecting and hiding their black identities.

Clare has forgone her black identity to live among white people as a white person.
Clare lies to her husband,John,who believes she is completely white, and who is
openly racist around her.
Race and social class
The environment of the early 1900s was often a hostile one to blacks.
Therefore, race was an underlying issue.

Irene is in the Drayton Hotel realizing

people might notice she was from an
undesired race
=> She is afraid that people will notice that she
is black in a place that is strictly for the white
race.
Race and social class
Race was an underlying issue

John is violent racist. John does not

know that Clare has black ancestry,
and he frequently uses racial slurs
around her and even to address
her.
Race and social class
Racial lines were deep and the race was a huge indicator of status.

Race often demonstrated limitations to the individuals such as Irene. She had to be in
Jim Crow sections of a party.

Social class and privilege take precedence over race for Clare
Sexuality
Women in the Twenties were often seen as an object; they could not
demonstrate resistance to their own femininity because society would
reject it.
=>Women were often afraid and displayed what society wanted them to
be.

Irene is both jealous and in love with Clare. If she were to demonstrate any
physical attraction toward Clare she would be more than punished by society