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20th Century Poets In Nella Larsen's Passing

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In many of the text we’ve read this semester, including poems, the conflicts of the 20th century were evident. It was also evident that there are differences between the 20th and 21st century, as well as many similarities. Poets such as Langston Hughes and Claude McKay gave us an insight to what life was like during the Harlem Renaissance. Being black men was something that they felt was necessary to speak about during their time. The situations and problems that occurred around them is what gave them a sense of individuality, while at the same time, these problems challenged them in a sense that made them better poets. It gave them something to talk about; and though their poetry did not solve the problems, I’d like to think that it made it …show more content…

The saying “history just repeats itself,” is definitely true, no matter the situation. Authors like Nella Larsen showed her struggles through her writing, and though “Passing” was not based on a true story, it is very evident that the plot of the story was (and still is) an issue in society. In today’s society struggling with passing as black or white it is not as big of an issue as it was then, but it does still happen. For instance, I have a friend who is mixed (black and white), but her skin tone is so light that you would never know she was mixed until she began to talk about how her mom is half black. “The trouble with Clare was, not only that she wanted to have her cake and eat too, but that she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well. (Passing)” This quote from “Passing” is very interesting to me because I sometimes feel like this with my friend. For me, it seems as though she will claim her black side, but only when it is beneficial. Though it is not a very big deal to me, it sometimes bothers me because I love being black and I don’t get to pick and choose when it is appropriate to be that. As stated, “Passing” may not be based on a true story, but it can be said that Nella Larsen more than likely struggled with being a light skinned woman in that society. I …show more content…

In “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Tennessee Williams shows us a little bit about people struggling with trying to understand sexuality and feminism. Though there is no full detail, we are shown how Blanche’s ex-husband was caught doing something that was really unspeakable during that time. Blanche did not know how to handle that nor could she deal with all the deaths that were happening in her life so she started to become her own woman, which was also not very acceptable. She lies to herself and others so that life can appear as what she thinks it should be. Tennessee Williams definitely explores over throwing boundaries in the

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In Passing by Nella Larson, two biracial women pass as white while one embraces her black identity the other denies her black identity. Race, identity, and belonging is determined by the culture the family choses to identity with. Clare has no other choice but to accept her white culture on the surface but she desires to be reconnected back to her black culture. Clare decision to accept her white culture was for the privileges that came from passing. Biracial children have a difficult time finding a sense of self and where they belong.

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According to Landry, Nella Larsen wrote Passing to furtively cover a subject that was more taboo than the racial issues of the early twentieth century. Specifically the issues that mulatto women faced when assimilating into the white world without self-identifying. Landry states that it was safe for Nella Larsen to write a story about the subject of the mulatto women while interweaving a love affair between two women. Landry argues that “ women of mixed ethnicity fear being defined by other African Americans as race traitors if they resist sexual and gender norms”(26) and that the direct consequence of defying the social norms of the era would be self-loathing and blame. Landry goes on to explain that the negative feelings toward their selves

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Passing as white can have significant consequences for individuals who choose to do so. Especially with regards to sacrificing their cultural identity and who they are. For example, “Clare for instance, had passed completely, and so had lost everything that made up here n**** self” (Larson 18). This quote expresses the consequences of passing as white.

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Furthermore, a common theme seen throughout the novella is appearance vs. reality. Passing in itself is a form of deception constantly being presented by mulatto women in the novel, more often than not, Clare Kendry, when earlier it is said “there were things that she wanted to ask Clare Kendry. She wished to find out about this hazardous business of passing.” (17) This passage enhances the theme of deception as well as passing.

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Civilization pushes the idea that you won’t feel part of one group if you’re constantly balancing another one. Often society pushes us to choose a side and it is a cardinal sin to identify with both groups of people. Nella Larsen through her novel Passing reinforces themes surrounding passing in America by her characters Clare and Irene. Clare chooses to pass while Irene chooses to be a part of the black community. This

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In the novel, Passing by Nella Larsen, the author explores the theme of the racial passing taking place in the United States during the 1920s. The story takes place in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the 1920s, the novel focuses on the reunion of two childhood friends of mixed-race descent. Irene Redfield’s struggle is to keep her charmed existence away from Clare Kendry. In an analysis of this text, the reader understands how the author portrays the crossing the racial boundaries between blacks and whites bring advantages and tragedy.

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The novel, Passing by Nella Larsen writes about a women Irene Redfield how meets wither her lost childhood friend, Clare Kendry who has been passing a white women and hiding her identity from her racist husband. The author uses a symbol that functions in the work and it reveals the theme of the work as a whole. Larsen utilize a symbol that has a purpose in the novel and symbol reveals the theme of the novel as a whole. The author uses the symbol, a mask that disclose the theme race throughout the novel, Passing. Larsen’s characters pass only occasionally, when it is convenient and beneficial to them, but live in black communities and embrace their black identity, such as Irene Redfield.

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Racial passing is when a black person pretends to be white in order to live in a society. Clare makes the decision to pass while Irene decides not to pass as a white person. Clare lost touch with Irene when she moved in with her two white aunts and made her decision to pass as a white woman because she was convinced that was the only way to find happiness in the white society. At this time, it seemed to be a good choice for a black

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Nella Larson’s novel Passing, tells the story of two African American women Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry who embark on a journey to “reconnect” with one another. Although, similar in appearance, these two women were very different in the way they determined race. For women like Irene and Clare who were physically able to “pass” as white women, despite having African American heritage the typical connotation that race was distinguished by the color of one’s skin did not apply to them. As a result, many women like Irene and Clare would cross the racial lines. The character Clare Kendry was the perfect example of “passing.”

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Racism was always a big issue and still occurs today. The story “Passing” took place in the 1920’s during the Harlem Renaissance and it spoke about the term “Passing” which indicates that African American’s who looked lighted skin can go to public places without being discriminated. In “Passing” Nella Larsen demonstrates how racism causes jealousy, resentment, and dishonesty in relationships. The idea is conveyed through inner conflict, the conflict between the main characters and how the Harlem Renaissance period inflicts tension in relationships.

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Passing, a novel by Nella Larsen, addresses the issue of race by telling the story of two African American women - Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield - who represent different aspects of passing1. In the novel, passing refers to the process of crossing the color line, where a light skinned person who belongs to the black racial community enjoys white privilege2. However, people who pass struggle with double consciousness as they long to honor their race without necessarily being associated with it3. The novel is highly invested in ambiguity to show the fluidity and complexity of race, and how it paves the way for passing4. Passing illustrates the struggle African Americans face with their unchosen race and their attempt to control their identity

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Passing by Nella Larson focuses on racial and sexual boundaries in the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance. The novel is about two women with the same origin, yet different life outcomes. Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry are both upper-middle class black women, yet Irene lives a traditional life while Clare has spent her time dangerously passing as a white woman. Although they now live very contrastive lives, they are both light-skinned African American women who are able to pass as white when they please. When these two women come together, however, it is evident that they are even more alike than just these similarities.

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Passing, by Nella Larsen, explores the complexities of race and how it influences relationships between people. The novel illustrates how race is not a fixed and immutable characteristic, but rather a fluid and ever-evolving construct shaped by one's experiences and surroundings. Larsen’s deft analysis is exemplified by the discussion of Claude Jones. While Jones is not a central character seen in the plot, the small embedded narrative around his life is used to provide the reader with a template showing that race is not static but rather something one assimilates into over the course of a person’s life. This is the lens through which the reader can better understand Claire and her attempts at residing in two cultures passing from black to

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