To start off, Irene’s loyalty is first put into question in the novel, by her childhood friend Clare Kendry. Clare Kendry excited, confused, and surprised Irene. Irene came to learn that Clare had been ‘passing’, or in other words, was pretending to be white in front of her white husband and daughter. Clare’s husband, Jack, did not know that Clare was an African American. When Irene was invited over to Clare’s home, Jack said right in front of Clare and Irene, “No niggers in my family. Never have been and never will be.”(Larsen,40). This was the first time Irene faced the question of how loyal she is, and to whom. She was torn between either sticking up for her race, or being loyal to her friend Clare and remaining quiet about the fact that